Autonomous is known for its affordable price. And it’s also known for the SmartDesk 2, it’s the most popular desk of the brand. A lot of users love this desk but may also loathe it. Let’s see if the ArtDesk would have the same fate.
About the brand
Autonomous was originally manufactured by Jiecang Linear Motor. It’s the same China OEM that makes Fully and Uplift standing desks. The earlier standing desk of the brand, the Smartdesk 1 was published by Jiecang Motors.
And it did not take not long before the brand headed towards a different path. Today, Autonomous operates under Aoke furniture. It’s also one of the leading manufacturers of standing desks in China. And the brand uses a Taiwan made motor, the TiMotion for all its desks. With the removal of the Jiecang motors from all of Autonomous’s products, you will no longer see the brand manufacturing the SmartDesk 1.
Autonomous SmartDesk review – A Closer Look at the ArtDesk
Wide and sleek curved desk
A standing desk that can allow you to hover through your work comfortably and will increase your productivity. And this is what I experienced with their desk. I love how spacious and wide the working area is. The desk also features an elegant curved edge and that’s where it got its name from.
But more than the aesthetics, the curved edge makes the desk more ergonomic. It felt like I had more liberty to lean forward and reach for papers or any files that I needed. And I think that’ll also be comfortable for those who are a bit wider around the waist, no pun intended.
The 78-inch wide desk can accommodate a more elaborate setup. And it also looks nice with a curved monitor. You can build a more cohesive workstation. that could double your productivity as well.
The ArtDesk has an almost similar dimension to the larger size of the SmartDesk 2, it’s just a tad bit thinner because of the curved edge.
Durability and overall build
What I love about Autonomous desks is that they are built like a rock. They feel sturdy straight from the box. That’s why they can have some heft to it, which is a good thing. The ArtDesk table top is solid and well built. And the desk is not too thick at all. It’s about 1 inch thick but it is sturdy. It’s a rather sexy desk that you would not expect to be sturdy.
I even tried sitting and standing on the desk and it didn’t budge. But take note that I am a bit light. Just a reminder, don’t do this at home, and it’s just to get a more detailed view of the desk.
Going back, the ArtDesk won’t have any problems accommodating an elaborate setup. It also has a carrying capacity of 300 lbs. And I must say that it’s true. The desk was able to hold up pretty well. The frames are also made of solid steel. So the combination of a heavy-duty desk plus the robust steel made the ArtDesk built like a rock.
Shipping and assembly
Shipping is rather fast, I was able to receive my desk in less than 5 days from the time I placed my order on the brand’s website. The shipment came in two boxes, one box has the tabletop while the other box has the legs and the parts.
I must say that the box is quite heavy. So you might need help in dragging the boxes inside your house. And since the desk is pretty heavy, set it up where you’re going to use it. This will save you from the hassle of having to lift an entire heavy desk upstairs.
So for the setup, it took me less than 45 minutes to set the desk up. I was alone so I did feel the heftiness of the desk. If you are a female or not physically up for some lifting, ask for help. Especially when you are going to mount the disks on the steel frame. Otherwise, you can risk scratching the surface of the tabletop.
The instruction was clear and straightforward. All the predrilled holes were aligned, thank goodness.
Features
The ArtDesk has a height range of 29.5-48 inches, it’s a bit similar to the height adjustment of the SmartDesk 2, just a tad bit shorter.
The height range is ideal for tall users, but I won’t recommend it. I’ll elaborate on it later.
And if you’re shorter or petite, you will not be able to use the desk while seated. It will not be able to go low enough. Though you can still use it as a standing desk.
It also comes with a standard control panel with 4 presets and an up and down button. It’s basic and black, nothing too fancy here. But I did not have any problems with the responsiveness. It’s not an ultra responsiveness button but it’s not slow either. So I’d say that the control panel is a basic and standard one.
The lifting speed is 2.3” per second. It’s better than what you can experience with the SmartDesk 2 Home and Business edition. So far, it’s not the most seamless and the fastest, but it’s an improvement from the other standing desks of the brand.
Stability
Now that I’ve listed the good and mediocre stuff and features of the desk. Let’s head on to the not so likable one.
Autonomous uses a Taiwan made motor, the Timotion. This is expected to be a better alternative to Jiecang Motor.
Now that I remember, Autonomous used to outfit their desks with a Jiecang motor. It’s the same motor you’d find in a Fully or an Uplift desk. The brand changed its motor to Timotion because it encountered wobbliness and stability problems with the Jiecang motor. The TiMotion is expected to be better than it. Now you’d see that all of the desks of the brand use this Taiwan-made motor.
I could not, however, decide which is better, the Jiecang or the TiMotion. Both are affordable motors and I experienced wobbliness with both. As the desk goes past 37 inches, there’s a significant wobble already. Though apart from the motor, other factors can affect the stability of a standing desk.
The connection and the gears can also account for the shakiness. And sad to say, the ArtDesk also has this concern. Though it’s more sturdy and stable than SmartDesk2 Home Edition. I could say that in terms of stability, the ArtDesk feels similar to how the Smartdesk2 Business edition feels like, but a little bit better.
Warranty
The ArtDesk offers a 5-year warranty. It’s decent enough and is a lot better than what you can get from the SmartDesk Home edition. It only offers a one year warranty, so I reckon it won’t last that long.
Apart from the overall feel of the desk, one thing that I look at is the warranty, it could somehow give you a clue on how sturdy a product is. The brand won’t offer a long warranty period if they know that their product is not going to stand the test of time. That’s a lot of service repairs we are looking at if that’s the case.
So a 5-year warranty sits in between, it’s decent enough for the price of the desk. Though I’d love to get a 10-year warranty like what Fully Jarvis offers, that’ll make me feel more confident about the desk.
As for customer service, It’s not the best. Oh wait, it’s not even the decent mediocre service you’d at least expect. So do not expect much after-sales. Your inquiries might also sit in their inbox for days before they would get back to you. So, there, minus points for the gold standard in buying a standing desk.
Summary about Autonomous Standing Desk
- No doubt, the ArtDesk is a luxurious and sexy standing desk.
- It has a spacious work area. And the curved edge makes the desk more ergonomic and it can enhance your productivity. It’s an ergonomically shaped standing desk. Your wrist and forearms would also feel more comfortable compared to a straight edge desk.
- The tabletop and steel frame legs are sturdy and solid. It also has a nice heft to it.
- In terms of stability, if you’re not going to use the desk beyond 37 inches, you can be content with it. Higher than that, expect some wobbles. So it’s not for tall users. The desk can go high enough for someone who stands 6’2”, but it will be shaky.
Who would benefit more from the desk
Users with average height and who are looking for a sturdy and spacious standing desk would benefit more from this disk. It is a lovely desk, no questions about that. But the shaking and the wobbling at the higher desk settings will be a nuisance.
The ArtDesk of Autonomous can be a focal piece in your home office. Albeit the wobbliness issues that most Autonomous desks have, you can still find the ArtDesk functional. I find it better than the SmartDesk2, both Home and Business Edition.And I think there’ll be less to loathe about the ArtDesk.
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