Corsair's Platform:6 Elevate gaming desk is robustly constructed and comes with powerful features, including an integrated rail system ideal for streamers and other content creators that need plenty of kit. Add on electric sit/stand motors, multiple cable storage areas and a streamlined assembly process, and the Platform:6 can be incredible for the right person. However, its top-tier pricing ($1399) and an all-or-nothing approach to modularity make it more of a specialist tool than an instant upgrade for the everyman.
I've been using the Platform:6 Elevate as my main work and gaming desk for the past two years, and I've found it at times maddening and at times marvellous. It offers perhaps the most potential in terms of mounting multiple accessories, with a huge amount of flexibility in terms of where and how items like monitors, cameras, lights and microphones are mounted, though it doesn't include an underslung PC mount like the Secretlab Magnus Evo I reviewed last month. Still, there's plenty here to appreciate, alongside a few design decisions that I've ultimately come to disagree with – even though I have no plans to trade the Platform:6 for another gaming desk in the near future.
Corsair Platform:6 Elevate – Design and Features
There are three variants of the Platform:6: the $999 base model, which is a fixed height; the $1399 Elevate model I tested, which adds electric sit/stand functionality; and the $1899 Creator Edition, which adds on a convenient and eye-catching peg board that floats above your monitors. Every variant is well built, with large t–shaped steel legs that provide a good degree of stability even when knocked, and a choice of 1in-thick black laminate (included) or 1.25in-thick dark walnut stain rubberwood ($100 extra) surfaces on the Elevate and Creator Edition models.
Like public transport in the UK, the key to each Platform:6 variant is its rail network. You get one large top crossbar that runs above and along the back of the desk, plus an extra smaller rail built into the left and right sides. The top rail works with the included dual monitor mount, which can handle screens up to 8kg each. That's sufficient for the average 32-inch or smaller screen – my 32-inch Alienware QD–OLED gaming monitor weighs 6kg, for context – but I tend to prefer separate monitor mounts for ultra-wide monitors or putting two 32-inch 16:9 displays next to each other, as it allows for more separation than the single central mount point of the included dual monitor mount can provide.
It's also possible to screw in additional items with the provided t-nuts and a choice of multi-mount or ball-mount adapters, which can be fixed in position or left to slide back and forth along the extruded aluminium tracks. The left and right corners of the top rail also include their own dedicated screw mounts, which are designed for the Creator Edition pegboard attachment (which can be purchased separately) but can also accommodate the previously mentioned adapters. Finally, the monitor arm also has its own central post, which is an ideal placement for a camera. That means there's plenty of scope to add on accessories from within Elgato's ecosystem, though at $50 a pop for an Elgato multi-mount, getting fully set up could be expensive.
The one issue with this arrangement is that many third-party friction-fit desk mounts don't work with the rail, especially for larger items like monitors where the mount overhangs the relatively narrow crossbar. Unfortunately, it's difficult or impossible to mount directly to the desk surface instead, as that top bar blocks the back side of the desk, while the rails on the sides mean that the edges there are often too thick to accommodate a mount. That locks you in to only a small proportion of the options available on a standard desk, and I ultimately removed the top bar so that I could mount my preferred separate monitor arms, mic arms and webcam stands where I wanted to. (The top bar was also starting to tilt forwards, which has been reported by other users online and requires a bit of faffing around to solve, so I went with the simpler option of not dealing with it.)
Cable management is also a focus, which is a relief given how much scope there is to add powered accessories like lights, cameras, microphones and so on. The small cable tidy in the centre of the desk is a little awkward to access, with a removable wooden cover that ended up directly underneath my third–party monitor mount, but it does provide a place to plug in USB-A and USB-C devices like keyboards or mice. This makes it easier to keep things looking relatively tidy without having to resort to fully wireless peripherals, though its small size and position towards the back of the desk made it difficult for me to make quick changes and eventually I only used it for my keyboard cable.
The cable organiser below the desk is a more generous size, and I found it easier to access. There's no integrated power point here, as there is on the Secretlab Magnus Evo, so you will have to route at least one power cable down one of the legs on your own, but there is a good amount of space in all directions to place my (comically oversized) UK power strips and the usual collection of USB, monitor and speaker cables. Being a tech reviewer means that I have a lot of powered accessories plugged into my PC at any one time, so having plenty of cable storage space is very important to me. The only downside is that the high back of the organiser means that sometimes cables can be difficult to push in from the top without getting snagged, but that's a relatiely minor concern.
Corsair also makes matching matte black three-way or six-way power outlets, which each include two USB ports (weirdly, one USB–C and one USB-A on the three-way option, and two USB-A on the six-way). One wasn't included in the parcels I received, so I bought my own to test out. It's perfectly serviceable, as you'd expect, though I found that the friction-fit mounting tended to loosen over time, especially as I was pushing it away from me when plugging cables in. Again, third-party options may be the most cost-effective route forward here, but the chunky matte black aesthetic does match the desk nicely.
