Blacklyte Atlas review

Our VerdictThe Blacklyte Atlas is a solidly built, huge gaming desk. Its powered legs are smooth and quiet, and there’s tons of room to hide cables and other goodies. It’s just way too expensive for what it is.

Our Verdict

The Blacklyte Atlas is a solidly built, huge gaming desk. Its powered legs are smooth and quiet, and there’s tons of room to hide cables and other goodies. It’s just way too expensive for what it is.

ForVery sturdyLots of desk spaceCavernous cable trayRGB lights a-go-goAgainstExpensiveSoftware isn’t easy to use at firstSecretlab Magnus Pro is cheaper

ForVery sturdyLots of desk spaceCavernous cable trayRGB lights a-go-go

AgainstExpensiveSoftware isn’t easy to use at firstSecretlab Magnus Pro is cheaper

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Recent updatesUpdate 11 December 2024:This review has been updated to note that Blacklyte is a Canadian company and not a Chinese one; clarify price differences between the Blacklyte Atlas and a Secretlab Magnus Pro desk; clarify the use of Blacklyte’s software to control the Atlas desk’s lighting. The overall conclusion and score of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk have been adjusted in accordance with these changes.

Recent updates

Update 11 December 2024:This review has been updated to note that Blacklyte is a Canadian company and not a Chinese one; clarify price differences between the Blacklyte Atlas and a Secretlab Magnus Pro desk; clarify the use of Blacklyte’s software to control the Atlas desk’s lighting. The overall conclusion and score of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk have been adjusted in accordance with these changes.

The Atlas isn’t a direct 1:1 copy but it’s pretty close, and for some people that actually might be a good thing. After all, getting a Secretlab desk for a not-Secretlab price would be awesome. Except that’s not the case here, as Blacklyte is asking $999/£899 for its gaming desk, more than the base version of the Magnus Pro. Even if you add optional extras to the latter, such as more cable management and an ARGB lighting kit (to match the Atlas), then it’s still$72 cheaper.

Now, if the Atlas was noticeably better than the Magnus Pro, that would be understandable. But it’s not. Don’t get me wrong: the Blacklyte Atlas is a pretty goodgaming desk but the Canada-based company has missed the mark with how it’s set the price.

So what exactly are you getting for your thousand dollars bar a buck? It’s a motorised, height-adjustable fully steel desk, replete with RGB lights, a big cable management tray, and a full-desk mouse pad.

Blacklyte Atlas specs(Image credit: Future)Dimensions:150 x 70 x 72~138 cm (59 x 27.6 x 28~54 inches)Load capacity:120 kg (264.6 lbs)Total weight:28.5 kg (62.7 lbs)Materials:Steel, ABS Plastic, MDFController:Height display, 2x memory slotsLighting:Front+side+corner RGB, switchable modesCollision detection:YesPrice:$999|£899|€999

Blacklyte Atlas specs

(Image credit: Future)Dimensions:150 x 70 x 72~138 cm (59 x 27.6 x 28~54 inches)Load capacity:120 kg (264.6 lbs)Total weight:28.5 kg (62.7 lbs)Materials:Steel, ABS Plastic, MDFController:Height display, 2x memory slotsLighting:Front+side+corner RGB, switchable modesCollision detection:YesPrice:$999|£899|€999

(Image credit: Future)

A photo of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

Dimensions:150 x 70 x 72~138 cm (59 x 27.6 x 28~54 inches)Load capacity:120 kg (264.6 lbs)Total weight:28.5 kg (62.7 lbs)Materials:Steel, ABS Plastic, MDFController:Height display, 2x memory slotsLighting:Front+side+corner RGB, switchable modesCollision detection:YesPrice:$999|£899|€999

I have to say that my first impression was of great concern because the two boxes (one containing the desk surface and tray, the other for the legs) looked as if they’d made their way through four war zones, a hurricane, and an industrial car wash for good measure to reach my office. Fortunately, the contents were in good fettle, so I set about putting it all together.

I have to say that it was very easy to put together, nor did I require lots of room to do it, but the final step of flipping the finished build onto its legs was beyond my feeble frame. The Blacklyte Atlas is pretty heavy, a little under 30 kg (66 lbs) in weight and combined with its overall size, rotating about the x-axis is a two-person job.

(Image credit: Future)

A photo of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

Once upright, I was greeted with a bit of a disappointment. The top surface of the desk is entirely covered with a leatherette mouse pad that magnetically attaches to the steel top. The edge nearest where one would use the desk had large ripples in it and despite using lots of heavy objects to smooth it out, I wasn’t able to completely remove them.

That particular issue just could be with this review sample but if I had paid $999 of my own money on this desk, I’d be considerably less than happy.

What I was pleased with were the motorised legs. They’re incredibly solid and even at full height, the desk barely moves, although it’s best suited for use on a hard floor. My office has a carpet with a thick pile and it did cause some very minor wobbles with the legs fully extended. The action is adjusted via buttons on the right-hand side of the desk’s front panel, with an LCD display indicating the height.

