Who needs this setup?

Reference-heavy digital artists

If you keep pose sheets, colour references or tutorials visible while drawing, you may need to move the reference display without shifting your main canvas.

Large-screen dual-display users

With larger or heavier monitors, check each screen against the mount’s individual weight, size and mounting limits rather than relying on a general dual-monitor description.

Small-desk creative workers

When a graphics tablet, keyboard and drawing tools share the desk, the screen layout and desk fitting matter alongside monitor size.

What matters when choosing?

Decide where the reference screen needs to sit before comparing movement features. Then check both monitors and the desk against the exact mount: the Ergotron, StarTech.com and Colebrook Bosson Saunders models discussed below have different screen and fitting limits.

Independently adjustable dual arm

Consider it when: You regularly change the reference screen’s angle or position while keeping the drawing display in place.

Allow for: Space behind and beside the desk for arm movement; capacity can also depend on screen depth, as Ergotron notes for its LX Dual Side-by-Side Arm.

Vertical pole mount

Consider it when: The reference display can remain above the drawing screen instead of occupying more horizontal width.

Allow for: The viewing height of the upper screen, and check whether the chosen mount provides the forward movement your workflow needs.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Independent positioning Check whether each screen can move to the depth, angle and orientation you need, rather than assuming both arms adjust separately. I want the canvas in front of me but need to bring a reference closer or turn it portrait. Around 33% of consumers put flexible positioning first.
Monitor support Compare each monitor’s weight without its original stand, size, depth and VESA mounting-hole pattern with the exact model’s limits. My larger screens need a mount that fits each display before extra movement matters; roughly 25% of consumers prioritise monitor support.
Desk fit and workspace Measure desk thickness and inspect the edge and underside for anything that could obstruct the specified clamp or grommet fitting. I need room for a graphics tablet, but the mount also has to attach to my desk. About 25% of consumers make desk fit and usable space their primary concern.
Stacked layout Check usable pole height, screen sizes and whether you can view the upper display comfortably from your working position. My references can stay above the canvas instead of beside it; around 17% of consumers put a stacked arrangement first.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Treating a combined weight limit as a limit for each screen

    The monitors must each fall within the mount’s individual-screen range. For example, Ergotron specifies 3.2–9.1 kg per monitor for its LX Dual Side-by-Side Arm, while StarTech.com specifies up to 10 kg per monitor for the ARMDUALV vertical mount.

    Find each monitor’s weight without its original stand and check the model-specific limit, including any condition related to screen depth.

  • Choosing a clamp before checking the desk

    A compatible monitor does not make a mount installable if the desk is too thick or a drawer, rail or cable tray blocks the fitting.

    Measure the desk and inspect its underside, then match those measurements to the chosen clamp or grommet configuration.

  • Assuming a monitor arm fixes the whole workstation

    The Health and Safety Executive’s display-screen guidance considers screen position alongside the rest of the workstation. A second display can still be awkward to view if it requires sustained twisting.

    Set the primary working screen in front of you where possible, then position references so you can check them without repeatedly straining to see them.

  • Buying for two screens without deciding where references belong

    A horizontal layout, an upper reference screen and a frequently moved portrait display call for different kinds of adjustment.

    Choose the reference screen’s usual position first, then confirm that the mount can achieve it with your particular monitors.

Relevant brands to compare

Ergotron

The LX Dual Side-by-Side Arm is a model to examine if you want independently positioned screens in a horizontal arrangement.

  • Ergotron specifies 3.2–9.1 kg per monitor and VESA 75 × 75 mm or 100 × 100 mm compatibility for this model.
  • Ergotron says monitor depth above 8.9 cm may reduce capacity. Check the intended layout and fitting against this model’s instructions.

StarTech.com

Its ARMDUALV vertical mount and ARMSLIMDUO articulated arm illustrate two different ways to arrange a drawing and reference screen.

  • StarTech.com specifies up to 10 kg per monitor for ARMDUALV; ARMSLIMDUO is specified for two displays up to 32 inches and 8 kg per arm.
  • The size, weight and movement limits belong to the respective models, so do not apply one model’s specifications to the other.

Colebrook Bosson Saunders

The Ollin Dual offers fitting options worth checking when desk thickness or access around the edge shapes the choice.

  • Colebrook Bosson Saunders lists a top-mount clamp for 12–25 mm desks and a split-clamp configuration for 0–68 mm desks.
  • Those ranges apply to different fittings. Select the configuration that matches the desk and check its installation requirements.

Joybuy products for a two-screen desk

This dual-monitor stand is relevant if you want the drawing screen and references visible together. Confirm its adjustment and desk fitting against your planned layout before choosing it.

Dell Pro Dual Monitor Stand MDS19

Dell Pro Dual Monitor Stand MDS19

For a desk where the drawing and reference screens stay visible together, check whether this dual-monitor stand gives each display the position you need.

Confirm both monitors’ mounting patterns, the stand’s desk fitting and its available reach. If height adjustment is important, confirm the usable lift range before ordering: the stated lift figures conflict.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

What should I measure before buying a dual monitor stand?

Check each monitor’s weight without its original stand, screen size, depth and VESA mounting-hole pattern, plus the desk’s thickness and access around its edge or underside. Compare them with the exact mount’s per-screen and fitting limits, which differ between the cited Ergotron, StarTech.com and Colebrook Bosson Saunders models.

Should my reference screen sit beside or above my drawing screen?

A side position suits a reference screen you need to move, turn portrait or keep at a different depth; an upper position can suit references that remain in a stacked layout. Check whether you can view either position comfortably while keeping the main working display in front of you where possible, in line with the Health and Safety Executive’s general display-screen positioning guidance.

Can I attach a monitor without VESA holes to a dual arm?

Not directly to a VESA plate unless a suitable, monitor-specific adapter is compatible with both the display and the selected mount. Check the adapter’s fit and applicable weight limits before choosing an arm; the cited Ergotron and StarTech.com articulated models specify VESA mounting patterns.

Is a dual monitor stand required for drawing at home?

A dual monitor stand is not a requirement established by the Health and Safety Executive’s workplace display-screen assessment guidance for personal drawing at home. 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 assess the workstation; a particular monitor arm is not a substitute for that assessment.