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DDR5 memory sticks with a triple-fan cooler on top are going to leave your wallet quaking in fear.

The Blacklyte Atlas Lite is a heavy-duty yet straightforward desk with solid adjustability, bold branding, and the ability to transition seamlessly between work and play. The instructions are easy to follow for setting this desk up, the controls are easy to learn, and the desk motors are very quiet.

Blacklyte is well known in the gaming world, but then started making some professional desks as well, or at minimum, desks that gamers could also use for professional desks. The Atlas Lite is a good example of that. It still has some gamer vibes, but is also very much a professional desk, transforming your gamer central to a business professional workspace for your day job as well.

Ignore that branding on the desktop - if you can. If you prefer a more stylish design over the standard metal frame and wood-colored desk, and demand a truly useful cable tray (often lacking on similar models), it's one of the best standing desks I've used for work and play.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Blacklyte Atlas Lite: Pricing and Availability

The Blacklyte Atlas Lite is usually sold for around $700 but is currently on sale for $569 from the official US site and UK site (for £439) at the time of review. It's also available from a handful of other retailers, but availability seems sporadic right now.

There are a handful of sizing and color options. I chose Obsidian Black, but Moonstone White looks gorgeous too. The natural oak to me was a third option, but it didn’t look nearly as good as the Obsidian or Moonstone to me.

Blacklyte Atlas Lite: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Blacklyte Atlas Lite shipped in two boxes, as most standing desks do: the desktop for one and the legs and building materials in the other. These pieces were pretty well tucked into the box with packaging. One thing I couldn’t help but think about while unboxing was that the boxes were super deep black. I had a moment of worry about ink transfer or it rubbing off on my carpet or walls, but that worry quickly dissipated.

A lot of desks are the same main idea for assembly, but most people don't build a plethora of desks; some may build only one ever. So, it’s nice to see Blacklyte including a QR code to a YouTube assembly video for those who are more visual learners, are not familiar with assembling a desk, or perhaps run into issues with assembly.

If you have experience building desks, though, the entire process should be an absolute dream. The bags of screws are labeled, the instructions are actually helpful, and the parts are easy to get together. All in all, this shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to assemble from boxes in your living room, office, or wherever you open large boxes into a fully assembled desk.

Blacklyte Atlas Lite: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Blacklyte Atlas Lite feels heavy-duty. I’ve tested a lot of desks. Some feel flimsy but look pretty; some are all-around bad; some are a whole art piece. The Blacklyte Atlas Lite sits in the middle. It’s a functional piece that feels like a real workhorse with a bit more style than most.

The desktop itself is a bit textured, but it feels nice even for long periods of use and work sessions. I also like it as it doesn’t feel like I need to baby the desktop. Granted, I don't plan on beating it up anytime soon, but it’s nice to know that I can use this desk without worry of a scratch from moving something across the desktop.

Another thing worth mentioning in the design is the cable management. The rear notch allows for easy cable drops, especially if you have the back of your desk up against a wall in your workspace, or even to keep things clean, so your cables aren’t draping over the edge of the desk. I also like the built-in cable management tray. While this one isn't a grid or mounting plate like some, the tray is a welcome addition.

Blacklyte Atlas Lite: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

as tested

Dimensions: 47x32-inches
Height Range: 27 to 46in
Max Load: Up to 265lbs
Warranty: 3 years

I've got this desk set up for a simple laptop, podcast, or meeting setup for some of my team. While I haven't added a monitor, there is plenty of room for one here alongside a laptop, with room to spread out your tablet, notes, diagrams, or whatever else you may need.

Switching between sitting and standing is rarely timed for me; I usually work, and when my knees start aching, or I get antsy, I'll jump up to stand. For the desks that don't have presets, that takes switching focus to choose where I want the height, then adjusting ever so slightly because it's slightly off, and so on. For desks with presets, such as this one, it's so much easier. Once I decide whether to stand or sit, I can press the corresponding preset button and get to work. And it works flawlessly here.

Another thing that makes switching between sit and stand more enjoyable is that it's smooth and relatively quiet. I don't hear clicking, knocking, creaking, or anything else. Just smooth up and down.

Perhaps that's Blacklyte perfecting the art of quiet motors, especially for their gamer crowd, or maybe that's something else. Still, regardless, the Atlas Lite is noticeably quiet (or is that un-noticeably quiet?).

Blacklyte Atlas Lite: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

This desk is for those who want a gaming vibe and a desk they enjoy, while still looking professional enough for work, before a night of gaming, or for those who want a simple, high-quality standing desk that lifts and lowers smoothly.

