I'm on my laptop all the time and it sits in my lap, same for my husband, who is at the other end of the couch. My feet are often on the coffee table but my laptop, never. I don't know about the video game thing when playing with others, that's not my thing. When he's alone there's no reason he can't have it on his lap. I put a book underneath so it doesn't heat up my legs.

I have no experience but those tables you posted all look very cool. SO and I will eventually be buying a new coffee table, so I'll be watching this post with interest.

I had a young friend who lived in a very small apartment. She had a lift top coffee table that she used for dining and as a desk. It worked very well for her. Other young people I know just sit on the floor so that their coffee table is a good height for using their laptop or gaming system.

My niece has one in her family room, here's the one she got as it has lots of storage. As far as I know, they enjoy it very much.coffee table

I have one that is similar to photo 1 and use it for some tasks. However, I had purchased a couch that was lower than usual so that I could have an unobstructed view over it, and out the living room window, from a nearby room. The lift coffee table is actually too high when used while sitting on this particular couch. Other than my sizing mistake, it works well.

gyr_falcon, Thanks - I hadn't thought about the possibility of the table being too high when in the lifted position.

Another possible solution would be a C table. I bought one for my macbook when I am sitting on the sofa. It is perfect. Some have an adjustable height option, which could be a nice feature. adjustable C tables

When I refreshed my living room I purchased a lift top table because DH sits on the sofa. When he wanted to play games on the computer he would sit on the floor and use the sofa as a back rest. I saw a Paula Dean table at a local furniture store that wasn't bad looking (it actually looked quite nice in the store). I bought it and DH was thrilled. It brings the table top right up to his height.

I have two major issues with it. First, it looked fine in the store but at home it looks like a big, dark, decorative cube sitting in the middle of my room. It weights the room down. The second issue is we have a two cushion sofa and DH refuses to sit directly on one of the cushions and move his laptop over. He now sits right on the division between the two cushions which is causing a down trodden look to a three year old sofa.

I would rate the table as a ten functionally but a one aesthetically. If you can find one that isn't enclosed it will look so much better but you will lose the storage function.