Ergotron is probably one of the most popular and well-known brands of flat panel monitor arms. Most people have heard of them and if you’ve ever owned one of their products you know why they are a cut above the rest. For those who don’t yet own one and are looking to buy, let’s review a few of their best-selling models to get you started. The model numbers referenced relate to their 2010 line of products.
First, there is their least expensive single-screen option which is the Neo-Flex arm (part# 45-174-300). This is a simple, basic monitor arm for a single computer screen. It’s the simplest to setup as it is shipped fully assembled, but keep in mind it is not the most sophisticated device. Unlike their more expensive models the basic Neo-Flex is not fully adjustable on-the-fly; it does require you to push in a side button to start making adjustments. It has a 8″ height adjustability range and you can rotate your LCD monitor for portrait or landscape viewing. Retail price: $79.00.
Their next model up is product 45-235-194 which is called to the Neo-Flex Extend arm. It looks a bit different than the standard model and some of the features are unique as well. It comes with a vertical pole that clamp mounts to your desk which the articulating monitor arm then attaches to. Ergotron says it has what they call “three point telescoping motion” to easily position your LCD monitor for the ideal viewing angle and viewing distance. You can extend your screen up to 22 inches from the mounting pole, and the arm can hold up to 20 pound monitors. Retail price: $129.00.
The next step up in Ergotron’s line of single monitor arms is the 45-241-026. This arm looks a bit different from the two mentioned above but generally serves the same purpose. It has what they call “Constant Force” motion technology with allows the user to fully adjust the position of the arm with just the touch of their hand. The look of this model is sleeker and more streamlined compared to the Neo-Flex and Neo-Flex Extend models. It extends up to 24″ from the post with a 13″ height adjustment range. It includes both desk clamp and grommet mounts to accommodate surfaces up to 2 1/2″ thick. You also have the option of adding on a 9″ extension arm with a laptop tray attached (pretty cool). Retail price is $169.00.
Then they make two additional models for use with two computer monitors at once. The 45-248-026 “Dual Stacking” arms allow you to position the monitors one on top of the other, while model 45-245-026 positions the screens side-by-side (more common). The retail price for both of these dual-monitor options is $309.00. They also offer the DS100 desk stand which holds 2 screens beside each other but takes up a little more desk space because it stands on the work surface instead of attaching to the side of it or to a wall. It is less expensive though at about a $200.00 list price.
When it comes to having a computer in a small space, there are ways that a person can avoid having too many problems with overcrowding. Keyboard trays were designed with that idea in mind, so that people who needed their desk space would have somewhere to keep their keyboard so it would be out of the way when they weren’t using it.
In the spirit of that, there are now monitor arms, as well. These are designed to mount either to the back part of the desk surface or to the wall behind the desk. They help avoid the cluttered desk area that a monitor and its cords and wires can provide, and they also help to ensure that a person can adjust the monitor just the way that he or she really wants it.
The main idea, though, is that these monitor arms help to free up desk surface space so that it can be used for something else. A lot of people have paperwork and other things that they need while they are working on their computer, and if the desk surface is small and mostly taken up by a monitor, that paperwork has nowhere to go. Attaching the monitor to a swing arm and getting it up and off of the desk – and out of the way – can make a huge difference to someone working in a small space.
Sometimes, when you have an LCD monitor, it’s hard to get a good angle to it. It can be unclear and hard to see, and you can get a glare off of it from sunlight coming in a window or from overhead lights. They make anti-glare screens but they don’t always work that well, sometimes they make the monitor too dark, and a lot of people just don’t care for them.
Rather than deal with something like that, why not get an LCD monitor arm so you can mount your computer monitor somewhere that you’re really comfortable with? It doesn’t only help you, but it helps anyone else that might want or need to look at your monitor, or anyone who may use your computer.
The adjustability of an LCD monitor arm is a great option for desk areas that don’t have a lot of space, too, because the arm can be mounted to the desk or to the wall. The monitor can be folded back near the wall when not in use, and it can be brought forward when you need it so that everyone can see it well. The fact that you can adjust the monitor up and down as well as side to side makes the LCD monitor a really great choice for people who spend long hours at their computers.
