Monitor Arms Compared (2026): The 8 Best

How to choose a monitor arm

An arm takes the monitor off the desk and lets you set its height, distance and angle. The eight arms here differ in what they carry, how many screens they hold and how they attach. If you are unsure an arm is needed, our answer on choosing a monitor arm or monitor stand says when a plain stand is enough. If height is all you want, see monitor stands and risers.

Match size, weight and VESA first

The load limit is the first number to check. Per screen, the listings range from 15.4 pounds (Amazon Basics gas spring) through 19.8 pounds (ErGear, VIVO dual, HUANUO) and 22 pounds (5Rcom, Amazon Basics stand). WALI reaches 26.4 pounds (flat screens only) and the VIVO wall mount 44 pounds per arm. Screen sizes start at 13 inches, reach 34 or 35 inches on the single arms and go up to 49 inches on the wall mount.

Seven of the eight name the VESA 75 × 75 and 100 × 100 mm hole patterns on the back of the monitor; 5Rcom does not spell them out. So weigh the monitor, measure the holes and read the curved-screen note. WALI cuts its rating from 26.4 to 19.8 pounds for curved screens.

Single, dual or wall mount

Five of the eight hold one screen. Two desk arms, VIVO and HUANUO, hold two, and the VIVO wall mount holds two ultrawides. HUANUO stacks its monitors one above the other. The VIVO dual stand’s listing carries a caution that the back of the arms extends past the desk edge. Pick a pair only if you will really use two screens, because a single arm frees more desk, and the single arms here are in lower price classes than the dual models.

Height, reach and tilt

The listings measure different things, so compare like with like. Height above the desk is quoted at 17.3 inches (WALI), 17.5 inches (ErGear), 17.7 inches (5Rcom) and 7.9 to 14.2 inches (Amazon Basics stand). Reach comes to 18.1 inches on the ErGear, 19.3 inches on the WALI, 20.5 inches on the Amazon Basics gas spring and 21.2 inches on the 5Rcom. Tilt runs from a few degrees up to 90°. The widest range belongs to the Amazon Basics gas spring, at −90° to +85°. Anyone tall, or anyone who sits back from the screen, should favor more height and reach.

Balance mechanism

To hold its position, an arm needs a way to offset the screen’s weight. Three listings say how. The Amazon Basics gas spring arm has spring tension you set to the monitor’s weight, the VIVO dual stand uses a mechanical spring and the VIVO wall mount uses pneumatic arms. The other five name no mechanism. Where tension is adjustable, set it so the screen neither drifts nor sags.

Desk mounting and thickness

Most single arms clamp to the desk edge or pass through a grommet hole. Only three listings give a desk-thickness range: 0.39 to 2.76 inches (WALI), 0.39 to 4 inches (Amazon Basics gas spring) and 0.8 to 3.9 inches (Amazon Basics stand). Measure your desktop before you order, and look under the edge for a lip, a drawer or a frame that could block a clamp.

The wall mount is a different job. Its listing calls for wood studs or concrete or brick and rules out drywall alone.

Build, warranty and weight

Warranty length is the clearest durability signal. WALI states 10 years, VIVO three years on both models, ErGear two, 5Rcom and the two Amazon Basics arms one, and HUANUO none. Most arms are alloy steel; the Amazon Basics gas spring arm is aluminum and the VIVO wall mount cast aluminum. On weight, WALI is the lightest listed arm at 1,400 grams (about 3.1 pounds) and the VIVO wall mount the heaviest at 17.2 pounds.

Which monitor arm for which setup?

• WALI for one screen and long-term use, thanks to the 26.4-pound rating and the 10-year warranty.
• ErGear for one screen and easy setup, with tool-free VESA mounting and cable clips.
• 5Rcom for a low budget and long reach, at 21.2 inches listed.
• VIVO dual stand for two screens on a desk (a pair of 17–32 inch screens), or HUANUO if you want them stacked.
• VIVO wall mount for two heavy ultrawides, if the wall can take it.
• Amazon Basics gas spring for light monitors and smooth adjustment, within its 15.4-pound limit.

Mistakes to avoid when buying an arm

• Ignoring the weight rating: a screen above the limit will sag, and a screen far below it may drift on a tensioned arm.
• Skipping the VESA check. If your monitor has no 75 × 75 or 100 × 100 mm holes, most of these arms will not fit without an adapter.
• Forgetting the desk edge: a thick desktop, or a lip or shelf under the edge, can rule out a clamp.
• Mixing up single and dual models. Check how many screens the title says the arm holds, because two screens need a dual model or two single arms with two clamp points.
• Expecting the arm to fix a bad viewing distance. It helps you set one, but the screen still has to fit your desk depth.

Setting up and caring for a monitor arm

Attach the VESA plate first, lift the monitor onto the arm and tighten the joints until it holds. After a few weeks, check the clamp and re-tighten any joint that has loosened. With the screen at eye level, a webcam clipped to its top edge sits at a similar height, and a desk lamp lights the cleared desk surface. If you still need a camera, see the webcams compared. Our video call desk checklist puts camera, light and screen height in one list, and the rest of this area is in the computer and office comparisons.

What the data cannot tell you

Load limits and ranges are the makers’ figures. No listing says how well an arm holds its position over time, how stiff the joints feel or how much a monitor wobbles while you type. Your desk matters as well, since a clamp is only as secure as the desktop edge it grips, and the data cannot speak for that. Shortlist by capacity, range and warranty, then compare your monitor’s weight and VESA holes with the listing before you order.

How the eight arms were scored

Nobody here has mounted any of these eight arms. What we compared are published figures: maker data and specifications, the accessories in the box and the price class. The field was cut from 14 candidates to 8, and every criterion is scored against the other arms in the set. Load and movement range count most at 35%. Features and versatility follow with 25%, and build quality and materials with 20%. Installation and handling take another 20%. Added up with these weights, the criteria give each arm a score out of 10. Where a figure is missing we did not fill the gap, so that model simply earns less credit. For the full details, see how we rank models.