Monitor positioning products: pros & cons

1. Articulating monitor arm

An articulating monitor arm supports the computer monitor on a mobile platform which can be moved up, down, in, and out. The platform is mounted to an articulating, multi-segment adjustment arm.

Recommended for:

  • Multiple monitors
  • Changing task emphasis (for example, jobs which switch from interactive computer use to data input tasks referenced from paper documents.)
  • Document to screen verification
  • Deeply reclined work postures
  • Varied work postures
  • Shared work stations

Pros:

  • Frees up work surface under monitor
  • Allows quick user-adjustment of monitor to fit different users, accommodate posture changes, and to accommodate task changes (e.g., change in view emphasis)

Cons:

  • Some units limit low adjustment close to the work surface, in the range between 25mm - 10 cm (1" - 4") above the work surface. This positions the monitor too high for many users, especially workers with shorter torsos and those under 5'5".
  • Positions larger monitors (>15") too high for most users.

2. Monitor lift

A monitor lift is similar to a monitor arm, but is mounted on the desktop and provides simple height adjustment with a spring-loaded platform.

Recommended for:

  • Sit to stand monitor adjustment
  • Shared work stations

Pros:

  • Allows quick user-adjustment of monitor height

Cons:

  • May limit low adjustment close to the work surface. This may position larger monitors (>15") too high for most seated users.

3. Monitor riser

A monitor riser is a shim used to position a monitor above the work surface. Commercial monitor risers usually consist of a box type platform and are available in fixed and mobile configurations, and in stand-alone and stackable models. A ream of paper also may serve as a suitable monitor riser.

Recommended for:

  • Single user work stations
  • For monitor positioning close to the work surface, for example, in the range between 25 mm - 76 mm (1"-3").

Pros:

  • Stable
  • Stackable models provide a low-cost method to fine-tune monitor positioning

Cons:

  • Reduces available work surface space
  • Maintenance adjustable. Monitor must be removed from platform to change/add/remove riser.

Article reproduced with permission from ergoTALK.