Is it better to use a wall mount or a desk mount?

There are pros and cons to both wall-mounted and desk-mounted stands. A wall mount isn’t limited by your style of desk, doesn’t take up any space on your desk, and you don’t risk damaging your desk. However, they can be difficult to install, may not be practical in every room, and are basically a permanent fixture. Once installed, you are pretty much stuck with it where it is. Desk mounts are more versatile, being able to move with your desk and requiring less complex installation. They aren’t a permanent fixture. However, they are limited by the design of your desk, and take up some portion of precious desk real estate, no matter how small, though not as much as the stand that came bundled with your monitor.

What is the difference between a clamp mount and a grommet mount?

For desk mounts, you’re going to be choosing between either clamp or grommet mounting options. A clamp mount simply clamps the stand to the edge of your desk and is probably the most versatile solution. Grommet mounting means attaching the stand to your desk via a pre-existing hole meant for routing wires to the desktop. It’s really just the same as a clamp mount, only it's meant to go in a hole in the desk rather than sit on the edge of the desk. Grommet mounting is a great option if such a hole is present, but if not, it would require drilling a new hole in your desk.

Will a desk mount monitor arm mar the surface of my desk?

It’s reasonable to worry about the harm a desk mount might do to the surface of your desk. If this is the type of mount you are considering and you are concerned, the main thing is to be very careful not to overload the monitor arm and stick well within its weight tolerance.

The 4 Best Monitor Arms of 2023

The best monitor arms are flexible and strong enough to hold your monitor in place without shaking or wobbling. They may include cable clips or other cable management systems to help keep your desktop tidy, and they'll have fully adjustable height and rotation. They also are designed with VESA standard measurements making them compatible with most monitors. These are the best monitor arms available to you based on these qualifications.

The Rundown

Best Overall:

Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm at Amazon

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Best for Dual Monitors:

HUANUO Dual Monitor Mount at Amazon

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Best with USB hub:

Mount-It! Mount It! Triple Monitor Mount at Amazon

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Most Versatile:

Amazon Basics Premium Single Monitor Stand at Amazon

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in this article

Our Picks
What to Look For in a Monitor Arm
FAQ

Ergotron â LX Single Monitor Arm, VESA Desk Mount

Amazon

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What We Like

Cable management clips
360-degree screen rotation
13-inch pole for standing desk orientation

What We Don't Like

Expensive

This versatile desk-mounted monitor arm is our top pick for its durable design and wide range of adjustability. The arm can extend to a maximum of 25 inches forward and up to 13 inches vertically. It’s available with either an 8- or 13-inch vertical mounting pole. The taller one provides significant extra height, making this an excellent option for switching between seated and standing workstations.

Combined with 75-degree tilt adjustment and 360-degree pan adjustment, this mount allows for a super adjustable workstation setup. It also has clips along the arm to keep monitor cables untangled and out of the way.

The Ergotron LX can hold a single VESA mount compatible monitor with a maximum diagonal measurement of 34 inches and a maximum weight capacity of 25 pounds. The Ergotron is available in black, aluminum, and white.

_{Maximum Size (Diagonal): 34 inches | Maximum Weight: 25 pounds | Height Adjustment Range: 13 inches | Tilt Adjustment Range: 75 degrees}

Huanuo Dual Monitor Arm Stand, Height Adjustable Monitor Mount for Two 13 to 27 Inch Flat

Amazon

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What We Like

Each arm is independently adjustable
360-degree arm rotation
Affordable

What We Don't Like

17-pound weight limit per arm

If you need extra screen real estate, a dual monitor setup may be the way to go. Monitor arms allow you to customize the positioning of multiple screens and place them edge to edge without bulky bases getting in the way. This dual monitor arm from Huanuo is a somewhat cumbersome device. Still, it allows for a wide range of screen positions—including a mix of landscape and portrait orientations—for a fully customized setup. It’s also surprisingly affordable.

Like other monitor arms, the Huanuo clamps to the back edge of your desk and extends forward up to 25 inches. The arms can rotate 360 degrees to face even the back of your desk, so your monitors can double as a shareable display during meetings. The screens can also be angled, tilted, and turned to your preferred orientation.

Each arm can hold a monitor measuring up to 27 inches diagonally and 17.6 pounds. This is a relatively low weight limit, especially for monitors with larger screens, so the Huanuo is best for smaller- to mid-sized, more lightweight monitors. In addition, it has built-in clips for seamless cable management.

