Best Monitor Arms and Mounting Tips (2026)
A good monitor arm improves posture, frees up desk space, and lets you dial in perfect screen height and distance. Here’s how to choose one that won’t sag.
What to Check Before Buying
- VESA Pattern: Most monitors use 75×75 or 100×100. Ultralights may need adapters.
- Weight Range: Pick an arm that supports your monitor’s weight with 20–30% headroom.
- Gas‑Spring vs. Mechanical: Gas arms are easier to reposition; mechanical arms are cheaper and sturdy.
- Clamp vs. Grommet: Grommet mounts offer better stability if your desk supports it.
Mounting Tips
- Measure desk thickness and check the clamp’s supported range.
- Center the arm to avoid torque on thin desktops.
- Tension the gas spring after mounting to match your monitor weight.
- Route cables with slack for full motion (protects ports).
Living With a Monitor Arm
The real benefit of a good arm shows up weeks after installation. You stop thinking about where your monitor is because adjusting it becomes as unconscious as moving your chair. Tilt it back when you lean away to think, pull it closer when you are deep in a spreadsheet, swing it aside when you need space for paperwork. That freedom encourages movement, which your neck and shoulders will appreciate on long days.
If you ever upgrade your display, a quality arm follows you to the next panel instead of going in the trash with the old stand. That makes it one of the rare accessories that can outlive several generations of screens. Treat the install like a small home‑improvement project—measure carefully, tighten everything once more after a week of use—and it will quietly do its job for years.
To get the most from the arm long term, revisit its tension and height any time you significantly change how you work. Adding a heavier monitor, switching from sitting to more standing, or moving your keyboard tray can all shift what “comfortable” looks like. Spending five minutes to retune the arm in those moments keeps you from slowly drifting back into a hunched posture, and it helps the investment keep paying off through several generations of hardware and habits.