Choose a monitor you can position comfortably at both seated and standing desk heights before deciding how much screen space you want. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the top of the screen at eye level and the display about an arm’s length away; a taller screen may suit stacked terminal and editor windows, while USB-C or KVM features matter only if your devices can use them.
If you alternate between sitting and standing while using a terminal, editor and documentation, screen position matters alongside resolution. The Health and Safety Executive advises keeping the top of the screen at eye level, the display about an arm’s length away and the keyboard just below elbow height.
If logs, shell output and code compete for space on one display, consider whether a taller layout suits your window arrangement. BenQ’s RD280UA uses a 3:2 format, while LG’s DualUp 28MQ780-B illustrates a 16:18 format; LG labels that particular model discontinued.
If you use a laptop alongside another machine, a monitor with USB-C connections or a keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) switch may simplify your desk arrangement. Check the connections and charging needs of both devices before relying on a one-cable setup.
Choose it when: You prefer a familiar layout for general coding work and can place the screen correctly at both desk heights.
Allow for: Less vertical screen shape than a taller format, and the possibility that the supplied stand will not reach your required position.
Choose it when: Keeping terminal output, code and documentation in vertically arranged windows is your priority.
Allow for: The screen’s physical height when working out where its top edge will sit. BenQ specifies a 3:2 panel for the RD280UA, but its stand range alone cannot establish whether it fits your desk.
Choose it when: You want to stack substantial windows, such as an editor above a shell.
Allow for: Careful positioning of a particularly tall screen. LG’s 28MQ780-B demonstrates this format, but LG labels the model discontinued.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Screen position | Compare the position you need at both desk heights with the stand’s travel or a compatible arm’s range. Keep the keyboard position in the assessment. | When I raise my desk, I need the screen to remain comfortably placed without moving the keyboard too high. Around 36% of consumers put screen positioning first. |
| Vertical workspace | Compare aspect ratio and resolution with the way you arrange your terminal, editor and documentation. | I want more shell output and code visible together, rather than prioritising side-by-side width. Vertical workspace is the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Laptop connections and switching | Confirm USB-C video support, charging requirements and whether a KVM switch accommodates your two-source arrangement. | If I move between a laptop and another machine, I want to avoid repeatedly swapping peripherals. Around 21% of consumers prioritise that connection workflow. |
| Reflections and text viewing | Assess reflections at your desk and look for a suitable screen finish and adjustable brightness; a display mode is not a substitute for positioning. | During long stretches of reading terminal text, I want to manage glare and brightness in my actual room. That is the primary concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Adjustment travel does not establish where the screen will sit at your seated and standing desk settings. The Health and Safety Executive’s positioning advice concerns the screen, your eyes and the keyboard together.
Work out the screen-top position you need at both desk heights, then compare it with the stand or arm’s usable range.
A compatible arm or riser may be needed if the supplied stand cannot reach that position.
A taller screen shape can suit stacked logs and code, but its physical height also affects where you can place the top edge.
Decide whether you usually stack windows or place them side by side, then check the aspect ratio, panel dimensions and available positioning range.
Samsung specifies USB-C charging and data plus KVM for its ViewFinity S8 S80UD, but those monitor features do not establish what a particular laptop port or cable can do.
Check your laptop’s USB-C video output, charging requirements and the cable needed for your intended connection.
A separate connection or power adapter may still be necessary if one cable cannot provide the functions your laptop requires.
LG’s UK page lists the DualUp 28MQ780-B as discontinued. Its specifications can help you assess the 16:18 format without establishing current availability.
If you consider that exact model, check the retailer’s current listing, variant and support terms before purchasing.
Dell’s UltraSharp U2724D is an example of a conventional 27-inch coding display with stand adjustments.
BenQ’s RD280UA is a 3:2 programming-monitor example for buyers considering a taller layout.
Samsung’s ViewFinity S8 S80UD is relevant to a laptop-and-second-computer setup.
LG’s DualUp 28MQ780-B illustrates a 16:18 screen with an Ergo C-clamp stand.
These monitor choices relate to command-line work at a standing desk, including a clamp-arm option. Compare each screen’s position and connections with your own desk and devices.
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Consider this WQHD display for a conventional coding layout. Check that its stand can place the screen correctly at both desk heights, and confirm USB-C compatibility if you plan to connect a laptop.
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Consider this larger display if you want a conventional workspace and can accommodate its size at your desk. Its title specifies a height-adjustable stand; check the required screen position at both desk heights and confirm the Mac and USB-C functions you need.
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This QHD option may suit a coding desk where screen positioning and a laptop connection both matter. Check its stand range and screen shape for your layout, then confirm video and charging compatibility with your laptop.
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Consider its WUXGA screen for a command-line workspace if that format fits the windows you keep open. Check stand reach at both desk heights and confirm the regional USB connection details and laptop compatibility you require.
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If flexible placement matters more to you than a larger coding workspace, consider whether its clamp-arm arrangement suits your desk. Check the clamp fit and positioning range, the space you need for open windows and your laptop’s USB-C compatibility.
Set up the screen and keyboard for each working height. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the top of the screen at eye level, the display about an arm’s length away and the keyboard just below elbow height; compare those positions with the reach of your stand or a compatible arm.
No. A 3:2 or 16:18 shape can suit vertically stacked terminal and editor windows, but a 16:9 layout may suit you better if you mainly arrange windows side by side. Check the physical screen height as well as the space available for your work.
Only if the monitor, laptop port and cable support the functions you need. For example, Samsung specifies 90 W USB-C charging and data for the ViewFinity S8 S80UD; you must still check your laptop’s video output and charging requirements.
For workers who use display screen equipment daily as part of their normal work, continuously for an hour or more, the Health and Safety Executive says employers must carry out a workstation assessment. That assessment concerns the whole working arrangement, not a requirement to buy a particular monitor.
No. LG’s UK product page labels the 28MQ780-B discontinued. If you are considering that exact model, check current retailer availability, the variant offered and its support terms.