Monitor arms are usually the last item on your mind when you are building a fresh setup. I vividly remember the first time I built a desk with my own money. The priority is obviously getting the desktop and display; everything else comes later. I bought a laptop first, but the small screen didn't suit my workflow after a few months. The 27-inch monitor was a hasty addition to my setup, but the default stand design soon became a burden.

This variant had a regular stand that didn't support height adjustment. All it could do was tilt down or up by a small margin, and that wasn't enough, as my desk is a little longer. I purchased a monitor arm that added tilt, rotation, and swivel functionality to my monitor, making it easy to view and adjust the screen from whichever angle I please. Let's discuss how this cheap upgrade improved my overall experience.

Not all desks are made equal

A cheap monitor arm can work wonders

I have a standard 75 cm high desk that has a 40 cm depth. There's no problem with that, except the monitor sometimes feels too distant. My mother also sometimes uses the system, and that made the situation even worse.

It's not easy to move the 27-inch every time someone else needs to use it. There's a risk of tumbling and damaging the monitor, which is why I invested in a monitor arm. I initially thought of a fixed monitor stand with a manual slider, but it's only manageable if one person uses it. So the manual style hand was a no-go.

I needed an arm that would support height adjustment, extend forward, and easily tilt and swivel. The arm does all of that and makes the monitor float in midair. But the monitor arm's purpose is way beyond just extending the aesthetics of my desk. It's evident that I'm not a polished desk setup fanatic, but the arm is an essential part of it.

Monitor arm is purposeful

It molds to my needs

A fixed monitor stand cannot accommodate my needs, as I switch between standing and sitting positions. The gas spring can easily push the monitor to a decent height that I can use while standing. While sitting, I keep it at my eye level and only need to extend it forward when I recline my chair a bit.

I haven't invested in a height-adjustable desk yet, so the monitor arm can work if I want to stand and play games after a long sitting session. The desk is beneficial if you want to use the keyboard or mouse, but for me, the arm works fine.

Another niche use case is using the monitor in a horizontal position. The 27-inch size makes it difficult to flip it frequently, but at least it's doable. The gas spring design of the arm makes all adjustments effortless, and I don't need to adjust clamps or use Allen keys to set the position.

Clutter-free setup

A pristine desk space

When you use the monitor with a base stand, it consumes some space. For huge desks, this isn't a problem. However, for small desks, every inch of space is valuable. With a floating monitor arm, the space beneath it is available for more useful items. You can place a speaker or mini soundbar underneath it and have adequate space for a desk mat, keyboard, and mouse movement.

My desk isn't the greatest example of how a desktop should look, but having an arm gives me space for speakers and USB extension ports. I've removed the speakers for now and placed an external HDD there, but the arm's floating natureis very handy. I can move the monitor upwards if I need to put another item underneath.

The arm reduces the desk clutter and is cost-effective compared to a height-adjustable desk. I bought this arm for $30 a couple of years back, and it's been going strong since then. The gas spring mechanism hasn't shown any signs of deterioration until now, and I can tighten it with the included Allen keys.

If you compare it with the cost of a height-adjustable desk or chair, the arm is extremely cost-effective. I admit the height-adjustable desk is better than a monitor arm, but it still won't help with tilt, swivel, or any other adjustments. Similarly, if you use a fixed-height chair, the vertical adjustment feature can raise or lower the monitor height.

The desk and chair cost way more than you'd invest in a gas-spring monitor arm. Even the basic monitor stand is around $10-15, while this one ranges around $30–40. I wouldn't suggest making the mistake of buying the cheap one because it has a fixed range, and adjusting the height is more difficult than with the gas spring one.

Monitor arm elevates your productivity

A monitor arm is the cheapest setup upgrade that you can make to your setup. It's convenient to set up and frees up additional space on your desk. The multiple alignment modes can be adjusted to any angle or height you need without extensive realignment. I won't comment on which brand to get, but the gas spring design that I've been using is working fine even now.

I cannot imagine using the fixed mode stands that are cheaper than this one. Those don't even support tilt, swivel, or rotation, as mine does, and it's not wise to waste money. You don't need additional accessories to install the arm, as it has a clamp mechanism that lets it attach to your desk easily.