Sometimes, that’s just not possible—which is where the Flexispot Q8 8-in-1 electronic standing desk comes into play. The latest from Flexispot’s extensive range of motorized standing desks, the Q8 features Flexispot’s trademark easy-to-use adjustable height controls, an elegant bamboo top, integrated wireless and wired charging, and best of all, it’s crazy easy to put together.
The Q8 is a great standing desk—so keep reading to find out exactly what we loved about Flexispot’s new flagship.
The Flexispot Q8 is great value, but if you can wait… there’ll be a “tech day” sale from 7-9th September, with up to 27% off sitewide.
What’s in the Flexispot Box?
The first thing to know is that the Flexispot Q8 comes in two boxes. One contains the 55 x 27.5" (140 x 70cm) bamboo top, metal frame, cable tray, and so on, and the other contains the Q8’s mechanical legs and feet, which are capable of lifting up to 220lbs (100kg). Be warned, these are both quite heavy (weighing 58kg/127lbs combined), and depending on your stature, you may well want an additional set of hands to help carry the boxes into or near the room the desk will live in.
It’s fair to say the Flexispot Q8 is a bit of a unit, but not in a bad way.
Flexispot also includes a couple of hex keys you’ll need to tighten the legs to the base, a screwdriver for attaching the cable management tray, plus all the screws you’ll need for each fixture.
Aside from the instructions and power cable, that’s about all you’ll find in the packaging.
Constructing the Flexispot Q8
Despite the somewhat ominous weight of the boxes, putting the Flexispot Q8 together is a simple process. The whole experience is easier with a second pair of hands, without a doubt, especially once you slot all the pieces together.
However, there are only really three parts to the construction process.
First up, place the bamboo desktop upside down on a soft surface to protect it while you’re adding the other parts; the packaging the desk comes in works just fine.
Next up, you attach the motorized columns to the table. Again, it’s evident where they should go, and they slot straight into place. There are four screws for each column, and these are also simple to install and tighten using the supplied hex key. Once the motorized columns are secured, add the Q8’s legs, again using four screws. Once you’re done, that’s that—you’ve successfully installed the electronic standing desk legs.
That done, don’t flip the Flexispot Q8 onto its legs just yet. First, you need to install the cable tray which hangs underneath the desk to catch your cables. I found the screws supplied here a little short for their intended use as the thread wasn’t quite long enough. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I swapped the screws out for something a little more substantial and drilled out the intended mounting a touch to make space. Again, you might find the screws adequate, but be prepared to make a tiny alteration.
After that, it’s just connecting up the power cables for each column to the main control box. Thread them through the hole, connect the cables, and you’re good to go. At this point, you should also connect the actual power cable to the transformer (which is already velcroed into place) before fitting the baffle, which just pops right into place (it really is very easy).
Once you have that done, remove the tape from the integrated draw, and you are ready to flip the Flexispot Q8 into position.
Desk Go Up, Desk Go Down
Onto the fun stuff: pushing random buttons. Push the up button, and the desk goes up. Push the down button, and guess what? It goes down. So far, so good. The desk moving is a good sign and means all of the components are working correctly.
The Flexispot Q8 can move anywhere inbetween a minimum height of 24-inches (61cm) to a maximum of 49.2-inches (125cm). The Q8 moves at a speed of 1.4-inches per second (38mm), which given the weight of the desktop, is just fine. You definitely wouldn’t want it shooting up rapidly, that’s for sure.
You control the height of the Q8 using the integrated control box found on the right-hand front side of the desk. You’ll find an LED display that details the current height of the desk. Watching the numbers whirr by as you hold the button down is fun—but getting it to stop exactly where you want isn’t always the most precise process. You’ll have to nudge it up or down as required.
But when you do find the sweet spot, it’s easy to store the exact height for later by pressing and holding one of the four numbered buttons. I’m the only person that uses this desk, so I set one for sitting and one for standing. If you share your desk with someone else, they could program their specific heights.
It’s incredibly simple; it really is. The movement between heights is smooth, and the motors aren’t particularly noisy. Most of all, the Q8 makes transitioning between sitting and standing fast and with minimal issues, which is one of the most important features of any standing desk.
Another Flexispot Q8 feature worth mentioning (specifically regarding movement and height) is the anti-collision. Now, you might think that all standing desks have the anti-collision, but they don’t. What I like about the Q8’s anti-collision is that there are various levels. You can choose low, medium, or high sensitivity or switch off the anti-collision function altogether. We don’t really recommend switching it off entirely, as even having the lowest sensitivity option could save any object under the desk.
On that, while it’s fun for children to move the desk up and down, and although there are anti-collision sensors, it’s worth drilling into the kids that they probably shouldn’t muck about with the powerful motors. I totally took the kids for a ride up and down on the desktop to test the motors (accomplished with ease!), but outside that, it’s a proper standing desk.
Flexispot Q8 Integrated Charging
Now, the Flexispot Q8 includes several integrated charging options, which makes perfect sense as a powered desk. If you have power, why not put it to good use?
Alongside the control box, you’ll find an 18W USB Type-A port and a 45W USB Type-C port, perfect for keeping your devices charged up without fumbling around for another plug socket.
What really sets the charging solutions apart from other standing desks is the integrated wireless charging pad located on the right-hand side of the bamboo desktop. It’s a neat option for which I had limited use and didn’t always jump into life as I placed a wireless charging-capable device on the pad. If you’re going to use integrated wireless charging, you’ll need to keep that area of your desk clear.
Is the Flexispot Q8 Worth the Money?
The Flexispot Q8 retails for $799.99, which places it on the pricier side of standing desks.
However, the Flexispot Q8 delivers top-grade performance in every area you could ask for when it comes to a motorized standing desk, so it’s best to consider this an investment for your office and your health rather than a single big outlay.
Having the option to swiftly and near-silently switch between sitting and standing cannot be understated, and your legs, knees, back, and everything else will thank you for it.
It’s not total clean sailing. As with any standing desk (or desk using this build configuration), you’re going to experience some screen movement when typing. At least, if you’re a heavy-typer like me, that hammers home every key and rests your arms on the desk, some screen movement is inevitable. Furthermore, the bamboo desktop is sublime, but it’s not as sound absorbent as a thicker, more solid desk. In combination with my potentially ridiculous typing technique, the Flexispot Q8 isn’t the quietest desk ever (at least, bar the motors!).
And among all of that, despite the price of the Flexispot Q8, you’re definitely buying a premium standing desk that won’t leave you wanting.
Finally, if the Flexispot Q8 is too large for your requirements, you should take a look at the slightly smaller and slightly cheaper Flexispot EW8, which comes with a chipboard top, more USB ports, and a child lock, but no wireless charging option.
Either Flexispot standing desk will do an excellent job, and it’s clear to see why Flexispot is a market leader for standing desks.
