The biggest mistake in standing desk ergonomics is putting the monitor directly on the desk surface. At sitting height, a surface-mounted monitor is typically 4 to 6 inches too low, which forces you to tilt your head down for hours. At standing height, it is even worse. A monitor arm solves this by letting you independently set the screen height for each position.
What VESA Mount Means
Almost every monitor manufactured after 2005 has a VESA mounting pattern on the back. The standard is 75x75mm or 100x100mm, which refers to the spacing between the four mounting holes. Before buying an arm, confirm your monitor's VESA pattern. Some ultrawide monitors use non-standard patterns. A few slim monitors have no VESA mount at all and require an adapter.
If the back of your monitor shows four holes in a square pattern, you can use any standard monitor arm.
Single Monitor Arms
For one screen up to 32 inches and 15 pounds, a single articulating arm is the right pick. The VIVO single monitor arm ($25 to 35) does the job for most home offices. It clamps to the desk edge and adjusts height, tilt, swivel, and rotation.
If you want cable management built into the arm itself, step up to the Ergotron LX ($130 to 160). The Ergotron is meaningfully better: smoother adjustment, higher build quality, and cable routing through the arm body keeps your desk cleaner.
Dual Monitor Arms
Two monitors on independent arms let you position each screen independently. For symmetrical setups with two 27-inch monitors side by side, a dual arm with a single desk clamp is the cleanest solution. The VIVO dual arm ($50 to 70) covers monitors up to 27 inches each at 13 pounds each.
For ultrawide plus secondary setups, use two separate single arms rather than a dual arm. The weight and width imbalance strains dual arm joints over time.
Placement Guidelines
Set the top edge of the screen at or slightly below eye level. For most people this puts the center of the screen 2 to 3 inches below eye level. The screen should be at arm's length (roughly 24 inches) from your face.
Tilt the screen back 10 to 20 degrees so you are not looking at the glass at a perpendicular angle. This reduces glare and puts the whole screen within a comfortable focal range.
For a standing desk, the arm's height range needs to cover both your sitting and standing positions. When you stand, the screen should rise to meet your eye level without readjusting the arm every time.
What to Avoid
Fixed-height arms that only adjust up and down without articulation are almost as bad as no arm at all. You need at minimum: height adjustment, tilt, and swivel. A full articulating arm with an elbow joint gives you the most flexibility.