Cougar Royal 120 Pure review – computer desk with height adjustment

Height-adjustable desks are one of the most interesting elements of workplace organization today. There are a lot of such models, they are available in different sizes, with different mechanisms and for different budgets. I’ve been wanting to try such a desk for a long time, so in this review, I’ll talk about the Cougar Royal 120 Pure model and why you need a standing desk in general and how convenient it is to use.

Is it useful to work standing up?

In general, yes. One study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, concluded that it is recommended to move, stand, and take breaks from sitting for a total of at least 2 hours during an 8-hour workday. This is no surprise, because it is generally known that sitting in one position for a long time puts excessive strain on the lower back, and if the user is also constantly sitting incorrectly, this can lead to the development of chronic back and vascular problems.

Another interesting study was conducted in a call center. For 6 months, 167 of its employees had the opportunity to use standing workstations, while the control group worked at regular desks. As a result, employees with standing desks were 45% more productive on a daily basis compared to their colleagues who worked sitting down. In addition, their productivity increased significantly over time, from about 23% in the first month to almost 53% over the next 6 months.

From my small experience of using a standing desk, I can’t say that my productivity has increased significantly, but I would say that it is really quite comfortable and relieves stress on the back. My friends who have been working at such desks for a long time also advise me to try balancing boards or mats that allow you to stretch your legs while standing.

Specifications of Cougar Royal 120 Pure

Packaging and assembly

Cougar Royal 120 Pure is delivered in two rather large cardboard boxes, which you should not try to lift by yourself, they are really quite heavy. However, assembling the table yourself will not be a problem.

In the kit, the user will find everything they need to start assembling. These are, firstly, the components themselves – a table surface with a metal frame and two metal legs with two stands, and secondly, two sets of bolts of different sizes for fastening and hexagonal screws to screw them into place.

The whole process of assembling the Cougar Royal 120 Pure took me about 40 minutes, the bolts need to be installed in closed niches, so you have to take time to get the bolt into the hole first, and then to tighten it.

However, this is the main part of the assembly, because both Timotion motors used to lift the legs are installed by the manufacturer at the factory.

The cables from them only need to be inserted into the control unit, which is also already installed and connected to the control panel, which allows you to adjust the height of the table. Thus, assembling the table is easy, and its design allows for repeated disassembly if you need to move to another office or apartment.

To operate the table, you will need a 220 V outlet, it should not be right next to it, the Cougar Royal 120 Pure has a rather long power cable, but you should also take into account that the table will be raised.

There are cable management holes in the table frame that allow you to tidy up the cables a bit, but it’s a fairly simple system that requires time from the user to think about and implement the mounts. I don’t think most owners of the Cougar Royal 120 Pure will bother with this, so I would like to see a better implementation of the cable management system in such a generally high-end model.

Design, materials, work surface

Cougar Royal 120 Pure is available in two colors: black and white. I got the latter option, as you can see from the photo, the table is completely white, not only the work surface but also the legs are painted in this color.

The surface of the table is made of MDF board with a matte finish, which does not leave fingerprints and is very easy to clean up dust and dirt. It measures 120 cm wide and 80 cm deep, which is enough to install a monitor with a stand on the surface, as well as put a keyboard or laptop in front of it. There is also enough space for third-party accessories, such as a lamp or wireless charging for a smartphone.

There is a special hole with a plug for the monitor cable closer to the back edge of the working surface, which allows you to run it under the table, but you need to be careful with it. You need to take into account that the table will be raised, and if the system unit is under the table, then the length of the cables should be sufficient. The same goes for the monitor power cable.

On the front edge, the surface of the Cougar Royal 120 Pure has an ergonomic cut that provides a more comfortable grip. It prevents your hands from resting on the edge.

Each table leg has a wide base with two adjustable and rubberized feet to prevent wobbling. Thanks to its sturdy base, Cougar Royal 120 Pure stands on the floor as a monolithic unit and is difficult to move.

Overall, the table has a simple and pleasant design, so it will fit well into almost any interior.

Interestingly, this model has a Pro version, just like the iPhone, which has a similar design but also has built-in USB-C, USB-A ports and power outlets.

Height adjustment

On the right side, under the Cougar Royal 120 Pure worktop, there is a height control panel that consists of a joystick that moves up and down and four programmable keys that can be assigned a specific height.

The height adjustment can be changed from 72.5 cm to 122.5 cm, which is enough to find a comfortable height for both sitting and standing. The Cougar Royal 120 Pure is powered by two Timotion motors that raise the table at a speed of 40 mm/s and are designed for a load capacity of up to 100 kg.

This speed is generally enough to change the height of the table from the lower to the upper position in 15 seconds, and the mechanism goes down a little faster – in 12 seconds. There is noise from the electric motors during height adjustment, but it is not loud, the manufacturer indicates that it is less than 50 dB, which is lower than typical noise in an open office, which can reach more than 60 dB.

The two drives have an impact on the price of the Cougar Royal 120 Pure, but they also provide greater reliability by distributing the load. In addition, the table’s lifting mechanism has an automatic stop system if the table hits an obstacle. This has already saved my laptop once, which could have flown to the floor due to a tripped USB-C cable while lifting the desk if it didn’t have such a hitchhiking mechanism. So I advise you to pay attention to its presence, because it can really save your equipment and nerves.