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Quick picks
- Best under $50: Huanuo HNSS6, an easy-to-install gas-spring arm for monitors up to 32 inches.
- Best budget for big screens: MSI MAG MT201, rated for 44 pounds and screens up to 49 inches.
- Best overall: Ergotron LX Pro, sturdy and easy to set up, with a 10-year warranty.
- Best dual-monitor arm: Ergotron LX Dual, for two monitors up to 27 inches side by side.
- Best budget dual: Workstream by Monoprice Dual, at about a quarter of the Ergotron's price.
Check these three things first
- VESA mounting holes. Look at the back of your monitor for four screw holes in a square, usually 75 × 75 or 100 × 100 mm. No holes means you'll need an adapter, or the monitor may not work with an arm at all.
- Your monitor's weight. Look up the weight without the stand and make sure it falls within the arm's range. Gas-spring arms also have a minimum weight: a monitor that's too light will drift upward.
- Your desk edge. Most arms clamp to the back edge of the desk. Check the desk's thickness against the clamp's range, and make sure there's a few inches of clearance behind it. Glass desks and thin tops may need a reinforcement plate.
Comparison table
| Arm | Best for | Holds up to | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huanuo HNSS6 | Under $50 | 20 lb, 32 in | About $36–$48 |
| MSI MAG MT201 | Big screens on a budget | 44 lb, 49 in | Often $60–$80 |
| Ergotron LX Pro | Best overall | 22 lb, 34 in | About $199 |
| Ergotron HX | Heavy monitors | 42 lb, 49 in | About $320 |
| Monoprice Workstream Dual | Budget dual | 2 × 27 in | About $100–$130 |
| Ergotron LX Dual | Dual monitors | 2 × 27 in | About $409 |
Prices as of October 2026; monitor arms are discounted often.
Huanuo HNSS6: best under $50
The HNSS6 is a gas-spring arm that installs quickly and holds monitors up to 32 inches and 20 pounds. For a single standard monitor, it's an easy, inexpensive way to raise your screen to eye level. Cable management is basic, and like all cheap gas-spring arms, the spring may weaken over a few years.
The cheapest way to get your screen up
- Good
- Low price, easy setup, smooth gas spring
- Watch out
- Poor cable management, less sturdy than pricier arms
MSI MAG MT201: best budget for big screens
The MT201 is rated for up to 44 pounds and 49-inch screens, which is unusual at its price, and it has a quick-release mount for taking the monitor off easily. Assembly takes 15 to 20 minutes and is a bit fiddly.
For ultrawide and heavy monitors on a budget
- Good
- Huge weight capacity, quick-release mount
- Watch out
- Fiddly assembly, plastic covers
Ergotron LX Pro: best overall
Ergotron's LX arms are the standard many offices buy, and the LX Pro holds monitors up to 34 inches and 22 pounds. It's sturdy, simple to install and moves smoothly, and the 10-year warranty means you won't be replacing it soon. If your monitor is heavier, Ergotron's HX handles up to 42 pounds.
Buy once and forget about it
- Good
- Sturdy, smooth, 10-year warranty
- Watch out
- Costs several times more than budget arms
Dual monitor arms
The Ergotron LX Dual brings the same build quality and 10-year warranty to two monitors side by side, up to 27 inches each. It's expensive at around $409. The Workstream by Monoprice Dual costs about a quarter as much and is well built for the price, but it's harder to set up and doesn't move as smoothly.
Pick by budget
- Ergotron
- Smooth, durable, long warranty
- Monoprice
- Much cheaper, more effort to set up
Setting it up right
- Mount the arm, then attach the monitor while the arm is in its lowest position.
- Adjust the gas-spring tension until the monitor stays wherever you leave it, without drifting up or sinking.
- Put the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, about an arm's length away.
- Run cables through the arm's channels and leave some slack so the monitor can move freely.
Common questions
Will a monitor arm work with a standing desk?
Yes, and it's a good combination. The arm moves with the desk, and you can fine-tune the screen height for sitting and standing.
Can I use a monitor arm with a laptop?
Many brands sell a laptop tray that attaches to the arm's VESA plate, turning it into an adjustable laptop stand.
Pair your arm with the right desk: see our best standing desks by budget.
Prices and specs checked October 2026. Confirm current pricing on each retailer's site.