The Best Monitor Arms of 2023

If you think that finding the best monitor arm for your desk will be an easy task, it might be time to think again.

A quick run-through of the horror stories online will have you diving for the anti-depressants. Well, unless the idea of brushing hundreds of dollars worth of expensive glass shards off your desk thanks to a slumping monitor arm sounds appealing.

Luckily, we’ve done the heavy lifting (pun intended) for you. We’ve dissected hundreds of offerings, spoken to end-users, and tested some of the most hyped products on the market to come up with our picks for the best monitor arms available right now.

What we’ve found will save you grey hairs and sleepless nights, and more importantly, prevent a sore neck and back from poor ergonomics at your desk or workstation.

What to Look For in a Monitor Arm

Monitor arms are supposed to solve two modern-day problems:

1. Free up desk real estate so you have more space for everything else, and
2. Raise the height of your monitor to an ergonomically ideal level.

How these two goals are achieved varies from supplier to supplier.

Some products attach to your desk with a clamp, others expect you to drill a hole through your expensive glass-top desk. No kidding! Some suggest you drill holes in the wall, and, using the flimsiest screws, attempt to secure hundreds of pounds of visual glory to paper-thin drywall.

Staring awkwardly at a computer screen for 6-8 hours a day is guaranteed to keep your chiropractor’s children in show ponies and new clothes. That’s one reason why investing in a good monitor arm makes sense, but needless to say, you’d expect it to stay in position so you can avoid those postural problems.

What you absolutely don’t want is for your monitor to slowly slump down like a drunken lounge lizard, or get locked into positions that require years of yoga skills to make use of. A few products are renowned for these problems, and we’ll help you avoid them.

Here’s what we did to make the selection process fair.

How We Selected the Best Monitor Arms

We picked the six most important factors that we believe are vital to securing your monitor safely, at the right height and position for comfort and aesthetic appeal.

Throughout our investigation, we found monitor arms that just didn’t support the weight of even fairly light screens. A lot of those problems were traced back to poorly-fitting, desk-mounted clamps, and under-spec springs and adjusting bolts inside the arms.

Even when the brackets were of an obviously good design, poor manufacturing resulted in some that would just not support the weight of the screen when extended out.

Finding a good multi-monitor stand proved extremely difficult, as the problems experienced by customers when using single mounts are even more pronounced when trying to hold two or more monitors. A lot of work still needs to be done by manufacturers to ensure that multi-monitor arms and brackets are fit for purpose.

Cable management ranged from very poor to excellent, with some stands also including integrated ports in their bases. This feature is extremely useful, and we’d like to see more models that utilize it.

Sometimes a little extra effort goes a long way towards making the whole buying and installation process easier. We gave bonus points for additional features that improved the usability and quality of the monitor stands, helping differentiate suppliers and manufacturers who are prepared to go the extra mile for their customers.

Finally, of course, we looked at the cost, and how well any give model stacked up price-wise versus the competition.

Here, then, are the six factors we considered when making our recommendations:

1. Flexibility (tilt/swivel/raise/lower)
2. Mounting System (desk clamp, grommet mounted through a hole in the desk, or wall-mounted)
3. Multi-monitor support
4. Ease of cable management.
5. Additional useful features
6. Price

After an exhaustive process of elimination, these are our picks for the best monitor arms available right now.

Best Monitor Arm: Ergotron LX Single

Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Ergotron has been involved in “moving people”, as they like to call it, since 1977. The company has been making mounting products for computer displays, laptops, and TVs for over 40 years, and this experience really shows in our top overall monitor arm pick, the Ergotron LX.

In our opinion, the wall-mounting setup on this model was the most secure and stable of the lot. So long as you screw the mounting plate into a wall stud and not just the plasterboard, you’ll enjoy years of hassle-free use.

M8 bolts and wall plugs are provided for mounting onto brickwork or concrete, which provides a very secure fix to the wall, with no movement in the mounting plate whatsoever.

Movement and Sag

Raising and lowering the arm proved flawless and the smooth, accurate movement is a testament to the well-designed geometry of the product. There was no play in any of the joints and the monitor stayed exactly where it was put with no sagging, tilting, or wobble.

