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As weird as it might sound coming from someone without a driver’s license, I’m obsessed with cars and car culture. And if a piece of tech has even the slightest connection to cars, I’m down for it. There’s a supercar-themed smartphone? Send it to me for testing. There’s a new smartphone controller on the market? Racing games are the first thing I play on it. There’s a new gaming headset? I’m testing it with Forza Horizon.
So when you receive an email from a brand with the word “Racer” in its name, needless to say, I’m fully on board. Especially when a legendary brand like DXRacer is entering a new category of gaming desks and wants your honest opinion on its latest product. So let’s see whether the Tidal XL lives up to the legendary brand name.
Disclosure: DXRacer provided the Tidal XL Gaming Desk for review. No payment was provided, and all opinions are my own.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Specifications DXRacer Tidal XL Gaming Desk
DXRacer offers two versions of the Tidal desk. The Tidal XL, which I received, is the larger 55-inch-wide option. If that’s too large for your room, the Tidal L has a more compact 47-inch footprint. And if even the XL seems too small, DXRacer also offers the heavy-duty Triton desk.
Except for the width, both Tidal versions share the same 30-inch depth and the same height adjustment range of 26.2 to 40.9 inches. Both come in black or white and include an RGB light strip, a cable-management tray, and a height-adjustable power column.
| Product name | DXRacer Tidal L/XL |
| Desktop dimensions | L: 47” W × 30” D XL: 55” W × 30” D |
| Height | 26.2” – 40.9” adjustable |
| Motor | Single motor, under 40 dB |
| Cable management and accessories | Under-desk tray, height-adjustable power column, six multifunction hooks |
| Lighting | RGB strip and RGB control panel |
| Controls | Six mechanical buttons, dial, and screen |
| Additional features | Reactive RGB lighting, app control, hot-swappable keycaps |
Assembly
Like most desks – and kit cars – the DXRacer Tidal arrives disassembled. My desk came in three packages: one containing the desktop assembly, another with the legs and motor, and a smaller separate package for the height-adjustable power column. Unlike most kit cars, DXRacer provides a booklet with step-by-step instructions and even an assembly video featuring a model-looking lady putting the desk together with ease, all without scratching her manicure. According to the video, the entire process should take no more than 21 minutes.
It should be easy, right? You have only one type of M6 screw, two Allen keys, a fairly straightforward process, and one small caveat. One hour and 45 minutes later, after multiple backtracks and watching the evening turn into night, I would say DXRacer’s estimate may be slightly optimistic.
My recommendation is simple: follow the video instead of relying entirely on the printed manual. It includes one crucial step: unscrewing four grub screws and extending the two leg assembly sections. This is particularly important for the XL desk because the same leg assembly is used for both sizes, yet the screw-hole positions under the desktops differ.
Don’t be like me. Follow the lady in the video, and the entire process should realistically take around 45 minutes.
Overall, kudos to DXRacer for providing video instructions. They are informative and far more comprehensive than the printed guide.
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Desktop
Thankfully, the assembly was completely worth it. The Tidal XL was exactly what I imagined: wide, deep, and imposing. The super saloon of gaming desks.
My previous desk could accommodate my microATX desktop, monitor, and laptop, but it always felt slightly cramped. I had to get creative with 3D printing and clever hiding to make everything work. It felt like tuning a VW Polo. It can become faster and look better, but it’s still not a Lamborghini Huracán.
The DXRacer Tidal XL is different. Compared with my previous 24-inch-deep desk, the additional six inches of depth gave me enough room for a monitor, an XL mousepad, and my fully extended arms. My Editor-in-Chief was right: resting your arms on the desk is far more comfortable than having them hang over the edge.
You’ll also get a desktop with two sections. On paper, that might sound like a compromise, but in actual use, I don’t notice the seam at all. The desktop is so deep that my hands simply never reach it – and, judging by the layout, they aren’t supposed to. The deeper front section gives you plenty of space for your mouse and keyboard, while the narrower rear section is intended for the monitor and cable management. It also houses the RGB strip and is covered by a metal plate for magnetic cable routing. It’s a clever design choice that makes the desk easier to ship without affecting the actual user experience.
Even with its two-piece construction, the desktop feels solid and thick, doesn’t noticeably flex under load, and has a smooth front edge, so you can rest your elbows with ease.
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Lifting Mechanism
Modern car manufacturers take shortcuts wherever they can: three cylinders instead of four, or a turbocharger instead of a larger-displacement engine. The DXRacer Tidal is not entirely different. It uses a two-piece desktop, a single-motor lifting mechanism, and a mechanical “transmission” that keeps both legs moving evenly.
But just like in cars, a shortcut doesn’t necessarily mean an inferior product. The lift is buttery smooth, and the height adjustment feels precise. Unless you participated in the assembly process, you probably wouldn’t even notice that a single motor is doing all the work.
However, I would appreciate a slightly wider height range. The minimum setting was perfectly sufficient for me, and I ended up setting the desk to 70 cm (27.56 inches) while seated. The maximum setting is slightly lower than I expected at 104 cm (40.9 inches). I can still work comfortably while standing and keep both elbows on the desktop, but my monitor needs to be raised to remain at eye level. And I’m only 170 cm, or 5’7”.
If you’re taller than me and regularly work in standing mode, you may want to check whether the maximum height will be comfortable. Just like with a car, a test fit is recommended.