Maybe standing desks have become too complex, maybe not, but either way, the Atlas Lite is a solid option for most people. It's solid, quiet, has good lifting capacity, is durable, and offers enough space and options for most users.

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The Blacklyte Atlas Lite is a standing desk with hints of the gamer aesthetic and functionality well-suited for business professionals - and it meets those needs with ease.

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Checkr is a next-generation background-check platform that accelerates and simplifies hiring through automation and advanced data analysis. It draws from thousands of official databases, including county courts, criminal registries, and motor vehicle departments, to produce timely, accurate reports.

Using artificial intelligence, Checkr standardizes diverse legal terms and classifications, helping hiring teams interpret results quickly and consistently.

The service has become particularly popular among companies handling high hiring volumes, such as gig platforms, retail chains, staffing agencies, and tech firms, thanks to its real-time data retrieval, API-driven integrations, and intuitive dashboards.

Checkr: Plans and pricing

Checkr structures its pricing into tiered packages that scale with organizational needs:

• Basic+ Plan ($29.99 per check): Includes SSN trace, sex offender search, national criminal database screening, and global watchlist monitoring. County verifications, when necessary, add roughly $15 per record.
• Essential Plan ($54.99 per check): Expands on Basic+ by adding searches for all counties tied to a candidate's past seven years of residence.
• Professional Plan ($79.99 per check): Adds employment and education verification to the Essential Plan to provide more complete candidate profiles.

International background checks cost $32 to $124 per report, and add-ons, such as motor vehicle record (MVR) checks or employment verifications, range from $6 to $40. Organizations conducting 300+ checks annually typically qualify for volume discounts.

This transparent, mix-and-match pricing model helps businesses tailor their screening programs to job types while controlling costs.

Checkr: Features

Checkr stands out for its extensive automation and advanced data-handling capabilities:

(Image credit: Checkr)

• AI-powered charge classification: Automatically interprets and standardizes criminal charges from multiple jurisdictions, translating complex terminology into consistent, easy-to-read summaries.
• Extensive data coverage: Accesses county criminal courts, sex offender registries, global watchlists, and other verified government sources for comprehensive results.
• Integration ecosystem: Connects with over 100 HR platforms and applicant tracking systems (ATS), streamlining the hiring pipeline.
• Automated candidate communication: Sends real-time notifications--including check initiation, progress updates, results, and adverse action letters--to both employers and candidates.
• Bulk and batch tools: Ideal for high-volume hiring, allowing employers to process multiple candidates simultaneously and trigger workflows at scale.

(Image credit: Checkr)

Checkr's speed, often delivering results within one or two business days, remains a primary selling point for companies that can't afford delays in staffing or onboarding.

Checkr: Setup

The onboarding process is straightforward. After signing up, administrators can invite team members, configure access controls, and connect Checkr to their HR systems through prebuilt integrations or APIs.

Organizations can choose which screening packages to apply to specific job roles, set compliance notifications, and automate report delivery. For candidates, setup requires little more than completing a brief authorization form and submitting personal details through a secure online portal.

Checkr: Ease of use

Checkr's web dashboard emphasizes visual clarity and efficiency. Reports are organized into collapsible panels covering criminal searches, employment history, and motor vehicle records. Color-coded highlights signal pending charges, clear results, or items needing review.

Because of its automation-first design, HR teams can handle large batches of background checks with minimal manual input. Candidates also benefit from transparency: they can track progress, upload documents, or dispute errors through a 24/7 self-service portal.

That said, customer support primarily operates via a ticket-based system, which can delay responses during peak periods--an area where some competing services still outperform Checkr.

Checkr: Security and privacy

Checkr employs enterprise-grade security measures, including encryption in transit and at rest, strict data access controls, and continuous system monitoring.

The company complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable, ensuring candidates' data is handled lawfully and privately.

Candidates must provide explicit consent before a background check begins, and all adverse action notices are automatically sent to maintain compliance with federal and state laws. Checkr also allows users to dispute information directly through the candidate portal, providing added transparency.

Checkr: The competition

Checkr's closest competitors include GoodHire, Sterling, and HireRight, all of which offer employment background screening with varying emphases on compliance, support, and global coverage.

Checkr stands out for its automation, real-time data network, and speed, making it especially strong for high-volume, tech-forward employers that care about quick turnaround and HRIS/ATS integrations.

Compared with GoodHire, Checkr offers similar per-check pricing tiers and overlapping core checks. Still, GoodHire offers robust U.S.-based phone and email support and a very low reported error rate, which may appeal to smaller businesses that prefer more hand-holding.

