Monitor Arms & Desk Mounts - Professional Workspace Solutions

VESA mounting patterns are the standard for monitor arms. Check the back of your monitor for four screw holes in a square pattern - common sizes are 75x75mm and 100x100mm (measured between hole centers). Your monitor's specifications will list 'VESA mount compatible' with the pattern size. Most monitors 24 inches and larger support VESA mounting. Some monitors, particularly budget models and certain brands like Apple's displays, don't have VESA mounting built-in but may have adapter options available. If your monitor has a removable stand, there's usually a VESA pattern underneath. Monitors without VESA support can sometimes use aftermarket VESA adapter kits that clamp around the monitor.

Check your monitor's weight in its specifications - weigh it with a bathroom scale if unsure. Then choose an arm rated for at least 20-30% more than your monitor weighs. A 15-lb monitor should use at least an 18-20 lb rated arm. This safety margin accounts for the leverage forces when the arm is extended and ensures smooth, stable operation. For dual arms, verify the per-arm capacity, not total capacity. Most standard 24-27 inch monitors weigh 10-18 lbs and work fine with typical 25-lb capacity arms. Ultrawides and 32+ inch monitors often weigh 20-35 lbs and need heavy-duty arms.

C-clamp is more versatile and easier to install - it clamps to your desk edge and can be repositioned or removed easily. Most people use C-clamp mounting successfully. Grommet mounting goes through a hole in the desk (use existing cable management holes or drill one) and provides more stability, especially for heavy multi-monitor setups. It also looks cleaner since there's no visible clamp on the desk edge. Choose grommet if: you have an existing hole to use, you want maximum stability for heavy displays, or you prefer the cleaner aesthetic. Choose C-clamp if: you might move or remove the arm later, you don't want to modify your desk, or you're mounting to a standing desk that moves.

Yes, but consider how the arm moves with the desk. C-clamp mounted arms move with the desk surface - this is usually what you want. The monitor stays in position relative to your keyboard and desk. Wall-mounted arms stay fixed while the desk moves - the monitor stays at the same absolute height. This can be intentional (you might want different screen heights sitting vs standing) or problematic (you have to manually adjust the arm height every time). For sit-stand desks, most people prefer C-clamp or grommet mounting so everything moves together. Make sure your arm has enough vertical adjustment range to be comfortable at both sitting and standing heights.

Small TVs (up to about 32 inches and under 25-30 lbs) can work with heavy-duty monitor arms designed for large displays. Verify VESA compatibility - TVs typically use 200x200mm or 200x100mm patterns, larger than standard monitor patterns. Most monitor arms top out at 100x100mm VESA, but some heavy-duty arms support up to 200x200mm. For TVs larger than 32 inches or heavier than 30 lbs, use a proper TV mount instead of a monitor arm - TV mounts are designed for heavier loads and larger VESA patterns. Desk-mounted TV arms exist specifically for this purpose, or wall mounting is often more practical for TV-sized displays.

Monitor arm droop usually means the gas spring tension isn't adjusted correctly for your monitor's weight. Most quality arms have tension adjustment - look for an Allen key adjustment point on the arm's main joint. Tightening increases resistance (for heavier monitors), loosening decreases it (for lighter monitors). The goal is neutral balance - the monitor should stay in any position without drifting up or down. If maximum tension still doesn't hold your monitor, it's likely overweight for that arm's capacity. Budget arms sometimes lack adjustment range and may droop regardless. Premium arms like Ergotron include easy-to-use tension adjustment and hold position reliably for years.