I spent $1,100 on a GeekDesk max (including shipping). An investment in my health was long overdue, especially since I've spent $4-5,000 on my computer setup.
The huge benefit is not having to move all your stuff whenever you're done sitting or standing. I press a button and in 10 seconds it's changed height. MAGIC!
I highly suggest them to anyone, just watch out for the long backorder. Mine took 3 months to get here.
I'm not against the concept of "investing in your health". That said, while there have of course been studies that show sitting isn't so hot for your health, have there been studies that actually show standing desks are good? Varicose veins are not high on my list of to-dos, you know.
It seems that the important part is that you're moving throughout the day. Personally, when I'm switching between standing and sitting throughout the day I have more energy and tend to move around a lot more. If I didn't do this, I'd end up sitting for periods of 4+ hours at a time.
As a CTO I manage development and technology for the company, which means I'm up and around the office (and out) for meetings and touching base with other departments. If I were an engineer I'd likely utilize a standing desk less. I personally don't enjoy coding standing up.
I just got my GeekDesk after a long and varied string of various sit/stand combinations. I opted for the small, frame only, and bought my own "butchers block" solid mape top - 48" x 25" x 1.5".
This coupled with an ergotron LX monitor mount and a humanscale keyboard tray is beyond fantastic. I can adjust everything, and I love it.
This is very similar to my setup[1]. I picked up a geekdesk frame on craigslist and threw an Ikea countertop[2] on it. I even have a humanscale keyboard tray that I haven't gotten around to installing.
All in all, it probably set me back about $1000 (including the keyboard-tray and monitor-mount). And it was worth every penny; I'm much more comfortable after long hacking sessions.
I own a geekdesk at home. I love it, but it didn't seem like I could bring it into my coworking space. I set an alert for geekdesks on Craigslist using IFTTT.com and got the small size geekdesk for $550. However, to get the monitor at the right height, I still put it on something on the geekdesk to raise it to the right height relative to my keyboard.
While I also own and love my GeekDesk, standing isn't for everyone. The cheap solution offered in this article is a good way for curious folks to experiment without breaking the bank.
That out of the way, $1,000 for a good desk is a bargain in the long run. I'm so much more productive when I can switch between sitting and standing on a whim.
GeekDesk provides the dimensions of the desks, the large may not be able to accommodate your existing track, as the desk hardware mounts across the underside of the desk near the back. My 'small' frame takes up about 10" from the back of the desk, so I just got a 14" humanscale track. (My desk is only 25" wide)
This is slightly imperfect, as my tray can not fully retract under the desk, but the benefit of freeing the work surface and enabling more adjustment outweighs this concern.
The huge benefit is not having to move all your stuff whenever you're done sitting or standing. I press a button and in 10 seconds it's changed height. MAGIC!
I highly suggest them to anyone, just watch out for the long backorder. Mine took 3 months to get here.