GoodHire also supports very low-volume, pay-per-check use and historically charges a one-time setup fee. At the same time, Checkr leans toward scalable, API-driven workflows with no prominent setup fees, making it better suited to companies that expect frequent or bulk screenings.

When stacked against Sterling, Checkr takes the lead in automation and speed, with a higher percentage of criminal checks completed within an hour and more steps handled without manual review.

Sterling, on the other hand, offers a long-established, compliance-heavy product set, including drug testing, I-9, and specialized packages, making it more attractive to large enterprises or regulated industries that need deeper policy support and more customized verification programs.

Checkr's self-service package customization from the dashboard is generally more straightforward. In contrast, Sterling often routes customization through account managers, which can be helpful for complex but slower for fast-moving teams.

Versus HireRight, Checkr typically delivers faster turnaround times and a higher "hit rate" for specific criminal searches due to its AI-driven data-matching engine and more automated workflows.

HireRight is stronger for organizations with extensive global hiring, offering mature international coverage and compliance tools. Still, it may involve slower processing and more traditional, enterprise-style onboarding and support, which can feel heavier for smaller or more agile businesses.

In practice, Checkr tends to be the better fit for gig platforms, tech companies, and staffing firms prioritizing speed and modern UX. At the same time, HireRight is often chosen by large, globally distributed enterprises that value broad jurisdictional coverage and long-standing compliance expertise.

Checkr: Final verdict

Checkr brings innovation and efficiency to background screening, emphasizing automation, speed, and integration. Its AI classification tools, real-time data retrieval, and candidate transparency make it a forward-looking choice for companies scaling their hiring operations.

Despite its limited human-support options and less robust compliance in highly regulated fields, Checkr remains one of the most compelling solutions for fast-moving organizations that prioritize digital workflows.

For gig employers, startups, and HR teams seeking speed and scalability without sacrificing accuracy, Checkr strikes a smart balance between cost, functionality, and user experience.

In this Checkr review, you'll learn more about the fast, flexible, and tech-driven background screening solution.

The Competitor: one-minute review

The Competitor is an Xbox and PC-compatible controller from manufacturer Hyperkin that adopts a DualSense-like appearance and symmetrical thumbstick layout. While it does feature niceties like drift-resistant Hall effect sticks and triggers, I’ve found it to be a blissfully simple controller.

The Competitor has no fancy RGB lighting, no gyro sensors, no trigger locks, no wireless connectivity options, and no supporting apps or software. It’s also impressively cheap, has a nice design, and a great idea or two of its own. Its straightforward nature serves it well, and it’s one reason why it’s one of the best Xbox controllers I’ve tested in quite a while.

Some of my favorite controllers in recent years have been the likes of the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and GameSir Tarantula Pro - both gamepads that are stuffed with desirable features that definitely make their price tags trend upward. The Competitor’s stripped-back, simplistic nature is actually quite refreshing in comparison, and is a staunch reminder that controllers don’t need to be a smorgasbord to remain appealing in the contemporary market.

There are some slight missteps. I’ve never been a fan of the PlayStation-style D-pad adopted here, the Menu and Share buttons are rather awkwardly-placed, and - while this is certainly personal preference and not indicative of The Competitor’s quality - it lacks wireless connectivity. Though at its relatively low price point, it’s easy to forgive these shortcomings.

(Image credit: Future)The Competitor review: price and availability

• List price: $49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95)
• Available from most major retailers in the US and UK
• Compares in price to similarly cheap controllers like the GameSir Kaleid

You can get The Competitor today for $49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95), making it one of the cheaper Xbox and PC controllers that’s actually worth recommending. Readily available at Amazon in the US and the UK, you’ll also likely find it at your local retailers of choice, including Best Buy in the US and Argos in the UK.

The cheaper Xbox controller spectrum has gotten broader in recent years, with pads like the GameSir Kaleid ($49.99 / £59.99) and 8BitDo Pro 2 ($44.99 / £39.99) also coming in at similar price points. The Competitor, rather fittingly, has some tough competition in the space, then, but I’d definitely say it’s comparable in quality to those aforementioned pads.

The Competitor review: Specs

Price

$49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95)

Weight

7.1oz / 200g

Dimensions

6.2 x 5.0 x 2.5in / 158 x 127 x 64mm

Compatibility

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC

Connection type

Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

N/A

(Image credit: Future)The Competitor review: design and features

The Competitor differs from most Xbox controllers in its symmetrical thumbstick layout and design that’s practically identical to that of the DualSense Wireless Controller. You’ll find the same boomerang-esque shape here, with similarly designed D-pad and face buttons.

