Monitor arms - cheap out or not?

Rob_B

Rob_B

Rob_B

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Looks like for £25 I can pick up perfectly servicable arms, dual arms maybe £40. Then I look and see there are some crazy expensive ones.
I've no special use case, just want to put a monitor or 2 on an arm to save a little desk space, am I likely to be able to get away with el cheapo ones?
 
I have found that many cheaper monitor arms cannot cope with heavier monitors - despite the advertising. The issue isn't the arm itself but the grip on the joint. I have broken cheap spanners trying to tighten the joint sufficiently.

Ones I currently use that work:

HEMUDU Dual Monitor Articulating Desk Mount Arm Stand - Vertical Stack Screen Supports Two 13 to 34 Inch Computer Monitors with C Clamp

Invision PC Monitor Arm Ergonomic Height Adjustable Gas Assisted Full Motion | Single Arm Desktop Clamp Mount for 17–27” Screens with Tilt Swivel Extend

One I found did not work for me:

Duronic Single Monitor Arm Stand DM251X2
 
I have a Fleximounts D1D dual arm which cost me £29.99 almost five years ago. No complaints on it moving, wobbling or whatever with a pair of Dell 24" monitors mounted.
 
My experience is that more epensive ones are better. They move more smoothly, hold more firmly, and have a wider range of motion. Cheap ones might be difficult to move into an exact position, and may sag or swing about a bit on their own, especially when fully extended. Whether that's worth paying more is a question only you can answer though.
 
One thing I've found with cheaper ones, though fixable if you have some DIY skills, often they will cant slightly so the monitor isn't quite straight i.e. one side might be a couple of mm lower than the other.
 
Thanks all. I've realised one of the monitors doesn't have a VESA mount so I'm 3D printing one to fit the stand socket and will see if that works before buying an arm. I'm going to try an inexpesive piston double mount & cross my fingers!
 
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I buy cheap and never had issues. That's mainly because I tend to get them in position and leave them.
However, if I was constantly moving them or rotating them between portrait/landscape for photo editing etc, then I might invest in good ones. Or, if I was sharing the monitors with other users that like to change angle/height. Like the ones at work we have are quite high end, but they get constantly adjusted by people swapping desks.
 
all depends on what monitor you would like to use with the monitor arm. If it s normal 27' monitor that isnt too heavy then standard ones should be fine
 
I have the invision dual arm, purchased from the rainforest as I wanted an no hassle return if needed. Over a year later its still working well with a dell 27' and recently added a 32' oled
 
Well it's arrived and fitted with minimal fuss, seems sturdy and only moves when i want it to. I'll tweak it as I use it for work and see if I've got the angles right.

For £37 I'm impressed! Was meant to be a refurb but looks brand new.
 
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Own an Invision and they are good for smaller screens. Only when I tried one with my 49" ultrawide hit problems. The Invision struggled keeping the screen level.

So I bit the bullet and invested in an Ergotron which I now use for my 34".
 
Had a cheap (£40) duronic dual monitor arm at my old job with 2 24" monitors, no issues with it, as long as the rated weight limits are enough for your screens it'll probably be fine. You can always return it if it doesn't seem strong enough
 
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