Positioning

With 25 inches of extension and 13 inches of lift, plus flexibility about where on the wall you mount it, the screen position is highly adjustable. The monitor has a 360-degree range of rotation, with a useful range of tilt positions (70° up and 5° down) once mounted.

The mount allows the monitor to rest as little as four inches from the wall, useful when you’re short on office space or need to keep it out of the way when using the desk for something else.

Monitor Size and Weight

The arm supports a screen up to 34 inches diagonal, with weight not exceeding 25 pounds. There is a little confusion concerning the weight limits, with the manual mentioning 20 pounds and the company website referring to 25 pounds.

A quick call to the company confirmed that the higher limit was correct, and the latest manuals have been updated to reflect the correct capacity.

Installation Instructions

The installation manual was one of the best we’ve come across, with detailed instructions for ergonomically-correct mounting heights based on the height of the person using the desk or workstation.

Essentially, the mounting heights are based on a person between 5’0” and 6’1’ standing, or between 5’0” and 6’4” seated.

Design and Finish

The heavy-duty, polished aluminum arm is sturdily constructed and beautifully finished. It is well suited to a professional or home environment.

Warranty

The 10-year warranty covers product defects, and you may either return the arm for repair or have it repaired at an authorized dealer with approval from Ergotron.

Conclusion

While this monitor arm is a little more expensive than similar-looking offerings, the money is well worth spending.

If the initial measurements are taken correctly, the height adjustments work well across both sitting and standing positions. This results in a very comfortable seating position that adjusts to your posture.

Most importantly, the monitor stays exactly where you put it, which is the least that we ask of any monitor arm.

The only real downside is that because this is a wall-mounted unit, it requires more effort to mount and won’t be suitable for every wall. It also requires your desk to be pushed up against the wall, or at least very close to it.

Ergotron also makes a very similar desk-mounted model: it’s very good, but our pick would still be the wall-mount version where possible.

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Best Value for Money Monitor Arm: ErGear Single With USB

ErGear has been around for several years and supplies a range of monitor mounts, desk frames, and keyboard trays.

The market for monitor arms is very competitive, and standing out can be difficult. The ErGear Single does, however, thanks to the removable USB ports mounted on the base of the mount.

The mounting bracket is a well-engineered piece of kit. Designed for use with a clamp or with a hole and grommet mounting nut, the ErGear mount is very strong, and solid in use with very little wobble or shudder when re-positioned.

If you have a very thin desk or one that has a glass surface, you’ll have to purchase a separate mount-reinforcement plate. This ErGear product provides a wider area over which to spread the load, to avoid damaging the glass or other fragile desktops.

Movement and Sag

The gas spring system has been well-tested and provides accurate positioning without the slow, unwanted descent you often get with cheaper monitor arms. Set the monitor in place and it will be there for you in the same position when you return tomorrow, next week, or next month.

Positioning

The 110° tilt angle and 360° rotation provides enough flexibility for pretty much any use. The maximum height adjustment of 21 inches is more than sufficient for tall users: even our 6’2” test subject found the monitor could be moved slightly above their eye level when they were sitting fully upright.

Some care needs to be taken when installing the mounting bracket to ensure you position it correctly. That’s especially true if you have limited room behind your desk, since it can protrude in certain arm positions.

Monitor Size and Weight

The arm can handle plenty of weight, holding up to 26.5lbs from a monitor up to 35 inches wide.

Cable Management

The integrated cable management system and USB connector hide the mess of cables within the structure of the arm, creating a lot of extra space on your desk and providing a clean, clutter-free aesthetic.

Installation Instructions

The manual is fairly comprehensive and includes detailed instructions for installation. It could do with a little more in the way of written explanation, however, rather than relying mostly on illustrations.

Design and Finish

The glossy black finish and hidden cables make for a very stylish monitor arm.

Warranty

A limited 5-year warranty covers you for manufacturing defects, and the company responds quickly to complaints and requests for assistance. They have a support department that provides detailed feedback to any inquiries.

Conclusion

The cable management and included USB ports were one of the stand-out features of this monitor arm.

