Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Corsair Platform:4: Two-minute review
I’ve always had one big complaint about many of the best gaming desks: namely, the fact that they’re all so big. It seems that most brands assume that if you’re willing to splash out for a premium product, it means that you’re likely to have a lot of room to put it in. That leaves those of us with smaller gaming setups and no room for the likes of the Secretlab Magnus or Cooler Master GD160 ARGB in a bit of an awkward spot.
Enter Corsair, with the Corsair Platform:4. The smaller sibling of the gargantuan Corsair Platform:6, the Platform:4 has a desktop that comes in at a comparatively tiny 40 x 30 inches / 120 x 76 cm. It easily fits in the small corner where I keep my desk and, despite the smaller size, doesn’t skimp on build quality and is absolutely overflowing with features.
It comes in three attractive colorways: a sleek Black with a laminate desk surface or, if you’re willing to pay more for the more premium wood variant, Light Pine Stain or Dark Walnut Stain options. As someone with mostly white PC peripherals, a blue gaming chair, and light color walls, the Light Pine Stain matches my setup perfectly and is a refreshing departure from the darker aesthetics of most gaming desks.
The desk comes bundled with a modular T-channel metal rail system that is mounted across the top of the desk and supports the mounting of accessories like microphones and storage cubbies. You also get a VESA monitor arm, which attaches to the rail and frees up some room on the desktop that would otherwise be occupied by your monitor stand – definitely appreciated when you’re working with limited space.
Considering the high price of the Corsair Platform:4, you’re paying a hefty premium for this rail system, though, so make sure that it’s something that you’re actually going to use before making your purchase. The desk is fully functional without it attached, but there are significantly cheaper options out there (especially if you expand your search to some of the best office desks) if you don’t like using monitor arms.
Placing a monitor directly on the desk will also block access to the built-in storage cubby. It’s a little small, with only room for a few small accessories or knick-knacks, but it does have handy integrated USB ports for charging your devices. Under the desk, you can mount a cable management tray, which is fantastic for keeping things tidy or storing little accessories. There’s ample space in it, which is ideal for holding power bricks or stashing extra cables that you don’t want to lose.
I tested the more expensive Elevate version of the Corsair Platform:4, which comes with motorised adjustable legs. I appreciate how the control panel can be mounted on either side of the desktop, but raising and lowering the desk can be a tad fiddly. It feels just a little unresponsive, and sometimes comes to a stop without warning. This isn’t too unusual for electric standing desks, which tend to move very cautiously to avoid trapping cables (or worse, limbs) in their mechanisms, but is still worth bearing in mind.
Even so, it’s easy to recommend the Corsair Platform:4 if you have the budget. It’s small, stylish, constructed from quality materials, and doesn’t skimp on features.
Corsair Platform:4: Price and availability
- Corsair Platform:4 starts at $699.99 / £799.99 / around AU$1,600
- Corsair Platform:4 Elevate starts at $899.99 / £999.99 / around AU$2,000
- On the premium end of the market
There’s no getting around the fact that the Corsair Platform:4 is an expensive gaming desk. It starts at $699.99 / £799.99 for the basic Black laminate version. The wooden variant is then $799.99 / £899.99 and comes in either Light Pine Stain or Dark Walnut Stain.
The Corsair Platform:4 Elevate, the standing desk version, is more expensive still, starting at $899.99 / £999.99 for the Black Laminate or $999.99 / £1009.99 for wood.
This puts it right at the top of the premium end of the market and makes the wooden version even more expensive than the likes of the $949 / £829 Secretlab Magnus Pro XL, which is a considerably larger desk but offers a similar adjustment mechanism and plenty of accessories.
When there are many cheaper standing desk options out there, like the $340 / £360 / AU$420 Flexispot E7, this is only one to consider if you have a hefty budget and want unique features like the rail system.
Corsair Platform:4: Specs
|
Price |
$699.99 / £799.99 or $899.99 / £999.99 (Elevate) |
|
Height |
29in / 74cm (up to 48in / 122cm Elevate) |
|
Load capacity |
330lbs / 150kg |
|
Material |
Steel, laminate / birchwood |
|
Dimensions (with D-board) |
29in / 74cm x 47in / 120cm x 30in / 76cm |
|
Noise level |
~50db |
Corsair Platform:4: Design and features
- Lengthy assembly
- Looks and feels premium
- Plenty of customization
Given the inclusion of the rail system and many accessories, the assembly of the Corsair Platform:4 took a fair chunk longer than I’m used to. It comes well-packaged in just one massive box, with everything clearly labelled, but the added parts of the rail system and monitor arm will add on time, even for experienced gaming furniture assemblers like me.
I also had to rely on an extra pair of hands for some key steps, namely flipping the desk once the legs had been attached. With the thick wooden desktop and solid steel legs, this is a particularly heavy desk, and for safety, I would not recommend attempting to lift it solo.
I was disappointed to find that my Corsair Platform:4 also didn’t include any printed instructions. You can find a manual on the Corsair website, though it doubles as the instruction manual for the Corsair Platform:6 as well. They’re very similar products, but it does still mean that certain steps don’t apply to the Corsair Platform:4.
To give you an example, one asked me to locate some text on each leg that tells which side they need to be mounted. I looked all over for these for about 15 minutes before an internet search eventually revealed that only the Corsair Platform:6 seems to have these labels. This isn’t the end of the world, but it stings at such a high price point. If I’m paying close to $1,000 / £1,000 for a desk, clear instructions are a bare minimum.
