For accounts beside invoices, choose a side-by-side dual monitor arm only after checking each screen’s weight and mounting pattern and how the arm attaches to your desk. A compact arrangement suits a shallow desk, while an arm with more independent movement may suit frequent repositioning but needs enough clearance around the screens.
If you regularly check figures in accounting software against invoices, statements or spreadsheets, keeping both displays in view can reduce the need to move windows. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the top of a screen at eye level and the screen about an arm’s length away.
If two displays leave little room for paperwork, check the arm’s footprint and the space needed at the rear edge of the desk. Kensington publishes separate clamp and grommet thickness limits for its SmartFit Space-Saving Dual Monitor Arm, so the mounting method matters as well as screen placement.
If different people use the desk, or you change screen positions during the day, look at how each display adjusts and whether the arm supports the weight of each monitor. Kensington and Ergotron publish adjustment and load specifications for individual dual-monitor models; check the exact configuration you intend to use.
Start with the monitors and desk you already have: a useful adjustment range cannot compensate for an incompatible screen fixing or a mount that will not fit the desktop.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Screen position | Check lift, reach and tilt against your seated position and desk depth. The Health and Safety Executive advises an eye-level screen top and roughly an arm’s-length viewing distance. | When I compare figures for long stretches, I want the main display ahead of me and the invoice visible without repeatedly twisting; around 42% of consumers put screen positioning first. |
| Monitor fit and adjustment | Compare each screen’s weight without its stand, size, depth and VESA fixing pattern with the exact arm configuration. Check whether the displays can be adjusted as your work requires. | If my two monitors differ, I need to know both will fit and remain positionable for day-to-day work; around 33% of consumers prioritise monitor fit and adjustment. |
| Desk and mount fit | Measure desktop thickness and inspect the space beneath its rear edge. For a grommet mount, also check the hole dimensions and the arm’s stated limits. | On a shallow desk, I need room for invoices without finding that a tray or rail blocks installation; around 25% of consumers put desk and mount fit first. |
Two monitors with the same diagonal size can differ in weight, depth and mounting pattern. Ergotron publishes model-specific load and screen limits, so size alone cannot establish compatibility.
Record each monitor’s weight without its stand, depth and VESA pattern, then compare them with the limits for the exact arm configuration.
A cable tray, drawer or reinforcing rail can obstruct a clamp even when the desktop thickness falls within the arm’s stated range.
Inspect the underside and rear edge before choosing a clamp. For a grommet installation, measure the hole as well as the desktop thickness.
Screen placement is only one part of a comfortable setup. The Health and Safety Executive’s workstation guidance also considers the task, furniture and individual requirements.
Adjust the screens alongside the chair, keyboard, mouse and lighting. Where an employee’s display-screen work meets the Health and Safety Executive’s assessment criteria, the employer should assess the workstation rather than rely on the arm alone.
Kensington offers distinct dual-monitor layouts for limited desk space and for workstations needing regular adjustment.
The LX Pro Desk Dual Direct Arm is a modular option to examine if you expect to change your workstation arrangement.
Humanscale’s M8.1 range includes a dual-display configuration for buyers considering an adjustable arm system.
Dell’s MDA20 dual monitor arm is worth checking for a workstation built around compatible Dell displays.
This dual-monitor stand is a product choice for keeping accounts and invoices on separate displays. Check its fit with your monitors and desk before deciding whether it suits the side-by-side layout you want.
No image available
A dual-monitor stand to consider if you want accounts and invoices visible on separate screens. Before ordering, check each monitor’s weight and fixing pattern, the adjustment you need and how the MDS19 will fit your desk.
Check each monitor’s weight without its stand, screen size, depth and VESA fixing pattern, then measure the desk area where the arm will attach. Published limits are model-specific: Kensington lists its SmartFit Space-Saving Dual Monitor Arm for two screens up to 27 inches and 8 kg each, with separate clamp and grommet thickness limits.
Not necessarily: arrange the screens around the one you use most, then position the invoice display to limit repeated turning. The Health and Safety Executive advises an eye-level screen top, an approximately arm’s-length viewing distance and a central position for the screen and keyboard; your two-screen layout should also account for the task and available desk space.
A monitor arm is not a universal requirement in the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance. For workers who use display screen equipment daily as part of their normal work for continuous periods of an hour or more, the Health and Safety Executive says employers must carry out a workstation assessment; the appropriate changes depend on the risks identified.
It may, but Dell says other monitors can require optional VESA adapter plates. Check the required plate, fixing pattern and load limits for the MDA20 and each screen; do not assume Dell Quick Release fits every display or that the MDA20 has the same specifications as the MDS19 stand.