Nanoleaf Pegboard Desk Dock - Review
Over the years I have had the pleasure of reviewing a number of products from Nanoleaf and while some have stood the test of time more than others, they are usually great products out of the box. What surprised me with the Pegboard Desk Dock was just how simple it was, the name really says it all. Was this a good surprise or a bad one?
Turns out its good, mostly, but let me explain. The actual setup is perhaps the easiest thing you will ever have to deal with. In the box are two main parts, the base and the actual light board and you just need to connect those together and you are done. At that point it powers on and you can use the button on the front to cycle through some of the preset patterns on offer. Where the versatility comes in is with the pegboard side and the hub function, the latter of which impressed me. The main body is the light up board, which around the outside of the frame is a series of LEDs that change colour, the opaque plastic then lets that light shine through, simple. On one side is a straight white panel and the other side is the pegboard, where you can insert the 4 included hooks.
As someone who has been using the Ikea pegboard system for a number of years, I will say that the insertion of these hooks was miles above the Ikea system, mostly because I did not need to twist, or force anything into place. With four hooks though, it means you can get a pair of controllers on the pegboard or a controller and something else, beyond that, there is not a lot of space. I understand that this was the intention, it is only 27cm tall after all, but I would have loved to have seen a headphone hook on the panel side. As far as storage goes, it does the job but if you need more storage, this might not be for you. The point where it shines is with the base, which could have just been a basic stand for the pegboard, but instead Nanoleaf are making use of it. On the rear, near the cable that runs to your computer are two USB-C, one of which sports Power Delivery input. On the right side is a third USB-C and on the left is a single USB-A, meaning that it is a hub and the ports work great.
Now I must talk about where things fail and that comes down to the software. If you are using your device by just pressing the button on the front, then congratulations, you don’t need to read this part. If, however, you want to get the most from it, that requires the software on a computer and this is where things become a problem. The most annoying problem is that the panel does not turn off if you quit the software, it just sticks to what it was doing. That would not be an issue if it turned off when the computer turns off, but nope it just stays powered on. The software sports a number of functions, like choosing lighting scenes to enjoy, the problem is most of the presets are locked behind a subscription service. You can create your own scenes of course and access free ones from the marketplace, but things like Scenescapes or Orchestrator require a subscription to access their full offerings.
If you are after a little extra storage on your desk, along with some USB hub options, then this is an easy win, even without the lighting functions. Those are what elevate this, I have mine set to show a fireplace, so I get a nice flicker of Orange, Yellow and Red. Locking some of the presets behind a subscription service though is just a touch to greedy for my liking. If there was a headphone hook for the non-pegboard side, then this would be perfect, but as it stands, it will be a great addition to any desk.
The Score
8.5
Review unit provided by Nanoleaf
The Pros
Setup is a breeze and installing/moving those hooks is easy to do
The lights at their brightest are not actually distracting, which is a great thing to see
The Cons
A hook on the non-pegboard side for headphones would be great
Locking some presets behind a subscription service just seems greedy