(Image credit: Future)

A photo of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

There are only two memory presets available, fewer than the Secretlab Magnus Pro, but I suspect that would be more than enough for most users. There’s a handy button at the far right that locks the buttons from being accidentally pressed, but the desk is more than wide enough to ensure that this is unlikely to ever occur.

On the other side of the front panel, there are five buttons for enabling and controlling the RGB lighting: one each for the front strip, the side strips, and the corner lights. Blacklyte claims that the corner lights are magnetic with a “collision-resistant structure” and that they have “built-in RGB fantasy LED lights, support[ing] 1600W true color display.”

(Image credit: Future)

A photo of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

I can’t vouch for the actual power output of all the lighting but it’s certainlyverybright. In fact, the front strip is so bright, that it’s very distracting when you’re sat at the desk, working or gaming. One can alter the lights through three modes (yellow, green, red, blue, or pulsing between them all) but you can’t change the brightness at all, via the desk’s controls. Fortunately, switching the front strip off makes the desk far more pleasurable to use.

Blacklyte also claims that the lights can “sync with PC programs and match gaming algorithms to enhance gaming experience” via a lengthy USB Type-A cable, but the PC I connected it to didn’t recognise them in any way. Confusingly, the manual actually says that the “host computer cable” is for “desktop height-adjustment control.”

Image1of2(Image credit: Blacklyte)(Image credit: Blacklyte)

Image1of2

(Image credit: Blacklyte)(Image credit: Blacklyte)

(Image credit: Blacklyte)

Screenshot of the control software for the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

(Image credit: Blacklyte)

Screenshot of the control software for the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

While the mistake in missing this is mine, I do feel that the software deserves a far more prominent position on Blacklyte’s site, given its importance in controlling the desk’s features.

Speaking of cables, the Atlas has a large section at the rear of the desk that can flip open, revealing a cavernous tray for hiding cables. It’s a bit too large and if you don’t like having monitors right in front of your face, then they need to rest on top of the tray’s lid. I can imagine that having to move screens about every time you want to get into the tray would become irksome rather quickly.

(Image credit: Future)

A photo of the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk

There’s a reasonably sized gap between the tray lid and the desk surface itself which should, in theory, permit the use of monitor arms. However, the mounting clamps of such devices would end up digging into the mouse pad and permanently marking or even cutting it.

You could try fitting arms to the cable tray’s lid but then you wouldn’t be able to open it.

One good thing about the Atlas is that the mains power cable that supplies electricity for the lights and lifting motors plugs into a socket at the bottom of the left leg. At the top of the same leg, there’s a general power outlet that you plug the desk’s power controller into. However, one can plug an extension strip into that socket instead and then power up the desk via the strip.

Buy if…✅ You enjoy having an RGB festival in your room:The Atlas' light strips are as bright and vivid as you could ever possibly want

Buy if…

✅ You enjoy having an RGB festival in your room:The Atlas' light strips are as bright and vivid as you could ever possibly want

Don’t buy if…❌ You want value for money:At $999, the Atlas is a lot of money for a desk, especially when the competition offers the same features for less money

Don’t buy if…

❌ You want value for money:At $999, the Atlas is a lot of money for a desk, especially when the competition offers the same features for less money

This allows you to place the strip in the cable tray, providing sockets to power monitors, accessories, and potentially even your gaming PC. Blacklyte states that the outlet and associated wiring have a current limit of 10 amps, so you can’t massively load it up, but it does mean that you can avoid having wires dangling down the back of the desk.

That also avoids the potential issue of having the desk hoisting any wires or electrical strips off the floor when it’s at its maximum height.

Taken as a whole, there’s a lot to like with the Blacklyte Atlas gaming desk. It’s incredibly solid and spacious, easy to build (hefty weight aside), and the mouse pad surface is genuinely comfortable. Unfortunately, there are just as many aspects tonotlike about the Atlas, such as the build quality in places and the fiddly software.

But what doesn’t help is the price—it’s a little too expensive for what it is, and if one treats it as a Secretlab Magnus Pro clone, then you have to ask why pay more for the Atlas if it’s not better. If you can find one on sale, with a healthy discount, then it’s worth considering but I’d prefer the Blacklyte to just give it a more sensible price permanently, undercutting the competition to make it far more tempting.

The Verdict72Read our review policyBlacklyte AtlasThe Blacklyte Atlas is a solidly built, huge gaming desk. Its powered legs are smooth and quiet, and there’s tons of room to hide cables and other goodies. It’s just way too expensive for what it is.

The Verdict

72Read our review policyBlacklyte AtlasThe Blacklyte Atlas is a solidly built, huge gaming desk. Its powered legs are smooth and quiet, and there’s tons of room to hide cables and other goodies. It’s just way too expensive for what it is.

72Read our review policy

Blacklyte AtlasThe Blacklyte Atlas is a solidly built, huge gaming desk. Its powered legs are smooth and quiet, and there’s tons of room to hide cables and other goodies. It’s just way too expensive for what it is.

Blacklyte Atlas

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