Choose a side-by-side dual arm if your calendar needs its own screen next to email; you will need two compatible monitors and room to position them. A single arm suits a shared display, while a stacked dual arm is worth considering when two screens are needed but a wide layout is awkward. For any route, check each monitor’s weight and mounting pattern, the desk mount and the adjustment range of the exact arm.
If you need both applications visible on separate displays, a side-by-side dual arm is a starting point. Check the weight and mounting pattern of each monitor: Ergotron specifies separate per-monitor limits for its LX Dual Side-by-Side Arm.
If calendar and email can share one display, a single arm lets you position that screen without committing desk space to a second monitor. Check the mount against your desk edge and the space available behind it.
If you use display screen equipment regularly for work, an arm may help address an identified screen-positioning need. The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance calls for a workstation assessment for qualifying workers; an arm does not replace that assessment.
Start with where the calendar will appear: on its own monitor, above another screen or within the same display. That choice determines which arm layout is relevant before you compare mounting and adjustment details.
Choose when: Calendar and email need separate screens alongside each other at similar viewing heights.
Trade-off: Two displays need horizontal room, and both must meet the exact arm’s attachment and weight requirements.
Choose when: You use calendar and email on one standard or ultrawide display and want to adjust that screen’s position.
Trade-off: The applications still share one physical display area.
Choose when: You need two screens but a wide side-by-side arrangement does not suit the desk.
Trade-off: The calendar sits above or below email rather than beside it; check the exact mount’s desk-fit requirements.
| Concern | Buying checks | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Separate views | Decide whether the calendar needs its own monitor; for a dual arm, check the fit of each display separately. | I want my calendar visible while I work in email, without switching windows. Around 36% of consumers put separate-screen visibility first. |
| Screen position | Check lift, reach and tilt against your intended screen position. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the top of the screen at eye level and about an arm’s length away. | When I spend much of the day at the main screen, I need to position it comfortably in front of me. For around 27% of consumers, repositioning is the primary concern. |
| Monitor and desk fit | Match each monitor’s actual weight and VESA pattern to the exact arm; measure the desk edge, mounting hole if used, and clamp clearance. | My desk has limited mounting space, so I need an arm that can attach to both the display and the desktop. Around 19% of consumers prioritise this fit. |
| Assessed work setup | If a workstation assessment applies, check which screen-positioning change it identifies before selecting a mount. | If I use a home or office workstation for qualifying display-screen work, I need changes that address my individual assessment. That assessed setup comes first for around 18% of consumers. |
A monitor’s diagonal does not establish whether it can attach to an arm or fall within its weight range. Ergotron specifies 3.2–9.1 kg per display for the cited LX Dual Side-by-Side Arm and notes that monitor depth can affect capacity.
Check each monitor’s actual weight and VESA pattern first, then use the exact arm’s screen-size guidance as an additional check.
A second arm position does not add a display. If calendar and email will share one screen, a dual setup adds mounting requirements without changing that arrangement.
Decide whether you will use two physical monitors before choosing between a single and dual arm.
Clamp and grommet dimensions differ between models, including arms in the Ergotron LX range. An otherwise compatible monitor arm may not attach to your desktop or have enough clearance to move.
Measure the desk edge, any mounting hole and the space behind and beneath the desk; compare them with the hardware supplied for the exact model.
For workers covered by display screen equipment duties, the Health and Safety Executive calls for an assessment of the workstation and the work being done. A monitor arm alone does not establish which changes are appropriate.
If an employer assessment applies, use its findings to decide whether an arm addresses an identified need.
Ergotron’s LX range includes single, side-by-side dual and stacked arrangements relevant to this workspace.
The Fellowes Platinum Series includes single and multi-screen arm configurations with clamp and grommet mounting options.
Humanscale lists single and dual M2 Pro arms alongside other configurations for consumers considering a different screen arrangement later.
Choose a dual arm if the applications need separate physical screens visible at once. If they will share one monitor, a single arm can position that display; for two screens, check each monitor against the dual arm’s weight and VESA requirements.
Check each monitor’s actual weight and VESA hole pattern, then measure the desk-edge thickness, any grommet hole and nearby clearance. Compare those measurements with the exact arm and supplied mount: Ergotron’s published clamp dimensions differ even within its LX range.
A monitor arm is not automatically required for every home workstation. The Health and Safety Executive says display screen equipment rules can apply to permanent or long-term home working, and employers must assess workstations for workers who use such equipment daily as part of normal work for continuous periods of an hour or more. An assessment helps determine which changes are appropriate.
Use the arm’s adjustment to place your main working screen directly in front of you where practical. The Health and Safety Executive advises a standard starting position with the top of the screen at eye level and the screen about an arm’s length away; arrange a separate calendar screen so viewing it does not require an awkward angle.