About Me
I’m FFreitas, a software engineer and gamer obsessed with better workstations.
I spend serious hours at a desk—coding, gaming, learning. Workstation Playbook is where I turn that time into clear, practical guidance on ergonomic setups: chairs that actually fit, desks that don’t wobble, monitors at the right height, and cable management that doesn’t look like a failed LAN party.
I’ve burned money on the wrong gear and pushed through neck and back pain. My goal here is simple: help you work and play comfortably, reduce strain, and keep your space clean—without wasting cash on gimmicks.
Why I Care About Ergonomics & Setups
This all started with a problem: I was doing what most devs and gamers do—long sessions in a cheap chair at a random desk, surrounded by cables. Over time, it caught up with me: persistent neck tightness, lower-back fatigue, and that dull ache you only notice once you stand up.
I tried quick fixes: lumbar cushions, “ergonomic” gadgets, another budget racing-style chair. Most of it didn’t help. Some of it made things worse.
What finally changed things wasn’t buying more stuff, it was buying the right stuff and setting it up properly:
- A chair that actually matched my height and leg length.
- A desk that didn’t shake every time I typed.
- Monitors raised to the right height and distance.
- Simple cable routing so my space felt calm instead of chaotic.
The difference was huge: less pain, more focus, and a desk I wasn’t embarrassed to show on camera. Workstation Playbook documents that journey so you can skip the trial-and-error and go straight to what works.
From Broken Desk to Workstation Playbook
Once I fixed my own setup, friends started asking the usual questions:
- “Which chair should I get for long coding sessions?”
- “What desk works in a tiny room?”
- “Which monitor won’t fry my eyes?”
Most people don’t want to become ergonomics experts. They just want straight answers from someone who lives the same screen-heavy life they do.
That’s why I created Workstation Playbook: to help developers, creators, gamers, and remote workers build workspaces that work for them, not against them. Every guide is built around real use: hours of coding, meetings, deep-focus work, and late-night gaming.
Some links on Workstation Playbook are affiliate links. Using them helps support the site at no extra cost to you.
How I Test & Choose Gear
I don’t just read spec sheets. I live with this stuff. Here’s what I look at before I recommend anything:
Fit & ergonomics first
Seat height and depth, lumbar shape/adjustability, armrest movement, recline tension and lock, and headrest usefulness. For monitors and arms, I check VESA patterns, weight ranges, reach, and fine adjustments. For desks, I look at stability across the full height range.
Build & durability
Materials, frame quality, base construction, casters, and fasteners. I favor solid metal where it matters and tight tolerances that don’t loosen after a few weeks of real use.
Setup & compatibility
Time to assemble, clarity of instructions, required tools, and whether parts play nicely together (arm clamp clearance, desk depth for monitor arms, room for a cable tray, etc.).
Real-session comfort
Multiple work blocks—coding, meetings, gaming, writing—to catch pressure points, hot spots, wobble, or sag that only show up after real, extended use.
Value, not just price
Warranty terms, support quality, and long-term comfort versus cost. Budget picks must hit core ergonomic criteria; premium picks must justify their price beyond branding.
Clear trade-offs
Every recommendation comes with drawbacks and “gotchas” spelled out—limited seat depth, narrow arm width, wobble at max height, bandwidth limits on docks, and so on. No product is perfect; you deserve to know the compromises.
Who I’m Writing For
If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right place:
- Developers & engineers who live in IDEs and terminals and need a setup that doesn’t punish them for shipping code.
- Gamers who jump from work to ranked matches on the same chair and need comfort that lasts past “one more game.”
- Creators & freelancers who edit, design, stream, or build content from a home office or bedroom corner.
- Remote & hybrid workers who want a space that feels intentional, not like a laptop dumped on the nearest table.
- Anyone dealing with discomfort and tired of guessing which chair, desk, or monitor might actually help.
If your desk is where you earn your living, learn new things, or unwind with games, it deserves to be treated like a tool, not an afterthought.
Want to Check I’m a Real Person?
The internet is full of “best chair” lists written by people who clearly never sat in them. If you’re wondering who’s behind this site, here’s me outside of the workstation bubble:
- LinkedIn Francisco Freitas
- GitHub @FFreitas997
Same person, same desk: a software engineer and gamer who got tired of sore backs and messy setups, and decided to do something about it.
Editorial Standards & Affiliate Disclosure
Recommendations on Workstation Playbook are independent and user-first. I don’t accept pay-for-placement, and I won’t promote gear that fails basic ergonomic or build tests (fixed-arm chairs, non-VESA monitors for arms, flimsy desks, etc.).
When I link to products, some of those links are affiliate links—mainly to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t change the price you pay and helps keep the guides free.
I don’t copy review stars or promise that something is “the best” for everyone. I explain why I chose a product, what it does well, and where it falls short. For current pricing and availability, always check the product page itself. If something I recommended changes or starts failing in real use, I update or remove it.
Ready to Upgrade Your Setup?
Start with gear that respects your time, your body, and your budget.
Using the affiliate links on this site helps support future deep-dive guides at no extra cost to you.