Review: Compact Sitting/Standing DeskTop

Product: Conquer Compact Standing Desk Height Adjustable Monitor Rise Tabletop Sit to Stand Workstation

ASIN: B07ZJW8Y6M

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HEADING: A must-have for every writer with a sore back

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

FUNCTIONALITY RATING (How well does it perform its intended function?): 5/5

Its purpose is to provide a surface for writing or for your laptop that allows you to work sitting or standing at your current desk.

You raise it by pressing a lever inward on its left-hand side and lifting it. To lower it, you press the lever while holding the sides of the desk and gently lower it. When raising and lowering it, there are distinct click stops that lock it into position.

FORM (Design, Construction, Ease of Setup) OVERALL RATING 5/5

Simple (in a good way) and solid.

– DESIGN: 5/5

There may be a better design for a standing desk converter available. But I can’t imagine what that would be — or how it could possibly be necessary.

– CONSTRUCTION: 5/5

Made of metal. Feels solid. Looks good. Adjusts smoothly and easily.

– EASE OF SETUP: 5/5

It comes preassembled. All that is required is to snip one plastic zip tie and remove one foam spacer.

BANG FOR THE BUCK: 5/5

A quality product at a reasonable price. A best buy.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: -/-

I cannot rate their customer service because I have not needed to interact with the company as there has been no problem with the product or my purchase.

LOU’S VIEW:

One of the most useful laptop computer products I’ve ever purchased.

I have a bad back. I am a writer. A bad combination, but a common one. I frequently needed to curtail my writing time and leave my chair and walk away from my laptop.

I’ve been aware of adjustable-height standing desks and standing desk converters, such as this product is, for quite some time. But they were overpriced at $100 to $200 — meaning they cost more than I could afford to spend.

Finding this on Amazon for around $50 pleasantly surprised me. But I am a cautious buyer because I hate sending stuff back.

First, I reviewed the specs and the product copy. Cautiously.

In a previous life, I was a marketing copywriter and know the danger facing the consumer by unethical companies and unscrupulous marketers. “Buyer Beware” especially of too much puffery in a product listing. When reading product descriptions I filter out the persuasive words and phrases — I focus on the factual information. I distrust any product that makes me wonder if the seller has seemed to put way too much makeup on what is possibly a pig. A good product needs to be shown in its best light but should not require a verbal cosmetic veneer if it is truly beautiful.

Reviewing the bullet points, the specifications, and the product copy, I determined to my satisfaction that this was not a “pig wearing lipstick.”

Next, the reviews. As a general rule, I am skeptical of reviews that are overly exuberant. I’m not saying that they are necessarily fake but they are often not helpful in making a practical buying decision.

I also check Fakespot Reviews Analysis. This service — while an excellent resource — is not perfect. On more than one occasion, I have found lower or higher review scores between color variations of the exact same product. In those cases, I tend to favor the higher review score as long as there are no other red flags that concern me.

However, at the time of my purchase, this product had an A-rating on Fakespot, meaning that the 88-percent 5-star and 4-star positive reviews could be trusted.

My next step is to ascertain whether the product will meet my particular situation.

So, I measured my desktop workspace for my 15-inch laptop. It was less than the 26.5-inch x 18.75-inch surface of the Conquer Standing Desk converter. Next, I stood up and with a measuring tape, judged the best height range I would need the laptop to be when standing. It was less than the maximum height of 16 inches. And as this standing desk converter has 5 discrete height settings, I knew this would work for me. You should do the same before ordering any standing desk converter.

Every time I use it, I feel grateful for having purchased it. The opposite of buyer’s remorse. Let’s call it buyer’s joy or buyer’s satisfaction.

Priced fairly. Well-constructed and designed. I use it every day. Helps me work longer at the computer with much less pain and discomfort.

A must-have for every writer with a sore back.

TIPS FOR USE:

1) It has a matte black surface, which is fine, but my plastic USB hub kept sliding around when I raised or lowered the desk. So, I put a small, rubber, non-slip pad underneath the hub which does the job. FYI, I used a spare “rubber jar opener.”

2) When I first had it adjusted to standing height, I noticed my laptop screen did not appear level. Then I checked the table the converter was on. Using a spirit level, I discovered it was not the fault of the standing desk converter but of the surface I had it on. I had never noticed it before when sitting down. So, if you experience the same slight lopsidedness that I did, check that your desk or table is truly level before blaming the desk converter.

Full Disclosure: I did not receive this product at any special discount or receive it for free. However, there was a promotional Amazon coupon at the time of purchase which I did take advantage of.