iMovR Omega Everest Standing Desk

In the world of ergonomics, the height-adjustable standing desk has become the standard, and it's become a life-saver for many people seeking deliverance from the ills of too much sitting. Today, we're taking a look at the iMovR Omega Everest Standing Desk. You may have seen Work While Walking’s review of this desk (it’s their “Expert’s Choice”), but as they admit, iMovr and Work While Walking share owners. We wouldn’t consider that an unbiased review.

On to our assessment...

Let's start with the meat and potatoes of any height-adjustable desk unit, the frame. Or the base. Whatever word you want to roll with. Also known as the mechanics and legs of your desk, desk frames allow your desk to adjust heights and you to work ergonomically. The iMovR features a three-tiered bottom-up telescoping design for the legs. Most desks nowadays use a three-tiered system so nothing too unconventional there, but the bottom-up design is something we’ve tested with similar products before. What we’ve found is that not only does it NOT add stability, but it actually tends to be less stable than a top-down design like the UPLIFT Desk. The only other notable thing about the frame is its weight capacity, which is a little low at 265 lbs. There are much less expensive units that can handle at least 300 lbs. Returning to UPLIFT Desk as an example, that frame has a capacity of more than 350 lbs - meaning it could carry more stuff, more safely.

Now to the desktop. This desktop comes in eleven standard laminate flavors including Clove Mahogany, Light Maple, Hayward Cherry, Shaker cherry, Almond Cherry, Urban Walnut, Designer White, Warm White (Beige), Haute Gray (Putty), Black, and Shark Gray. That’s an above average number of options in an industry that tends to favor standardization, so the iMovr gets points for being colorful. There are no real solid wood desktop options, nor bamboo or reclaimed, however. Those are types of desktops you can find with other manufacturers, so if it's customization you want, you might look at alternatives. You'll also have a couple of options for desktop sizes. You can choose from 48” x 30”, 60” x 30”, 72” x 30”, and 83” x 30”. There’s nothing particularly notable about the dimensions except the 83” desk. In our experience, even with 80” desks, most people find them to be much bigger than they expect, leading them to buy smaller tops that are closer to the 72” size. The extra 3” would likely make this even more of an issue, but if you have a lot of space to fill the option is there, and you can always go smaller.

Moving on to the thing that makes the top different, there is what is essentially a built-in keyboard tray in the desktop called the Steadytype keyboard tray. The selling point here is that the Steadytype is more stable than most other keyboard trays due to its installation on the desktop itself and a design involving the tray's angles. Is it enough of a difference to warrant a starting price of $1,200? We don't think so - an UPLIFT Desk Keyboard Tray is steady and high quality and can be paired with a desk for as little as $99. One other thing to be aware of is that if you’re a fan of tenting split keyboards, you’re kind of out of luck. The Steadytype is designed with standard keyboards in mind so some ergonomic models sadly got left in the dust. With the Steadytype, there’s also the option of having your keyboard tray on either the left or right side (off-center) of the desk. Choosing the side cut-out option means you'll be forced to turn your head towards the other half of your desk most of the day, something no ergonomist would recommend.

All in all, the iMovR Omega Everest is a standing desk option that’s a little gimmicky, and it's very expensive compared to other options on the market. It's a decent overall desk, but with some questionable ergonomic decisions (Steadytype keyboard tray), a low lifting capacity, and a lack of desktop material choices, we can't recommend it. It’ll be a bit of a leap of faith as with all expensive online purchases but if you’d like to stand up at work with a little less risk to your wallet and a better overall experience, there’s always our top pick: UPLIFT Desk.