_{Maximum Size (Diagonal): 27 inches each | Maximum Weight: 17.6 pounds each | Height Adjustment Range: 13.8 inches | Tilt Adjustment Range: 175 degrees}

Amazon

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What we like

Multifunctional
Supports 3 monitors
5 year warranty

What we don't like

Overkill if you only need one or two monitor mounts

All too often, accessing USB and audio ports on your desktop PC is a pain in the neck, especially if they're hidden deep within the recesses of a desk or out of the way in a corner somewhere. The Mount It! Triple Monitor Mount somewhat solves this problem by featuring a limited hub for audio and USB. It only has a single USB 3.0 port in addition to audio and microphone ports, but that can be enough to make a big difference to your workspace.

To further organize your desk and hide messy cables, the Triple Monitor Mount has in-arm cable slots to route HDMI or DisplayPort cables to your monitors. As the name implies, the Triple Monitor Mount supports three different displays up to 32 inches in size and 15.4 pounds each. That's great if you need three monitors, but it's overkill if you only need to mount one or two. It is, of course, VESA compatible and can accommodate desktops as thick as four inches.
_{Maximum Size (Diagonal): 32 inches | Maximum Weight: 15.4 pounds (each) | Tilt Adjustment Range: 90 degrees}

Amazon

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What We Like

Solid construction
Holds larger monitors

What We Don't Like

Limited tilt range
Shorter pole limits height range

This monitor arm from Amazon Basics is a versatile option with a higher weight limit compatible with a range of monitor sizes up to 32 inches and 25 pounds. The clamp fits on desks between 0.4 and 2.4 inches thick and, like other monitor arms, frees up all that space underneath where your monitor base would usually be. It's available in black and silver finishes, and the design is unassuming and thin enough to fade into your workspace's background.

The Premium Single Monitor Stand has a few limitations on its adjustability. The first is the pole, which is less than 8 inches tall and limits the monitor's maximum height. This shouldn't be an issue if you have a seated workstation, but it may not be tall enough if you like to switch between sitting and standing. The second is the tilt range, which at 75 degrees is considerably more limited than the other monitor arms on this list.

_{Maximum Size (Diagonal): 32 inches | Maximum Weight: 25 pounds | Height Adjustment Range: 14 inches | Tilt Adjustment Range: 75 degrees}

What to Look For in a Monitor Arm

Flexibility

How flexible do you need your monitor arm to be for your space? While some mounts offer basic tilting, others can tilt, swivel, and raise to different heights. Consider how you might wish to manipulate your monitor before making a selection.

Mounting

Monitor arms can mount to different surfaces; some can be attached to your wall, while others will need the support of a desk. Decide if you want your monitor to be on the wall directly behind your desk or prefer a desk arm for a floating monitor.

Multi-Monitor Support

How many monitors do you use? While single-monitor setups are still popular, many use two or three monitors. Ensure the arm you purchase can support your entire setup.

FAQ

Is it better to use a wall mount or a desk mount?

There are pros and cons to both wall-mounted and desk-mounted stands. A wall mount isn’t limited by your style of desk, doesn’t take up any space on your desk, and you don’t risk damaging your desk. However, they can be difficult to install, may not be practical in every room, and are basically a permanent fixture. Once installed, you are pretty much stuck with it where it is.

Desk mounts are more versatile, being able to move with your desk and requiring less complex installation. They aren’t a permanent fixture. However, they are limited by the design of your desk, and take up some portion of precious desk real estate, no matter how small, though not as much as the stand that came bundled with your monitor.
What is the difference between a clamp mount and a grommet mount?

For desk mounts, you’re going to be choosing between either clamp or grommet mounting options. A clamp mount simply clamps the stand to the edge of your desk and is probably the most versatile solution. Grommet mounting means attaching the stand to your desk via a pre-existing hole meant for routing wires to the desktop. It’s really just the same as a clamp mount, only it's meant to go in a hole in the desk rather than sit on the edge of the desk. Grommet mounting is a great option if such a hole is present, but if not, it would require drilling a new hole in your desk.
Will a desk mount monitor arm mar the surface of my desk?

It’s reasonable to worry about the harm a desk mount might do to the surface of your desk. If this is the type of mount you are considering and you are concerned, the main thing is to be very careful not to overload the monitor arm and stick well within its weight tolerance.