When you’re looking for a way to be more comfortable at work and to avoid neck and back pain that so often plagues people who sit for long periods at their computers, look no further than a monitor arm for your workstation. There are so many of them that you can get a great option for you, even if you don’t need quite the same thing as someone else who uses the same kind of monitor.
Being able to adjust the monitor up and down, and from side to side, as well as correct how close to you the monitor actually is, can help to ensure that you’re sitting correctly and that you don’t experience any problems.
People who have their computer monitors adjusted correctly also don’t experience as much downtime, because they feel more comfortable at their work station. That means that they will be more productive, so they’ll get more accomplished in a shorter period of time and they’ll still be feeling good when they’re done. That’s a great way for individuals to enjoy their work experience as much as possible and be more willing to help the company out, because they feel that the company is concerned about their welfare, as well as profits.
When you’re trying to find the right monitor arm for your LCD monitor, one of the things you need to look at is how much space that you have. Some of these monitor arms can mount to the desk, and others are mounted to the wall.
You’ll need to choose which one you think would be better for you. Considerations for that include the size of the desk, whether there is a wall to mount to, and the size and weight of the monitor. If your desk is very small it might be better to mount the LCD monitor to your wall so that you can have all of the available desk space possible. If you have a much bigger desk, though, you can mount the monitor to the desk surface itself, allowing the desk to be placed anywhere, even if there is no wall that will support the monitor.
Monitor arms are designed to swing out from the wall or the back of the desk area so that you can move the monitor closer to you or farther away. It’s a great way to position the monitor so that it’s easier for you to see and so that you can move it around to show it to others, as well. It’s also important for ergonomics and it can help you avoid neck and back pain that you might develop by sitting in front of a monitor that’s not at the right height or angle.
If you’re planning on mounting an LCD monitor to the wall, you’ll need to find the right mount for the make and model and size of monitor that you have. Once you’ve done that, getting it placed in the right area is vital. You also need to make sure that you understand how the mount attaches to the monitor and how the mount attaches to the wall.
It has to be straight and level, first, or the monitor will always be crooked. It’s also important that the screws for the mount be installed into a wall stud, or that special wall brackets are used to make sure that the drywall won’t be damaged and that the wall can support the weight of the LCD monitor.
Measure the wall carefully where you want to mount the bracket for the monitor arm, and use a level to ensure that you get it straight and even. Carefully drill the holes and follow the instructions carefully. If you take the time to do things right you won’t have to worry about doing it over, patching up the extra holes in the wall, or fighting with the mounting hardware because you didn’t install things correctly. Once the bracket mount is attached to the wall, you can attach the arm to the monitor and then attach the other end to the wall bracket. Have someone help you if necessary to be sure that you don’t drop the monitor.
Not everyone who wants their computer monitor mounted on a swing arm wants it mounted to the wall. Some people might also not be able to mount an LCD monitor to the wall because of where their desk is located. If they are in a cubicle, there won’t be a wall surface strong enough to mount a monitor to.
Some companies also don’t want holes put in the walls to attach monitors. If any of those scenarios apply to you, you can get an LCD swing arm that you can mount to a desk. It’s a great way to get your monitor up off of the desk and it lets you adjust it up and down as well as move it closer to you or slide it further away.
You can swing the monitor back toward the back of the desk by folding up the arm, or you can pull it toward you, which is great if something on it is very small print or if you’re trying to show someone near you something on it that they need to see. The ability to adjust the placement of the LCD monitor is much greater with a swing arm than it would otherwise be, helping to make users more comfortable and therefore more productive.
When you’re looking for a monitor arm for your flat panel monitor, there are so many choices that it’s easy to become confused about what you need and what you really want. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find something that’s perfect for you – you’ll just have to do your research first.
Deciding something like what color you want is the easy part, but you also have to make sure that the monitor arm you’re looking at is designed to fit your monitor, that you have the right style of arm, and that you’re mounting it correctly so that it will support the weight of the monitor. Then, whether you want it to adjust up and down, swing away from the wall and from side to side, or both is worthy of consideration.
You don’t have to make a choice the first time that you look at monitor arms. Instead, get a feel for what’s out there because there are so many ideas that you can find yourself getting overwhelmed. Think about the choice that you’ll be making, what you really need it to do, and how much you’re planning on spending. These monitor arms are not cheap, but they can be well worth it from an economic standpoint.