We have not tested these products. This comparison is reasoned from manufacturer specifications, documentation and warranty terms. How we test
On this page
Twenty minutes, one hex key, and one step that everyone skips.
Before you start: check three things
- VESA pattern. Four screw holes in a square on the back of the panel, either 75 mm or 100 mm apart. Measure centre-to-centre.
- Screen weight. From the specification, and it should sit inside the arm’s range — including the minimum, not just below the maximum. If you have not picked an arm yet, our monitor arm roundup covers models across that weight range.
- Desk edge thickness. Most clamps take up to about 60 mm. Measure where the clamp will actually sit, which may not be where the desk is thickest.
1. Decide clamp or grommet
If you have not settled on an arm over the stand that came with your monitor, our comparison of arms and stands covers that decision first.
The clamp grips the desk edge and needs clear access above and below, so check there is no frame rail or drawer in the way. The grommet mount goes through a hole in the desk surface and is the answer for thick edges, lipped edges, or desks where the rear edge is against a wall.
2. Mount the base and tighten properly
Position it, then tighten firmly. On a thin or hollow-core desk, put a metal plate or a piece of hardwood under the clamp to spread the load — a clamp tightened onto particleboard will crush it over months.
3. Attach the VESA plate to the monitor
Lay the screen face down on something soft. Use the screws supplied with the arm, not longer ones — screws that bottom out inside the panel can crack the housing or worse. If the monitor has recessed VESA holes, use the spacers in the box.
4. Hang the monitor, then route the cables
Slide the plate onto the arm and secure the retaining screw. Route the cables through the arm’s channels before you finalise the position, and leave enough slack for the full range of movement — an arm that pulls its own cable tight at full extension will eventually damage the port.
5. Now tension the spring
6. Set the final position
Top of the usable image at or just below seated eye level, roughly an arm’s length away — see our guide to monitor height and distance for the reasoning behind that number. Then tighten the friction joints just enough that it holds position without being difficult to move.
Questions people ask
My monitor drifts up or sinks down. What did I do wrong?
The spring tension does not match the screen weight, and it must be set with the monitor actually attached. If the screen rises on its own the spring is too strong — back the tension off. If it sinks, add tension. Every arm has an adjustment bolt for this, usually needing the hex key supplied in the box, and it is the step most people skip.
My monitor has no VESA holes. Can I still use an arm?
Sometimes. Some monitors — particularly thin and curved ones — use a proprietary mount, and the manufacturer may sell a VESA adapter plate for that specific model. Third-party universal adapters that grip the panel edges exist but they load the display in ways it was not designed for. Check for an official adapter first, and if there is not one, an arm may not be an option.