An impressive range of motion and sturdy construction translates into a product that will provide long-term support without the sagging and loss of tension we’ve seen on competing products.

We found this monitor arm to provide the best compromise between price and quality, which earned it its place here against some stiff competition.

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Best Budget Monitor Stand: VIVO Single

Vivo has been putting out monitor mounts since 2012, and is currently the number one seller in the USA. Focused on providing affordable, quality accessories, the company supplies over a million units per year across its product line.

If you are looking for a budget monitor stand, the VIVO Single is the way to go. We found the built quality and performance of this mount was better than some of the more expensive models, so don’t be put off by the low price tag.

The arm is clamped or grommet-mounted through a hole in the desk, with the wide base plate ensuring a stable platform. It handles ultrawide monitors up to 38 inches without wobbling, vibrating, or twisting.

Movement and Sag

Surprisingly at this price point, we experienced no sag or wobble when positioning the monitor, and it stayed in position perfectly. Moving the monitor into place is a breeze, but the joints can be quite stiff at first. They tend to loosen up a bit after a few weeks of use.

Positioning

While positioning isn’t as flexible as some of the other products we tested, there’s enough there for for the average user. As usual, you get full 360-degree rotation. The 16-inch lift height is quite impressive, and puts it in range of other more expensive units.

Monitor Size and Weight

While the officially-supported weight is 22 pounds, we recommend going lighter. As you get close to the weight limit, the arm doesn’t perform quite as well, losing a little stability. Lighter monitors don’t have the same problem, and assuming they’re not too heavy, the arm can handle models up to 38 inches wide.

Installation Instructions

A full manual with a parts list and tools accompanies each mount. The instructions are easy to follow, and assembly is quick.

Design and Finish

The monitor arm looks like it should cost more than it does, and the simple design fits in well with any office décor. Cable management could be better though, with a simple clip mechanism on the arm and pole not doing much to hide the cords.

Warranty

VIVO provides a three-year warranty on this model, as much as you could hope for with a low-end product like this. Customer support is super-helpful, and queries and complaints are dealt with quickly and efficiently. The company definitely tries to go the extra mile for its clients.

For the price, this monitor mount is hard to beat, and it’s not hard to understand why it is one of the best-selling mounts in the USA today.

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Best Budget Monitor Arm for Taller People: WALI Premium Single

Tall computer users are particularly prone to ergonomic issues, often ending up bent forward with their head angled down toward the screen. The end result? Neck strain, headaches, and back problems.

WALI helps solve this problem with its Premium Single extended pole mount that gives an extra few inches of height adjustment for taller people.

While the mounting bracket is large and stable, we did find that the amount of adjustment on the clamp wasn’t great. Other users have reported this too, and we recommend that you carefully measure your desk and make sure that it adheres to the following minimum measurements:

• Clamp: Maximum 3.1” thick desk.
• Grommet: Maximum 2.75” diameter grommet hole and 1.6” thick desk.

Movement and Sag

We were very happy with the smoothness of the arm adjustment, although we’d have liked the fittings to be slightly firmer. It’s hard to tell how this will hold up over the long term, but there are few reports of problems with the monitor drifting from its set position over time. Monitors close to (or over) the weight limit are more likely to cause problems.

Positioning

As a monitor arm that provides a high level of height adjustment (over 23″), this is a success. The tilt and swivel angles aren’t as good as some of the competition, but if you’re particularly tall, you won’t find a better solution at this price point.

Monitor Size and Weight

At just 17.6 pounds, this arm has the lowest weight limit of any of the models we recommend. That’s not surprising, given the amount of extension available, but is something to bear in mind if you plan to use a heavier monitor. Screens up to 32″ wide are supported.

Design and Finish

While they arguably look a little cheap, the glossy black finish and plastic panels work well enough in any professional environment. We’ve seen a few more reports of poorly-machined screw holes and other manufacturing issues than we’d like, however.

Warranty

Wali stands behind its products, providing a 10-year warranty against defective parts and workmanship. The warranty only applies to customers in the USA, though, so if you live elsewhere, you’ll have to take up any issues with the agent.

