What should I think about when shopping for monitor arms?

There are many things to consider when shopping for the appropriate monitor arm:

VESA compliance

You will want to check that your monitor is VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) compliant.  This means the back of your monitor features a standard hole pattern used for mounting purposes and ease of attachment. A VESA hole pattern is measured both horizontally and vertically between mounting holes.  For example, the most common mounting hole pattern for monitors less than 30 pounds is either 100 x 100 mm or 75 x 75 mm (VESA 75 x 75). Mid-size displays (up to 50 pounds) have a 200 x 100 mm mounting hole pattern, and large displays (screens larger than 32”) have varied hole patterns that are spaced in 200mm increments, such as 600 x 400 mm.

There are products, such as Apple products, that are not VESA compatible and will require you to purchase a special VESA adapter. This is why it is extremely important to check your monitor to make this determination before purchasing a monitor arm product.  If an adapter is not available, your display cannot be attached to VESA-compliant mounts.

Tip: To determine if your monitor is VESA compliant you can first check the back of your monitor to see if the hole pattern is visible. If it is not visible, you may need to take off the stand (make sure to follow your instruction manual to remove it properly). Otherwise, you can do a quick internet search or contact the manufacturer to see if your product is VESA compliant.

Workspace Specifics

When selecting a monitor arm you will need to consider the weight of your monitor to ensure you are selecting a mount that is appropriate for your workspace.  When reviewing monitor arm options, you will see the weight capacity listed in the specifications.

How many monitors do you use? You will need to make sure the monitor arm mount you choose will be able to accommodate all of your monitors.

Lastly, you will want to determine the depth of your desk so you know how long your monitor arms will need to be.