Xybix vs. Other Command Center Desk Providers

Xybix vs. the Competition:
Other Command Center Desk Providers

In a consumer society with endless options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices. The best strategy is to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples and focus on the features you really need—whether you’re buying an actual Apple product, a car or a control room console. To help with your research on consoles, we’ve compiled details on key differences and a handy side-by-side comparison chart based on the Xybix Eagle line of products and options.

Xybix vs. EVANS Consoles

When you look for innovation, EVANS Consoles and Xybix stand shoulder-to-shoulder in offering unique features for operators and dispatchers. The EVANS and Xybix consoles carry a lifetime warranty on the parts they manufacture. A significant difference between these companies is access—the proximity to the manufacturing plant, the availability of the customer service department and the number of entities the product sells through to get to you. Xybix products are made in the USA, the company takes pride in the 24/7 customer service department and it does not sell through a dealership network. Another difference between EVANS and Xybix arises in comfort and ergonomics. 

AMPLE KNEE & LEG SPACE

Space for your knees and legs goes beyond the desire to stretch out on a long shift. This space is dictated by OSHA for safety and necessary for proper ergonomic positioning.

EVANS Consoles provide ample space for computers under the consoles but not quite enough room to really stretch out and get comfortable. The Xybix Eagle consoles place computer cabinets off to the side, leaving plenty of space to stretch while remaining productive. A user in a wheelchair or walking boot will appreciate the extra space.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT

In control rooms, teams answer the phone and serve their communities and customers 24 hours a day. Don’t these dedicated users deserve the same level of service when something goes wrong?

EVANS Consoles has struggled to provide quick and effective solutions for their clients’ needs. This is why Xybix pulled best practices from other industries and developed a live 24-hour customer service process. Give them a call and you’ll hear the difference yourself. Xybix also works to ensure that all parts are available until aging products are truly obsolete.

ERGONOMICS FOR ALL

Consoles must be adjustable so users of any size can maintain neutral wrist alignment while standing or sitting with feet comfortably on the ground. These types of ergonomic adjustments matter in dispatch, utilities and healthcare roles that require 10- to 12-hour shifts.

EVANS Consoles fall short here with an adjustable range of 29" to 45.5". The Xybix Eagle sit-to-stand desk adjustable range is 22" to 48", accommodating everyone from a 5^th percentile sitting female to a 95^th percentile standing male. Whether you’re 4’11" or 6’2", the Xybix console lowers or raises to suit you.

MADE IN THE USA

Location matters when it comes to efficient delivery and service.

EVANS Consoles manufactures up in Calgary, so your freight charges include that extra distance. The Xybix manufacturing facility is conveniently located in Littleton, Colorado, smack in the middle of the United States. We provide good jobs in our community and stand at the ready for any service needs.

THE BENEFIT OF A FAMILY-OWNED MANUFACTURER

When you work with a business that is owned and run by family members, they take your projects personally.

EVANS boasts nearly 40 years’ experience in manufacturing and designing for control rooms, but the corporation is driven by financial interests. With Xybix, the Carson family has been involved in the day-to-day business for 30+ years. Dave Carson and his sons Kenny and Barry are passionate about quality, safety and ergonomics to ensure that your employees are able to be at their best every day. If you have an issue with a Xybix console, the family reputation is on the line and they are ready to serve.

Xybix vs. Winsted Consoles

Winsted is a massive international company with a broad product line. As a result, the service is not as personalized and the products are not as specialized. The Xybix Eagle consoles compare to the Winsted Ascend Sit/Stand consoles, with the Xybix consoles a clear winner when it comes to ergonomics, monitor management and overall service.

CATER TO ANY EMPLOYEE WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION

Size matters when it comes to selecting the right consoles. To accommodate users from 4’11" to 6’2" with proper ergonomics, the surface needs to lower to 22" and raise to 48".

Winsted’s Ascend consoles only lower to 30", similar to the average fixed desk in an office. This doesn’t work for shorter people—including the 35% of women who are under 5’4" and require a desk that lowers to the 24"–26" range. These shorter employees will need to raise their chair to reach the keyboard with a neutral wrist or risk carpal tunnel/tendonitis. Raising the chair leaves their feet dangling, so they need a footrest to prevent lower back pain.

Xybix designed its height-adjustable Eagle consoles with a 22" to 48" range to meet ANSI/HFES standards for ergonomics. With the press of a button shorter employees are able to lower the console so the tabletop, keyboard and monitors are perfectly placed. Whether you’re sitting or standing, the console height can make the difference in preventing eyestrain, neck strain, wrist pain and more.

MOVING ALL MONITORS AT ONCE

In 24/7 environments, you need to quickly adjust monitor placement to the proper focal depth at shift change. This prevents eyestrain and headaches from constantly refocusing your eyes. When the process is difficult, you are less likely to make the adjustments. What you really need is for all the monitors to move easily at once.

Winsted’s Ascend Sit/Stand consoles provide Versa-Trak monitor support, which allows for precise placement of multiple monitors but not simultaneous movement. In fact, you might need to adjust 6 or 8 monitors individually before starting your shift. The Xybix patented Rollervision system provides an exceptionally strong, stable platform for simultaneously adjusting one or two rows of monitors. The system provides cable management and accommodates curved monitors and up to 52" screens with ease.

