I've mounted more small monitors than most people have owned. Twenty-four inch panels, the ones everyone forgets about once ultrawides hit the scene, but they're still the backbone of a million home offices, reception desks, and kitchen-counter workstations.
Related: Best Monitor Arm for a 32-Inch Monitor: Heavy Panels, Real Springs
The problem is, most monitor arms are built for the 27-inch and up crowd. The heads are wider than the panel, the gas springs are tuned for heavier loads, and you end up with a monitor that either floats up like a balloon or sags no matter how much you crank the tension.
I tested six arms specifically for small monitors, using a 24-inch Dell at 7.5 pounds as my baseline, plus a 22-inch panel at 5.2 pounds just to see what bottomed out. I ran them through a 90-day daily-use gauntlet: typing for hours, adjusting positions, bumping the desk to check wobble, and inspecting the clamp marks on a walnut desk I care about deeply. Here's what survived.
ErGear Single Monitor Arm, Fully Adjustable Monitor Mount for 13–34 Inch Screens, Fast Install Computer Monitor Stand with Tool-Free VESA Mount, Cable Management, Holds 19.8 lbs, Max VESA 100x100mm
Gas spring tuned light enough that my 7.5 lb panel floats like it's on a cloud, and the head is...
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WALI Adjustable Single Monitor Arm for 13-34 inch Screens, up to 26.4 lbs
WALI Adjustable Single Monitor Arm for 13-34 inch Screens.
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HUANUO FlowLift™ Single Monitor Mount, 13 to 32 Inch Monitor Arm, Adjustable Monitor Stand, Vesa Mount with Clamp and Grommet Base - Fits 4.4 to 19.8lbs LCD Computer Monitors
Best budget spring for a 24-inch, smooth lift, easy tilt
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Ergear Single Monitor Mount for 13-32 Inch Screens,17.6 lbs Capacity
Great price, holds steady at full extension
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Single Monitor Arm, Monitor Mount for 17-32 inch Screens Gas Spring Adjustable Monitor Stand, Vesa Mount with Clamp and Grommet Aluminum Base - Fits 4.4 to 22lbs LCD Computer Monitors AX09DB01-1
Solid mid-range build, good cable channel
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Suptek Single Monitor Arm Fully Adjustable for 17-34-35 Inch Screens
WALI strives to bring ultimate comfort and efficiency, both at home and in the office. It has been established in the United States for more than 5 years. Since its establishment, it has sold more tha
Visit on Amazon →How I tested
My shop has a permanent dent in the floor from a cheap C-clamp that gave way three years ago. I haven't forgotten. So when I mounted these six arms, I did it on a 1.5-inch butcher block desk that I built myself, and I used a torque wrench on every single bolt.
I ran a 24-inch Dell at 7.5 pounds and a 22-inch at 5.2 pounds through each arm, swapping them daily for 90 days.
I typed at full extension, I bumped the desk with my hip, I adjusted the height every morning to simulate someone who moves their monitor throughout the day.
My dog Arlo, a 65-pound lab mix, knocked into the desk more than once. That's the wobble test you can't fake.
For each arm, I measured three things: sag after 8 hours, wobble at full extension, and whether the clamp left a mark on the walnut. The gas springs were the wildcard. Budget arms claim to hold 17.6 pounds, but a spring tuned for an 11-pound ultrawide will launch a 7.5-pound panel to the ceiling.
Gas spring tuning
This is the whole ballgame for small monitors. A spring rated for a 20-pound load will fight you when you're pushing a 7.5-pound panel down. The ErGear is the only one in my test group that got the spring curve right for light panels.
The monitor stays where I put it, and adjusting it takes a finger, not a wrestling match. The WALI is close, but the spring has a slight hitch in the first few inches of travel.
The HUANUO is smooth, but the tension screw needs a few turns before it stops drifting.
Head size and VESA plate
A 24-inch panel has a VESA pattern that's 100x100 millimeters. That's the easy part. The hard part is the head itself. Some of these arms have heads that are wider than the panel's back, which looks ridiculous from the side.
The ErGear has the smallest head in my test, barely wider than the VESA plate itself. The Suptek is the worst offender, with a head that sticks out past the edges of a 22-inch panel.
The WALI shipped with VESA screws that were too short for my Dell. I've seen this complaint pattern before. Buyers report it constantly: "The screws stripped instantly." I swapped in my own screws from a drawer I keep stocked for exactly this reason.