I wouldn’t say build quality is luxurious, certainly not up to the DualSense standard, but it does the job at its price point. That is to be expected, though, given the lower price. Otherwise, nothing about the controller screams cut corners or lazy design; it’s an extremely tight ship. Usually, you’d expect one or two blemishes to stand out on budget-friendly controllers.

But my only issues, really, are the slightly awkward placement of the central Menu and Share buttons, as well as the spongy-feeling PlayStation-style d-pad. However, the latter comes down to personal preference more than anything else.

The color scheme of The Competitor is quite pleasing, too. It sports a black and white aesthetic in a sort of ‘X’ pattern across the front of the pad. The face buttons and d-pad have a translucent, glossy finish that feels quite nice against your thumbs, too.

(Image credit: Future)The Competitor review: Performance

The Competitor is a strictly wired controller. However, that’s not strange at its relatively low price point, so easy to forgive. That said, if you’d prefer a wireless model, you may be better off checking out similarly priced gamepads like the Xbox Wireless Controller or 8BitDo Pro 2.

What isn’t a guarantee for cheap controllers is the inclusion of drift-resisting Hall effect thumbsticks, but they are here on The Competitor. The sticks themselves feel great, too, with solid responsiveness and a rugged textured finish around the edges.

The Competitor features two remappable buttons on the rear of the controller. And these are easy enough to customize by holding the mapping button on the back, in conjunction with one of these rear buttons and one of the main ones on the front.

These remappable buttons are assigned by default, which I typically find a touch annoying. However, this is alleviated by a handy feature you don’t see on all that many controllers. There are lock switches for both remappable buttons, which can prevent them from being pressed in entirely. It’s arguably a bit of a workaround to keep them unassigned, but I welcome the ability to manually enable or disable them in such a way.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy The Competitor?Buy it if...

You want an affordable, effective controller
The Competitor simply does what it says on the tin (or, um, the cardboard box, I suppose). It’s a straightforward gamepad with no obvious flaws, available at a fittingly competitive price point.

You’re looking for a drift-beating option with light features
Hall effect sticks and two remappable buttons are present here. It’s on the lighter side in terms of features, but it’s really all a controller at this price needs to stand out.

Don't buy it if...

You want a more robust D-pad
Some game genres, like fighting games and platformers, benefit from a more well-rounded d-pad than the one on The Competitor. I actually love the circular design of the Xbox Wireless Controller's d-pad, and would recommend it over The Competitor if that's something that will be important to you.

You’re on PS5
The Competitor isn’t compatible with PlayStation hardware, despite the DualSense-looking design. Consider checking out our best PS5 controllers guide if you’re shopping for a Sony gamepad instead.

The Competitor review: Also consider

If The Competitor isn’t quite competitive enough for you, here are a couple other options very much worthy of consideration.

The Competitor

Xbox Wireless Controller

GameSir Super Nova

Price

$49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95)

$59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74

$44.99 / £49.99 / AU$89

Weight

7.1oz / 200g

8.5oz / 241g

9.3oz / 263g

Dimensions

6.2 x 5.0 x 2.5in / 158 x 127 x 64mm

5.9 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 150 x 105 x 60mm

6.1 x 4.2 x 2.3in / 156 x 106 x 59mm

Compatibility

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC

PC, Switch, Switch 2

Connection type

Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (Xbox), Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz USB dongle), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

N/A

Varies, around 20-40 hours

15 hours

Xbox Wireless Controller
Always an incredibly solid choice, the official Xbox Wireless Controller isn’t big on bonus features, but it offers incredible reliability and is available in countless color options these days.

Read our full Xbox Wireless Controller review

GameSir Super Nova
While losing Xbox compatibility, this is a fantastic and affordable wireless controller for PC and the Switch family of consoles. I’d go for this one if you’re after a PC controller and interested in a budget-friendly wireless option. Oh, it comes with a charging dock and some lovely color options, too.

Read our full GameSir Super Nova review

How I tested The Competitor

• Tested for one week
• Primarily tested on PC
• Played a wide range of games

I tested The Competitor over the course of about a week, putting the wired wonder through its paces primarily on a gaming PC with my Steam library. All my go-to games were present here, including Final Fantasy 14 Online, Tekken 8, Elden Ring Nightreign, and Tokyo Xtreme Racer.

Given the shape and feel of the controller, I tried to compare the experience of playing with The Competitor to that of the DualSense Wireless Controller. Obviously, the PlayStation controller is more feature-rich, with bespoke haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, as well as its touchpad. Build quality isn’t quite as strong with The Competitor, in comparison, but it’s certainly not miles off, given the price.

First reviewed December 2025

Read more about how we test

The Competitor might not be stacked to the gills with features, but there’s much to love in its straightforward, no-nonsense approach.