I've been wanting to setup a system like this ever since I saw the X-Arcade Tankstick years ago, but could never figure out the details. I knew I didn't want to spend the time learning to build an entire arcade cabinet, and all of the off the shelf Retro Arcade cabinets you could purchase had one issue our another. It was the idea to use a standing desk that brought this to life.
Tims' MAME Setup
| Standing Desk | Flexispot | $440 |
| Joystick | Tank Stick Max | $330 |
| Computer | Dell OptiPlex 3080 Micro | $30* |
| Monitor | Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G50D | $270 |
| Monitor Stand | Homebrew | $0 |
| Sound | Yamaha YAS-107BL Sound Bar | $200* |
| Keyboard / Mouse | Logitech K400 Plus Wireless | $30 |
| $1,300 |
Standing Desk
Flexispot, E7, 48" x 30, Shorter Legs 22.8" Min - 48.4" Max
The part that made everything else work. As mentioned elsewhere, I had wanted to start this project for years, but finding desk at the right height and dimension was difficult. When I was bouncing around ideas I started thinking "hey it would be nice to have the option to play this while seating or standing" and bingo. A standing desk would solve both the "I don't want to build it myself" and "I want the height to be customizable" problems.
After some searching I found the company Flexispot and can really recommend them for a having a great cost to value product. You really want this platform to be stable and a cheaper desk is going to wobble to much.
Joystick
Tank Stick Max (X-Arcade) from Xgaming
They have been around for a long time and I've never heard a bad word about them. I opted for the full setup with Trackball and Spinners. They are rock solid so there is not a lot more to say.
Computer
I'm sure this is overkill, but they had a few of the micros they were getting rid of at work and I got on at the work auction. Works perfect for everything so far.
Monitor
Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G50D
Again probably overkill for this application but it was on sale.
Of interest is that this is the largest flat monitor they sell and anything larger has a curved screen. The screen ratios also change with a much different width to height ratio. For many arcade games the vertical height is more important so I think this format is the better option. A stand that is height adjustable is also a must for that fine tuning. This one has a display area of 27.5"w by 15.4" h which has been a good size at the distance.
Monitor Stand
DIY
There is no way around it, but even with an adjustable stand, you still need to get the monitor higher. Thankfully I had built a simple "I-beam" type stand when I wanted to raise up my last TV enough to mount a sound bar underneath. The setup worked great which leads to…
Sound
Yamaha YAS-107BL Sound Bar
Again overkill for this setup, but I already had it and the monitor stand was already custom built to mount it. Needless to say it sounds great.
Keyboard and Mouse
Logitech K400 Plus Wireless
It's a combination wireless Keyboard plus trackpad. Not the best in the world, but I have and use the same model in my downstairs living room setup so I'm familiar with it. I was going to use a simpler wired setup but realized that it was much easier to share the gaming setup with other people if I could stand behind them and run queue up the games and run the setup.
Final Thoughts
Everything just kinda works. I don't see anything that I would change.
09-23-2025