Freestanding Dual Monitor Stand

JohnK

Anyone know of a good freestanding dual monitor stand? Everything I've seen is one that'll sit directly on the desk or be clamped to the edge of the desk but what I'm looking for is something that'll stand on its own on the floor (with a suitably high pole to position the monitors) as the desk I have is pretty small and has very little weight to it - on top of which there is just open space on the other side of the desk so anything sitting on the corner would likely topple off and smash on the ground.

Cuddlesworth

I would just reinforce the desk with a strong timber and then use a normal desk mount which is resting on the desk+reinforcement. There are monitor mounts that run off the ground, but they usually require concrete floors and are prohibitively expensive.

Johnboy1951

Build a frame up from the back of the desk and attach the monitors directly to the frame.
If necessary put counterweights on the front legs of the desk.

JohnK

Yeah I guess that's probably the only real option. Typically, how stable are these kind of stands? Is there really a risk of them toppling over or am I just being too cautious? I don't think I've ever seen one in the flesh so they might be more stable than I'm imagining.

humvee4444

Whether they will be stable or not depends on a few things. Primarily - weight of the screens and averaged distance from the mounting pole (e.g. whether both go in one direction away from the pole, or one left one right etc). With the pole in the middle, and screens at sides, they act as counterweights to one another, so the torque on the pole is smaller. On the other hand, if you were to mount the pole at the corner of the desk, and then both screens towards the centre of the desk, the torque can be sufficient to break the corner off, especially if you try to adjust the screens when extended. Same thing happens if you extend them way forward (the pole + mount acts as a large lever then).

As for the floor ones, Cuddlesworth is right - they need bolting to the floor, since the said torque is even greater (longer pole). I have seen ones that can stand freely, with a VERY large and wide floor piece, but for that kind of money you would be better off getting a new desk and normal mounts, and then you'd still have good bit of money left.

You also did not mention your budget on them - maybe worth looking at two single screen ones instead (two mounting points, easier to distribute weight, and so on) ?

JohnK

Some good points there, definitely sounding like a freestanding one is a no-go. I'm in a rented apartment, and on a wooden floor, so bolting anything down or even to walls isn't going to fly. Two single screen mounts might be a more workable solution alright so I'll have to investigate that. In terms of budget I really don't know what sort of money you'd need to be spending but I'd probably go 400/500 if it got the job done.

humvee4444

400/500 for two stands ? You won't have much of a problem...

I have three monitor setup, built with a set of Ergotron LX units. Amazon sells them for ~150 regular, ~170 for a version with a longer mounting pole (if you want your screens raised considerably above desk level, long one is the business). They can support pretty much everything, and have more adjustments than a sniper scope . Bought them after reading good reviews, and the general opinion was they were pretty much as good as the stands get.

After two years of use, I have to agree

Also, two separate mounting poles allow you to install almost any size screen to them. Which is not necessarily the case when it comes to combined units.

Just make sure that your screens do have a VESA mounts at the back (obvious, but some people still get caught on it).