PERSONAL SERVICE

Consoles are an investment that you’ll be living with for 10+ years. You want the consoles to look good, feel good and be made to last. But a single console is usually just a cog in the wheel. In a busy dispatch center, control room or healthcare environment, space planning comes into play. Everything needs to fit and the arrangement needs to work for you.

From Winsted, you can expect computerized design and customer service at their speed not yours. They offer flat-packed or pre-assembled consoles for you to install yourself, or you can have one of their factory technicians install them onsite for you. The family-owned Xybix, on the other hand, is all about personalized service. A degreed and experienced interior designer is assigned to your project from start to finish. Xybix also offers complementary project management and expert installation/live cutover services from veteran installation teams. When you need help with a product, you can reach a live person via a 24/7 customer service hotline.

PERFORMANCE PROVEN BY BIFMA TESTING

Control room consoles need to withstand 24/7 use, easily adjust for each user and bear the weight of critical equipment without bowing or tipping. To ensure the safety and quality of office furniture solutions, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) develops safety and performance standards.

Winsted consoles are not BIFMA certified. All Xybix products and moving parts are engineered for optimal performance and they easily withstand voluntary BIFMA testing. These third-party tests help ensure superior product performance over time.

WARRANTY WHEN YOU NEED IT

The last thing you want is a warranty that’s all fine print. It’s difficult to have confidence in products and take advantage of the warranty when needed if you can’t even understand what’s covered.

Winsted offers a lifetime warranty on fixed steel structure frame components, which is great. Then there’s a 10-year warranty on adjustable, sliding or hinged components and laminated surfaces; 5 years on Endurance Plus and TruForm surfaces; and 2 years on electrical components and chairs. With Xybix, if we built it, we cover it for as long as you own it. This lifetime warranty covers everything we manufacture, including the panel tiles, all cabinetry, Rollervision and laminated surfaces. Moving and electrical parts, labor and shipping are covered for 10 years. Xybix simplified the warranty to reflect confidence in our suppliers as well as the products we manufacture. For example, we cover the lighting for 10 years even if the light manufacturer only warranties it for 1 year.

A warranty is only as good as the service behind it. With Xybix customer service, you’ll reach a live person 24/7 and receive prompt service, whether your products are 2 years old or 20. If something out of warranty fails, we’ll work with you to make it right at a reasonable cost. We also offer extended warranty programs if you prefer moving parts to be covered longer than 6 years.

Xybix vs. Bramic Industries Consoles

Xybix and Bramic Industries both excel in height-adjustable range and cable management features. Key differences arise in computer access and acoustic options. In dispatch centers and control rooms, people work long shifts in stressful situations. They’re at a console for 8 to 12 hours, so they need a workstation that respects the mind and body. If trouble occurs with a computer, easy access without disrupting the operator is critical. Every aspect of the Xybix made-in-the-USA Eagle console is thoughtfully and ergonomically designed so you can be at your best. We reviewed Bramic’s Marathon Sit/Stand Height Adjustable console made in Canada. The Marathon is solid and capable of fitting all the equipment and cables, but it suffers when it comes to fitting the person and providing access to IT.

COMPUTER STORAGE AND ACCESS

On a normal day, it may not matter where computers are placed in command center consoles. IT can reach around and perform maintenance easily enough. But when utility operators are battling inclement weather and a computer has issues, the IT tech needs quick and easy access to the front and back of that equipment—often while the operator is still working at that desk. This is how we reviewed the computer access in the Bramic Marathon and Xybix Eagle consoles.

In terms of computer access, the differences between these two consoles is pronounced. The Bramic product has nicely contained computer storage in front of your knees. This means cabling is compact and access is challenging even without an operator working at the console. The Xybix Eagle places computer storage to the side or back-side of the console for easy on-the-fly IT access. Hot-swaps of equipment and regular maintenance are a snap with this design.

SO MUCH ROOM TO STRETCH OUT

If you’ve ever jockeyed for leg space under your desk with a CPU, trash can, filing cabinet and backpack, we feel your pain. It’s not just annoying, it’s a little unsafe. OSHA actually dictates the amount of space you need for safety and proper ergonomic positioning.

Comparing the leg and knee space of a Bramic console to a Xybix Eagle console is like comparing first class to coach. And who wants to sit in coach for 10 or 12 hours? Plenty of room to stretch is key to staying alert and staying healthy.

ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS

Typical office noise from people talking, computers, printers and ventilation tracks at about 65 decibels—a little less than a vacuum cleaner. This level of noise can impact reading comprehension and memory, contribute to mistakes, decrease productivity, increase stress and illness, lower job satisfaction and harm morale.

This is why manufacturers of technical furniture tend to provide acoustic panels and other solutions. Both manufacturers here offer panel systems and colors to match your center. Bramic Industries skips the solutions for absorbing sound while Xybix is all in. Degreed and experienced interior designers assist with every project, from start to finish, including helping you select high-efficiency acoustic panels and other panel wall options such as white boards or glass.