Conclusion

While this isn’t the monitor arm for everyone, as an option for taller users, we couldn’t find another budget product that met our criteria as well. While we’d prefer better build quality, and that it could hold larger and (especially) heavier monitors, it’s good value for money for what you get.

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Best Dual Monitor Arm: AVLT Dual

Good dual-monitor setups are hard to find. Given the amount of weight they need to hold and the level of adjustability needed, it worth paying more for something you can rely on over the long term.

Our current pick here is the AVLT Dual, a high-end monitor arm with quality and features that lift it above the pack.

The main point of failure with any dual monitor setup is the connection between your desk and the base or clamp.

AVLT has done its homework here, providing an exceptionally well-manufactured base and clamp setup that provides enough rigidity and strength to support up to 66 pounds of monitor. Two monitors are easily supported, with the mount engineered to accept most flat, curved, or ultrawide computer displays.

Movement and Sag

Movement is silky smooth, with no hesitation or binding when positioning your screens. Once in position, there is no sag from the monitors and they remain rock-steady over time.

Positioning

Fitted with premium gas springs, the monitor arms can be adjusted from 10″ to 23″ in height. If you’re using the desk clamp rather than the grommet, you’ll need to allow a little space behind the desk to ensure a full range of motion.

Monitor Size and Weight

Two monitors of up to 33 pounds each (66 pounds total) are supported by this stand, with each screen able to be between 13 and 35 inches wide.

Installation

Installation is a bit tricky, and the cable management takes a little fiddling to get right. Admittedly, there are a pair of USB ports and headphone jacks on the base, so fitting it all together is a little more complex than the other monitor arms we tested.

Design and Finish

This is a very stylish unit that would look good in both your home and office. The finish is excellent, as one would expect from a premium product.

Warranty

The company is very responsive to customer queries and complaints. We found them to be friendly and knowledgeable concerning solving small problems that can arise with a product like this. We’d prefer to see a longer warranty, however, given the price.

Conclusion

This is a well-finished, high-end product that performs its job well. Other than a somewhat tricky installation process and shorter warranty than we’d like, there’s very little to complain about here.

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Best Monitor Arm for Heavy Monitors: Ergotron HX Single Ultrawide

There’s no getting around it: if you want to mount a heavy-duty monitor, you need a heavy-duty monitor arm. Expect to pay more for it as well: cheap versions are unreliable, more likely to sag or lose tension entirely and drop your big, heavy monitor right onto your desk.

We had high expectations from Ergotron’s HX Single Ultrawide arm, since the company already makes our top overall monitor arm pick. This model survived a 10,000-cycle test, which is the equivalent of ten years of office use. You can literally feel the quality in the solid, high-end components as soon as you pick it up.

Movement and Sag

Movement is perfectly smooth, and the monitor slides into position with absolutely no shudder, shake or tremble. Despite its strength, the arm is sleek and very trendy. We were a little disappointed that the cables were so visible, however, since they do detract from the overall look and feel of the unit.

Positioning

With 23.6 inches of extension and 11.5 inches of lift, it’s not hard to find the right position for your screen. There’s 360 degrees of rotation, with the same 70° up/5° down tilt as our top pick once mounted.

Monitor Size and Weight

The arm supports a screen up to 42 inches (although some users report mounting even larger displays), and weights not exceeding 42 pounds. This is ideal for large monitors, but be aware that smaller, lighter models may actually be too light for this arm, resulting in the monitor drifting upward.

Installation Instructions

As always with Ergotron monitor arms, the manual gives detailed instructions for ergonomically-correct mounting heights based on the height of the person using the desk or workstation.

Design and Finish

This heavy-duty, polished aluminum arm is stylishly constructed and beautifully finished. Despite its heft, it doesn’t feel out of place in a professional office or home environment.

Warranty

The product is covered for defects by a 10-year warranty, and you have the option to either return it to the company for repair or have it repaired at an authorized dealer after approval from Ergotron.

Conclusion

This is one of the best heavy-duty monitor arms on the market, and despite the high price, it’s still good value for money given its reliability and quality construction. It supports even very heavy monitors with ease, and looks surprisingly stylish and modern while it does so.

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Main image via Shutterstock, product images via Amazon