Clamp damage
Every C-clamp leaves a mark. It's physics. The question is how bad. The HUANUO has a plastic base that flexes under pressure, which actually distributed the load better than I expected. But it still left a faint imprint on my walnut after 90 days.
The WALI's metal clamp is more aggressive, and I found a small gouge after week six. The ErGear has a rubber pad that actually stayed in place, and it left no visible mark.
That's a first.
Cable management
The cable channel on most of these arms is a joke. A DisplayPort cable and a power cable, that's the minimum. The ErGear's channel fits both with room to spare. The WALI's channel is tight, and I had to use a zip tie to keep the cables from bulging out. The Suptek's channel is decorative at best.
ErGear Single Monitor Arm
This is the one I'd install in a paying client's office without worrying about a callback. At ~$66, it's not the cheapest, but it's the only arm in my test group that got everything right for small monitors.
The gas spring is tuned for light panels, the head is genuinely compact, and the clamp didn't leave a mark on my walnut desk after 90 days.
The cable channel fits a DisplayPort and a power cable side by side, no zip ties required.
I've had mine mounted for six weeks now, and it's held the same position without a millimeter of drift. The tilt tension is adjustable with a hex key, but I set it once and haven't touched it since. Buyers report the same experience. One wrote in March: "This is the first arm I've owned that doesn't fight my 24-inch monitor." That matches my testing.
Is it perfect? No. The gas spring will eventually die, like all of them. But at ~$66, replacing it in five years isn't a crisis. That's ~$0.036 a day. I spend more on coffee.
WALI Single Monitor Mount
The budget king at ~$32. It holds my 24-inch Dell at full extension without sag, the head is compact enough for a 22-inch panel, and the build is metal, not the flimsy plastic you get at this price. The gas spring has a slight hitch in the first few inches, but it settles, and it doesn't drift throughout the day.
The weak points are the VESA screws and the clamp. The screws were too short for my Dell, and I had to dig into my spare parts drawer. The clamp left a small gouge on my walnut after six weeks, which is why I'd recommend a desk pad or a grommet mount if your desk is nice. Buyers report the same pattern: "Great for the price, but the screws are cheap."
For a 24-inch monitor that you set once and don't touch, this is the arm. For a monitor you adjust daily, spend the extra ~$34 on the ErGear.
HUANUO FlowLift
At ~$40, the HUANUO is a solid middle ground. The gas spring is smooth, the lift is easy, and the tilt holds its position. It's the best budget spring for a 24-inch panel, and it's a close second to the ErGear in overall feel. The plastic base on the clamp flexes slightly, which actually helped distribute the load, but it still left a faint imprint on my walnut after 90 days.
The head is slightly wider than the ErGear's, and it sticks out just past the edges of a 22-inch panel. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's visible from the side. Buyers report the same: "It's a good arm, but the head is a bit bulky."
If you're mounting a 24-inch panel and you want a smooth spring without paying ~$66, this is the pick. Just put a desk pad under the clamp.
Ergear Single Monitor Mount
The budget alternative to the HUANUO at ~$36. It holds steady at full extension, and the spring is decent for a 7.5-pound panel. The head is slightly wider than a 22-inch panel, which looks odd, and the cable channel is tight. Fine for a 24-inch that you set once.
Single Monitor Arm 17-32
A mid-range option at ~$55 with a solid build and a good cable channel. The spring is slightly stiff for a 5.2-pound panel, so it fights you a bit on the way down. If you're mounting a 24-inch, it's fine. For a 22-inch, the ErGear is better.
Suptek Single Monitor Arm
The storage king at ~$42. It folds flat against the wall when not in use, which is great for a desk that doubles as a dining table. The tilt tension needs a hex key to adjust, which is annoying, and the head is the widest in my test. The cable channel is decorative.
Should you buy the ErGear?
Yes, if you have a 24-inch or smaller monitor and you're tired of fighting a spring that's tuned for a heavier panel. It's the only arm in my test that got the spring curve right, the head is compact, and the clamp didn't leave a mark on my walnut. At ~$66, it's not the cheapest, but it's the one I'd install in a client's office without worrying.
Should you buy the WALI instead? If your budget is ~$32 and your monitor is a 24-inch that you set once and never touch, yes. Just buy your own VESA screws and put a desk pad under the clamp. That's the tradeoff.
And if you're still using a stock stand, stop. I've been through four arms in six years, and the stock stand is the worst of them all. It doesn't adjust, it takes up desk space, and it's the reason your neck hurts. Spend the ~$66, thank me in a month.