Who this setup suits

Side-script video callers

You use a central screen for calls and want a separate script or notes display beside it without giving up too much desk space. The Health and Safety Executive advises keeping the primary screen in front of you.

Frequent screen repositioners

You move a display between calls, writing and other desk tasks, so the arm’s adjustment range and compatibility with your monitor matter more than a position you set once.

Home workers with awkward desks

Your desk has restricted rear-edge access, an unusual thickness or obstructions underneath. Choosing a suitable fixing is as important as choosing the arm itself.

What matters when choosing

Decide whether only the script screen needs to move or whether you regularly reposition both displays. Then check the monitor and desk against the exact arm and fixing you intend to use.

Single arm for the script screen

Choose it when: Your call display already stays central and you want to position one separate script screen beside it.

Trade-off: It moves the script display independently but does not make the call display adjustable.

Dual arm or modular system

Choose it when: Both the call and script displays need repeated adjustment, such as at a shared desk.

Trade-off: Installation is more involved, and each display must fit its own supported load and mounting position.

Concern Buying checks Who this matters to
Call-screen position Measure from the intended fixing point to the script screen’s desired position; check reach and swivel. I need the call screen straight ahead while I glance at a script beside it. Around 29% of consumers put central call-screen positioning first.
Mounting compatibility Check stand-free monitor weight, rear mounting pattern, desk thickness and access beneath the fixing point. My monitor needs to stay securely mounted on this particular desk, not merely fit by screen size. For around 29% of consumers, compatibility is the primary concern.
Easy adjustment Compare the arm’s supported weight range and movement with the positions you will actually use. If I switch between calls and writing, I want to move the script display without resetting a fixed stand. Around 24% of consumers prioritise repositioning.
Desk space and cables Check the folded position, rear clearance and whether cables have slack throughout the intended movement. On a compact desk, I want room for my keyboard and notes without cables catching when the screen moves. Clearing desk space and managing cables comes first for around 18% of consumers.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Choosing by screen size alone

    A monitor can meet a stated size limit yet fall outside an arm’s supported load range. Ergotron also notes reduced vertical range for heavier monitors on its legacy LX Desk Monitor Arm.

    Find your monitor’s weight without its stand and compare it with the exact arm’s minimum and maximum loads, allowing for any accessories attached to the display.

  • Assuming the clamp will fit the desk

    Clamp limits vary by model. Ergotron specifies a 10–60 mm desk-edge range for the listed LX Pro clamp variant, while Colebrook Bosson Saunders offers different fittings for its Ollin arm.

    Measure the desk at the intended fixing point and inspect the edge and underside for rails, drawers or other obstructions before choosing a fitting.

    An alternative fitting or adapter may be needed if the intended clamp cannot attach to your desk.

  • Moving the call screen aside to make room

    That layout can leave you repeatedly turning towards the screen you use most. The Health and Safety Executive advises keeping the primary screen and keyboard in front of you.

    Keep the call display central where possible and position the script screen nearby as the secondary display.

  • Securing cables before testing movement

    Moving an arm through its intended range can pull on tightly routed video and power leads. Cable-management channels do not remove the need for slack.

    Connect the display, move it through the positions you expect to use, then secure cables where they will not strain or snag.

    If existing leads cannot reach those positions freely, longer cables and time to reroute them may be needed.

Brands to consider

Ergotron

Its single-display LX Pro and legacy LX arms are relevant when you want a specified load range and a desk-mounted script screen.

  • Ergotron specifies a 1.8–10.0 kg capacity and a 10–60 mm desk-clamp range for the listed LX Pro variant.
  • The legacy LX Desk Monitor Arm has a different 3.2–11.3 kg range and reduced vertical movement with heavier monitors. Check the exact model rather than applying one LX specification to another.

Humanscale

Its monitor-arm range includes single-screen models and configurable multi-screen arrangements for desks where more than one display needs adjustment.

  • Humanscale UK lists the M2 Pro for 2.3–10 kg monitors and the M8 Pro for 4.1–22.7 kg monitors.
  • A light script monitor may fall below a model’s minimum load, so check both ends of the stated range.

Colebrook Bosson Saunders

Its Ollin single-screen arm offers movement and fitting options worth considering when desk-edge access or screen positioning needs particular attention.

  • Colebrook Bosson Saunders specifies a 0–9 kg supported screen range for the single-screen Ollin and offers different desk-fitting options.
  • The suitable fitting depends on the desk’s thickness and access; check the intended fitting rather than assuming any clamp variant will work.

Joybuy products for this setup

Related products coming soon.

Questions about monitor arms for calls

Which screen should be directly in front of me during a video call?

Keep the screen you use most continuously, usually the call display, in front of you and place the script display to the side. The Health and Safety Executive advises keeping the primary screen and keyboard central rather than routinely twisting towards a screen.

How can I tell whether my monitor fits an arm?

Check its weight without the stand, its rear mounting interface and the exact arm’s supported load range. Mounting patterns such as VESA 75 × 75 mm and 100 × 100 mm are relevant only if both the monitor and arm support the matching pattern; screen size alone is not a compatibility test.

What should I check before buying a desk-clamp mount?

Measure the desk thickness where the clamp will sit and check that both the edge and underside are accessible. Compare those conditions with the chosen fixing’s specification, especially if the desk has a sliding top, drawers, rails or a cable tray.

Will an adjustable arm take care of the whole workstation setup?

No. An arm can help you position a screen, but the Health and Safety Executive’s workstation guidance also addresses screen distance, keyboard position, seating and breaks. Set up the call and script displays around the tasks you actually perform.