Cable Management and Accessories
Unlike the height range, there’s plenty of space for hiding cables and gaming accessories. This is where the DXRacer Tidal XL feels more like a super saloon than a sports coupe.
Each side has three universal brass hooks. I usually keep my Sennheiser headset on the left and my travel sling on the right. The hooks look and feel solid, and neither side has had any trouble supporting the weight. I only wish the hooks extended slightly farther to accommodate headsets with particularly wide headbands, but that’s a minor nitpick.
What deserves most of the praise is the combination of the power column, under-desk cable tray, and cable cutout in the metal cover beneath the monitor. Gone are the days of zip ties, third-party cable channels, and spending hours trying to make everything look presentable. You route the monitor cables through the cutout, place your power strip or surge protector inside the tray, connect everything, and voilà: the entire setup looks clean, with virtually no exposed cables.
DXRacer even includes a cover for the desk’s own cables and several magnetic cable guides. These allow you to run additional cables across the top of the desk without cluttering the desk. I used them for my mouse and keyboard charging cables. Now the cables look organized even when they’re exposed, and I don’t have to unplug and reconnect them every two or three weeks when something needs charging. Very thoughtful, DXRacer.
App, Controls, and RGB Lighting
Another thoughtful feature is the ability to control the DXRacer Tidal through an app. Controlling your desk from a smartphone feels like a Tesla-level comfort feature.
Everything available through the physical control panel is also accessible through the iOS and Android apps. This includes height adjustment, two memory presets, and RGB lighting controls. There’s no need for finger gymnastics or memorizing which button does what. The interface is straightforward and intuitive, and the Bluetooth connection is established automatically when you open the app.
The software may still need a few bug fixes, though. Height adjustment worked reliably every time, but the RGB controls didn’t respond properly during my first two attempts. The third time was the charm. The app’s lighting controls are also somewhat limited, and there’s no integration with popular PC ARGB ecosystems. So if you’re hoping to synchronize the desk with the rest of your setup, you’re out of luck.
That may be why DXRacer paid so much attention to the physical control panel. Height adjustment and most RGB settings are available without the app. Lighting modes and brightness can all be adjusted directly from the desk.
The controls are also extremely pleasant to use. The buttons feature linear mechanical switches and hot-swappable keycaps. I wasted no time replacing the standard black-and-red keycaps with a few Keychron caps I already had. Now the control panel matches my all-black setup with white accents and blue lighting.
That’s also why I switched the desk to a static blue light through the app. The physical panel offers plenty of effects, including breathing, rainbow, static white, multiple gradients, and a cool reactive “pickup” mode with two variations, which respond to movement around the desk. However, a static custom color is available only through the app.
But hey, you don’t judge a car solely by its ambient cabin lighting, and you certainly shouldn’t judge a desk solely by its RGB strip.
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Pricing and Competitors
You judge it by what it offers, how much it costs, and whether anyone else can do the same job better.
The DXRacer Tidal normally costs $699 and was available for $599 through DXRacer’s website at the time of writing. There is no price difference between the L and XL desktop sizes.
Is There an Alternative?
There’s no BMW without Audi and Mercedes-Benz. And just like a German super saloon, the DXRacer Tidal has several serious competitors:
Secretlab MAGNUS Evo is another sit-stand desk from a famous gaming chair manufacturer. Like the Tidal, it uses a single motor and a multi-piece design, but it prioritizes width over depth: 59.2 or 70 inches wide, but only 25.2 inches deep. It also offers a noticeably taller adjustment range, from 28.3 to 46.1 inches. So if you have limited room depth, use an enormous ultrawide monitor, or are taller than 5’7”, it may be worth considering – provided you have some extra money to spend. At the time of writing, it was priced at $699 for the L and $769 for the XL while on sale.
FlexiSpot Premium Gaming Desk G7 is fairly similar to the Tidal XL in width, with 55-inch and 60-inch configurations available, but its desktop is slightly shallower at 28 or 27 inches, respectively. It comes with a single-piece curved desktop, which is a major advantage. On the other hand, it is much more barebones, without built-in cable management, RGB lighting, a power column, or even headphone hooks. That’s acceptable as long as the final price remains lower: the L configuration used for this comparison was $518.98 on sale with a black frame, premium keypad, and cable tray. Like the Magnus Evo, it also reaches higher, from 28 to 47.6 inches. It’s a good option for taller users and anyone who prefers building a desk through a configurator.
Overall, the DXRacer Tidal holds its ground against the competition by offering several distinctive features and a generous selection of useful accessories in the box.
Overall Experience and Verdict
I switched to the Tidal XL around two weeks ago and have been enjoying the “ride” ever since. DXRacer’s desk is stable as a rock, easy to configure and customize, and, most importantly, spacious enough to fit all my equipment without feeling cramped.
It does have a few quirks: assembly takes longer than DXRacer suggests, the maximum height is lower than what several competitors offer, and the app’s RGB controls are not always reliable. But none of these issues significantly affected my overall experience or comfort.
If you’re looking for a deep, wide, height-adjustable gaming desk with excellent cable management and plenty of useful accessories, the DXRacer Tidal is an excellent choice. Especially when it’s on sale.
Where to Buy DXRacer Tidal XL Gaming Desk
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