As well as its more gaming-focused features, the Platform:6 is also just a massive desk. In fact, it's the largest gaming desk I've ever tested (of five in total), measuring a substantial 72 inches in width and 30 inches in depth, providing more than enough real estate for two desktop PCs and two monitors, plus speakers and other small peripherals.
If 72 inches of width isn't enough for your expansive gaming lair, you can also buy a pair of extensions for $200 that add an extra 24 inches or so, easily providing room for two or even three gaming setups on what is technically a single piece of furniture. However, you can't install these with a peg board on the same side; it's one or the other. On the other hand, if you want a smaller footprint, Corsair also sells the Platform:4, a shrunk-down, less-expensive version that measures 47 inches across but is otherwise nearly identical to the Platform:6.
Finally, the electric motors built into the Elevate and Creator Edition models work well, with your choice of left or right–mounted controls that include a height readout, dedicated up/down buttons, a save button and two numbered presets. As usual, if the desk detects resistance while moving, it will stop and quickly reverse course to avoid injury or damage, and this worked reliably in my testing. There's no dedicated switch to lock out the controls, and I did occasionally lean over in such a way that I accidentally pressed one of the buttons – which is always a bit shocking when it happens unexpectedly. However, in writing this review I did discover that it's possible to lock the controls by pressing and holding the save button, then pressing the down arrow, which does work as advertised.
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Corsair Platform:6 Elevate – Assembly
I first assembled the Platform:6 back in October 2023, so I'll start this section by saying that I don't have any proper professional–grade photos of the process. However, what I noted down at the time – and you can see from my colleague’s assembly photos of the smaller Platform:4 – is that the process was surprisingly straightforward, given its scope and the fact that it took the best part of a day to accomplish.
The trickiest part of the whole adventure came right at the start, when I needed to take everything out of the three large boxes and lug them upstairs without leaving big holes in the masonry. Most of the bits were quite transportable when taken in small batches, but the broad tabletop and the heavy electric motors were more of a mission. Unlike the Magnus Evo, which reaches its full width by screwing three pieces together, the Platform:6 is a single piece, so enlisting the help of a friend/family member/enemy at least at the beginning and end of assembly is sensible.
Once I had everything out of a box and in position, it was the usual story of laying the tabletop upside down onto something soft, slotting in the leg motors, bolting everything into position and then flipping the desk right-side up. Even if you're not a seasoned electric desk assembler, Corsair's user manuals are normally well-illustrated and logically arranged, with clear diagrams and consistent labelling where needed, and thankfully the Platform:6 doesn't buck the trend. If I needed bolts, nuts or new tools for a step, I was sure to find everything in a neatly labelled and separate bag. A decent amount of the packaging was also recyclable or compostable, save for the obligatory large pieces of foam surrounding the heavier components.
After the desk itself is complete, adding the final touches is easy enough. This is largely down to screwing in a crossbar on each back corner, sliding on the dual monitor mount and sorting out the cable situation in the cubby. The cable organiser below the desk is more substantial – and therefore more fiddly – than that of the Magnus Evo, but being able to raise the desk all the way does make it easier to get everything screwed in.
Corsair Platform:6 Elevate – Gaming
As a gaming platform, the Platform:6 has performed admirably, especially when I've been streaming, appearing on podcasts, or recording videos and therefore benefit from having easy mounting points for various electronic accessories. The expansive span of the desk provides plenty of keyboard and mousing space, even after plunking down monitors, speakers, computers, networking equipment and assorted knick–knacks, and the sit/stand motors have enticed me to stand while working more than I otherwise would.
The desk is extremely stable too, and has gracefully handled even heavy dual-chamber PCs over the years. The cable management cubby remains under-utilised – and I don't much like how dust accumulates in its crevices and how little power it can provide – but the larger cable management well below has proven just about sufficient for the parade of peripherals my work requires, even if its complex shape sometimes snags cables that I'm trying to tuck inside.
The rail system that defines the desk – and is presumably responsible for its high price – is a bit more of a mixed bag. I love the concept of a fit-all accessory system, but I don't think that the metal top rail is an improvement over simply clamping mounts onto the back of the desk. Sure, it looks cool to have an elevated rail, and it allows for monitors to slide along its length, but a fiddly mounting system that can twist over time, limited third-party compatibility and a relatively involved install process are significant downsides. The Magnus Evo, with its metal back edge section that's designed to be a stronger alternative to a standard MDF panel, is for me a more open and successful solution to the same problem. I suspect I'd feel differently if I were testing the Creator Edition, which does something more meaningful with the concept with its handy pegboard, but that is even more expensive than the already premium base and Elevate models.