With everything built, it’s easy to forget all this as you appreciate the meticulous quality of everything here. The legs are like steel tree trunks, with massive bases that effectively anchor it to your floor and keep wobble to an absolute minimum. The desktop, in my case, wooden, is thick and smooth with a lovely pattern and even a subtly embossed Corsair logo in one corner.
The desk cubby is small, but quite handy thanks to its USB charging capabilities. I use mine to store my PC webcam and a few other small accessories, which would otherwise be left littered around my desk, and occasionally plug my phone or DualSense Wireless Controller in using the ports down there for a bit more juice.
Image 1 of 2
The rail system is a bit bigger than I was expecting, but still surprisingly useful. I’ve never been a huge fan of VESA monitor arms, mainly because they’re tricky to secure properly to your desk and tend to add lots of awkward adjustments, but the one included here is rock solid.
I use a dinky 23.8-inch Lenovo monitor, much to my colleague Rob’s amusement, and it holds in place securely. Even an ultrawide model should also pose no issue according to Corsair, though bear in mind that the arm has a 27lbs / 12.2kg weight limit.
The monitor arm can be mounted at any point along the rail, which opens up loads of customization possibilities. As I only use one display, I have mine mounted in the middle at eye-level, but those with dual monitor setups could easily slide the mounted monitor off to one side or raise the arm to give it some extra vertical height.
If you’re looking for some more ways to use the rail, you also get a small plastic tray that can be mounted to it in the box. I didn’t use this, but it could be handy if you want to really maximise your storage space.
The Corsair Platform:4 is compatible with a wide range of modular accessories, too, with options to mount everything from microphones, webcams, studio lighting, a pegboard, and more. None of these are particularly cheap, but the rail will also fit standard t-nuts, so you can basically bolt whatever you want to it if you’re handy enough.
If you’re particularly DIY minded or a content creator willing to invest in creating the perfect setup, this alone could make splashing out for the Corsair Platform:4 worthwhile.
As I previously mentioned, I tested the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate – which comes with an electric height mechanism. You can save two presets or adjust the height on the fly between 29 – 48 inches / 74cm to 122cm. A handy LCD display alerts you to your current height and makes it easier to save exact presets.
Corsair Platform:4: Performance
- Loads of cable management options
- Rail system works well
- Nice and compact size, friendly for smaller setups
I can’t complain about the performance of the Corsair Platform:4, as it’s exceptional across the board. Despite the compact overall size, the thick legs make this one of the most stable desks that I’ve ever tested, and the combination of metal and wood lends everything a luxurious feel. There are plastic elements here, but they’re kept to a tasteful minimum, so the whole thing looks absolutely fantastic and befitting of the price.
Even the rail system works brilliantly, holding my monitor in place very securely. Having the monitor mounted means that there’s much more space for my PC peripherals and my usual assortment of scattered documents, testing samples, and so on. This might be a small desk, but it punches well above its weight when it comes to just how much you can cram on it.
I absolutely despise cable management, especially given how much I have to plug in and out of my PC on a regular basis. Seriously, just try swapping between four different gaming microphones in a week without it quickly becoming a complete mess. I could still appreciate the wire management tray, though, which kept the most important cables firmly in one place.
Given the focus on accessories here, you do get a lot of spare bolts and tools that you will likely want to hang on to for upgrades down the line. I found that these all easily fit neatly into the wire management tray in one small box, which should hopefully reduce the chance of losing them.
The built-in storage cubby is also a practical addition, with a modest but still useful amount of space. You can also use it to run cables up to your desktop, with multiple slots for them to go in and out.
Although I mainly use my desk seated at a static height, I nevertheless also endeavoured to test the standing functionality of the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate frequently. Raising and lowering the desk is relatively quiet, but it does occasionally stop in the process. A quick tap of the button gets things moving again, but I could see this becoming frustrating if you intend to swap between standing and sitting throughout the day.
Should you buy the Corsair Platform:4?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider
Not keen on the Corsair Platform:4? Here’s one cheaper standing desk to consider and a larger, but similarly premium, gaming desk option.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Corsair Platform:4 |
Flexispot E7 |
Secretlab Magnus Pro |
|
Price |
$699.99 / £799.99 / around AU$1,600 or $899.99 / £999.99 (Elevate) / around AU$2,000 |
$340 / £360 / AU$420 |
$799 / £770 |
|
Height |
29in / 74cm (up to 48in / 122cm Elevate) |
22.8-48.4in / 58-123cm |
25.6-49.2in / 65-125cm |
|
Load capacity |
330 lbs / 150kg |
275lbs / 125kg |
264.6lbs / 120kg |
|
Material |
Steel, laminate / birchwood |
Steel |
Steel, wood fiberboard |
|
Dimensions |
29in / 74cm x 47in / 120cm x 30in / 76cm |
43.3-74.8 x 26.7 x 22.8-48.4in / 110-190 x 68 x 58-123cm |
59.1 x 27.6 x 25.6-49.2in / 150 x 70 x 65-125cm |
|
Noise level |
~50db |
N/A |
N/A |
How I tested the Corsair Platform:4
- Used as my main desk
- Tested over multiple weeks
- Extensive work and play
I used the Corsair Platform:4 as my main desk for well over a month. In that time, I played a huge variety of games on both my gaming PC and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S while sitting at it. I was careful to use lots of the desk’s features, including its rail system, and experiment with the included accessories. I also worked from the desk daily, spending multiple hours sitting at it at a time.
Throughout my time with the Corsair: Platform 4, I compared my experience to my hands-on testing of other desks and other gaming furniture items.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed June 2025
Read the full article here
