The best monitor arm for a gaming setup is one that is rated for your monitor’s weight and matches its VESA mounting pattern. Get those two things right and almost any arm will hold the screen. What you pay more for is smoother movement and a mount that stays where you leave it.
Screen position is one of the first steps in our desk, display and ergonomics guide.
This guide compares four arms, then covers how to check compatibility before you buy.
As an Amazon Associate, Gamesness earns from qualifying purchases. We have not bench-tested these arms ourselves. The picks are based on the manufacturers’ published specifications, and each link goes to the Amazon listing we checked for that model.
Monitor arms compared
| Monitor arm | Screens | Max screen size | Weight per screen | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ergotron LX | 1 | 34 inches | 7–25 lbs | Spring arm |
| HUANUO FlowLift Single | 1 | 32 inches | 4.4–19.8 lbs | Gas spring |
| Amazon Basics Adjustable Arm | 1 | 32 inches (38-inch ultrawide) | Up to 22 lbs | Adjustable tension |
| VIVO STAND-V002 | 2 | 30 inches each | Up to 22 lbs each | Fixed pole |
All four use VESA 75x75mm and 100x100mm patterns and attach with a clamp or through a grommet hole.
The picks
Ergotron LX: the dependable premium pick
The Ergotron LX is the arm many others are measured against. It holds one flat, curved or ultrawide monitor up to 34 inches, between 7 and 25 lbs.
The minimum weight matters. A very light monitor under 7 lbs won’t hold the arm down, and it will drift upward. Pick the LX for a heavier 27-inch to 34-inch gaming monitor that you move often.
Check price on AmazonHUANUO FlowLift Single: best budget gas-spring arm
The FlowLift supports one 13-inch to 32-inch monitor weighing 4.4 to 19.8 lbs, and it comes with both a clamp and a grommet base. A gas spring is a sealed cylinder that counterbalances the screen, so you can raise or lower it with one hand.
The lower weight range suits lighter 24-inch and 27-inch monitors. Heavy 32-inch curved panels may be over its limit.
Check price on AmazonAmazon Basics Adjustable Arm: best for heavier screens on a budget
This arm holds a monitor up to 32 inches, or a 38-inch ultrawide, weighing up to 22 lbs, and has adjustable tension to match the screen’s weight.
It is the middle option: more capacity than the HUANUO for less than the Ergotron. Set the tension before you let go of the monitor.
Check price on AmazonVIVO STAND-V002: best low-cost dual mount
The STAND-V002 is a steel pole with two arms, each holding a screen up to 30 inches and 22 lbs. It is not a spring arm. You set the height by sliding the arms on the pole and tightening them.
That makes it cheap and solid, and a good fit if you set your screens once and leave them. For layout advice, see our dual monitor setup for gaming guide.
Check price on AmazonHow to check a monitor arm will fit
- Find the VESA pattern. Look for four screw holes on the back of the monitor, 75mm or 100mm apart. VESA’s mounting standard is what makes arms and screens interchangeable.
- Weigh the monitor without its stand. The spec sheet lists “weight without stand”. That number must sit inside the arm’s range, including above its minimum.
- Measure the desk edge. Clamps need a flat edge with a few centimetres of clear space underneath. The clamp’s thickness range is on each listing, so compare it with your desktop.
- Check the desk material. Solid wood and thick laminate are fine. Add a reinforcement plate on thin particleboard, and avoid clamping glass.
- Leave space behind the desk. An arm folds backward, so a desk pushed tight against a wall limits how far back the screen can go.
- Check the cables reach. Raising a screen and pulling it forward needs more cable than a fixed stand. A 1.8m (6ft) DisplayPort or HDMI cable is usually enough, and 1m cables often are not.
Setting the height once it’s mounted
OSHA’s computer workstation guidance says the top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level, and gives a preferred viewing distance of 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100cm). An arm makes both easy to set.
Our guide to monitor height and distance goes through the numbers, and gaming desk cable management covers routing the cables down the arm. If you are short on space, an arm is also one of the first upgrades in our gaming setup for small rooms.
