How to Choose a Monitor Arm for Your Screen and Desk
Key takeaways
A monitor arm is chosen by your screen's actual weight without its stand, not by its size. Add the VESA pattern, the thickness of your desk edge, then the height to set the screen at, calculated from your own height.
A monitor arm is rarely chosen by screen size. Two 27-inch monitors can weigh very different amounts, and that weight is what the arm's spring has to carry, day after day.
Three checks are enough before you order: your screen's actual weight, the VESA pattern on its back, and the desk edge that will take the mount. The fourth comes once the arm is installed: the height to set the screen at.
Start with your screen's actual weight
The weight that counts is the screen's weight without its stand, since the arm replaces it. You'll find it in the screen's spec sheet, often listed as "weight without stand".
Every arm lists a load range, with a minimum and a maximum. Above the maximum, the spring can't hold the screen at the height you set. Below the minimum, the spring pushes harder than the screen weighs, and the screen tends to drift up.
A screen's weight is on its spec sheet, never in its diagonal.
Check this before you order
Your screen's weight without its stand must fall inside the arm's range, not just under its maximum. For a dual arm, the range applies per arm, so per screen.
Check the VESA pattern on the back of your screen
The VESA pattern is the spacing of the four mounting holes on the back of the screen. The two common patterns are 75 × 75 mm and 100 × 100 mm. Every arm in the Verso range accepts both.
A screen with no mounting holes on its back can't go straight onto an arm: you'll need a VESA adapter made for that screen model.
Tip
Measure from the center of one hole to the center of the next, not edge to edge. That measurement gives you the VESA pattern.
Look at your desk edge
Most arms mount in one of two ways. A clamp grips the desk edge, no drilling. A grommet mount goes through the desktop via an existing hole, or one you drill.
- Desktop thickness at the edge, within the range listed on the arm's product page
- Solid material at the edge: a hollow or thin laminate top holds a clamp poorly
- No crossbar or lip under the edge, where the clamp jaw closes
- Enough room behind the desk for the arm to swing, especially near a wall
Set the screen at the right height
The arm is there to put the top of the screen at eye level, or slightly below. Across the Verso range, height travel runs from 6.3 to 16.5 in (160 to 420 mm), and from 5.3 to 17.5 in (135 to 445 mm) on the Verso One 36. The calculator below gives you a starting height based on your own height, sitting or standing.
Find your work heights
Enter your height, shoes on, then choose your position. You get height ranges for your chair, desk and screen.
Seat height
—
Feet flat on the floor, thighs roughly parallel to it.
Desktop height
—
Forearms flat, elbows open at about 90°.
Top of the screen
—
Measured from the floor: at eye level, or slightly below.
Enter a height between 55 and 83 in (140 to 210 cm).
Ranges based on average body proportions (Drillis and Contini). Use them as a starting point, then adjust to how you actually sit or stand.
The Verso range at a glance
The table lists the specs published on each product page. Start with the row whose load range includes your screen's weight, then check your desk thickness.
| Model | Setup | Screen size | Load | Desk (clamp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verso One 32 | 1 screen | 13 to 32 in | 4.4 to 19.8 lb (2 to 9 kg) | 0.4 to 2.6 in (10 to 65 mm) |
| Verso One 36 | 1 screen | Up to 36 in | 2.2 to 22 lb (1 to 10 kg) | 0.4 to 2.8 in (10 to 70 mm) |
| Verso One Max | 1 screen | 17 to 49 in | 4.4 to 39.7 lb (2 to 18 kg) | 0.4 to 2.6 in (10 to 65 mm) |
| Verso Duo | 2 screens | 13 to 35 in per screen | Up to 22 lb (10 kg) per arm | 0.6 to 2.0 in (15 to 50 mm) |
| Verso Duo 32 | 2 screens | 17 to 32 in per screen | 4.4 to 22 lb (2 to 10 kg) per arm | 0.6 to 2.0 in (15 to 50 mm) |
| Verso Combo | 1 screen + 1 laptop | Up to 36 in | 2.2 to 22 lb (1 to 10 kg) per arm | 0.6 to 2.0 in (15 to 50 mm) |
| Verso Key | 1 screen + keyboard tray | 17 to 32 in | 13.2 to 26.5 lb (6 to 12 kg) | Not specified |
Frequently asked questions
Can a monitor arm hold a curved screen?
Yes, as long as its weight without the stand and its VESA pattern fall within the arm's ranges. The Verso Duo 32 lists compatibility with flat and curved screens; for the other models, check the weight and VESA pattern.
My screen is lighter than the arm's minimum. What now?
Pick a model whose range starts lower. In the Verso range, the Verso One 36 takes screens from 2.2 lb (1 kg).
How do I know if my desk is thick enough?
Measure the desktop thickness at the edge, where the clamp will go, and compare it to the range on the arm's product page. If the edge is too thick, too thin or hollow, a grommet mount is the fallback.