Best desks for dual monitors of 2022 | Popular Photography

2022-06-09 08:10:48 By : Mr. Troy Sun

Improve your workspace setup with these larger desk options, ideal for dual monitors.

Upgrading your monitor setup can drastically improve your office or editing situation, but finding a desk for dual monitors can be tricky. With two monitors comes the need for more desk space, and many standard-sized desks won’t cut it, especially if you’re opting for large screens. Dual monitor desks really only differ in that they are larger than other desks. They may also handle more weight than standard desks. No matter what your computer setup, the best desks for dual monitors will fit what you need and make your space more functional.  

For the most part, purchasing a desk is a pretty simple endeavor. There aren’t nearly as many specs to consider as, say, a camera. However, lest you end up with a desk that doesn’t function well for you or your space, there are still some critical things to pay attention to when making a decision.

The biggest variable that sets dual monitor desks apart from others is their size. You’ll want to make sure you have enough surface area to support both of your displays without making your space feel cluttered and cramped. To be sure your desk is large enough, measure the width of your monitors (and monitor stand, if applicable). Smaller monitors won’t require as much desk space, even if there are two. In general, most dual monitor desks will check in around 55 inches wide or more. But, if you have smaller monitors, you can, of course, go smaller than that.

Beyond making sure you have room for both monitors on your desk, you may also consider what else you want on your desk. For example, you may need space for your laptop on the side. If that is the case, you may need something extra wide. If you’re keeping other accessories on your desk, like a film scanner, you’ll need room for those as well. 

Lastly, as with any furniture decision, you need to check if the desk will even fit in your space. Nothing is worse than getting your new desk delivered and assembled only to move it into place and realize it won’t fit where you wanted it. Measure your space, maybe even twice, before spending your money on something.

While most monitors don’t weigh a ton, if you have larger screens plus other computer items, the weight can add up. Not all desk manufacturers will list their weight limits, but it’s always a good idea to look around for it to be sure. Plus, lower weight limits, even if your gear falls below that, may mean you’ll end up with a wobbly desk, which is annoying at best and catastrophic at worst.

For some, style is perhaps the most important thing. Luckily, large dual monitor desks are available in pretty much every style, from modern industrial to farmhouse. Many desks, including most of the ones on this list, will come in different colors or finishes, so you can choose which fits into your decor style best. 

Most popular desks currently rely on particle board for their top surfaces. But, if you want something higher-end or something you can refinish down the road, look for real wood. It’s also worth paying attention to what the legs or desk frame–when applicable–are made of. Many will be metal, but the wall thickness will vary, and it can play a big role in the desk’s stability. Some models also offer adjustable legs or feet, which can come in handy if your floors aren’t perfectly flat. 

While some desks offer a single, continuous piece of material for their tops, others ship in pieces. If you want a smooth, seamless surface, check to be sure that the desk has a single slab. Unfortunately, many desks that you will find online will have two or more pieces for the top that you must assemble together. When the desk surface is made up of multiple parts, you risk having large gaps in between. This may never become an issue, but having a gap can be very frustrating if you want to use the desk for writing, drawing, or other such activities. 

Some desks will come with additional features or accessories that may be appealing. Some of these are:

Why it made the cut: It’s a simple, basic desk but comes in many sizes and colors and can hold up to 300 pounds, making it plenty sturdy for two monitors. 

This DlandHome desk is very simple, with no bells and whistles, which makes it ideal for those looking to save some money and still get a solid surface. It comes in five different sizes, from 31.5 to 63 inches, so you can pick what is best based on your monitor size and space. The simple style means that it will fit into a variety of decor styles, especially with the different available color options. 

The largest version of this desk is 23.6 inches deep, which won’t give you all that much extra room for peripherals or multitasking on your desk, especially if you have a bulky monitor stand. But for most people, it will be plenty. The legs are made of metal with a 1.2mm inner wall, and it also has a frame that goes around the perimeter of the desk surface for extra stability. It has adjustable feet, so if your floor is a tad uneven, you can still get your desktop fully level. Plus, with fewer features and additional parts, you have fewer things to worry about breaking.

Why it made the cut: This standing desk offers four memory buttons to program different heights, support for up to 235 pounds, and a design intended for monitor arms.

Standing desks are a fantastic way to avoid the stiffness and bad posture that can come from sitting at a desk all day. The ApexDesk Elite Series is not a cheap desk, but it offers lots of benefits to justify the cost. It has a single tabletop, so you don’t have to worry about gaps or seams. The single piece not only makes it look better, but it also functions better if you use the surface for things like writing. 

This standing desk offers dual motors that can transport up to 235 pounds, meaning it will be able to lift even your heaviest monitors. It isn’t slow to lift, either; it raises at 1.5 inches per second. You also get four programmable memory buttons, so once you find a height that works for your different positions, you can lock it in. 

One of the best features of this desk is the divot at the back, perfect for mounting a c-clamp monitor arm and still having the desk sit flush against a wall. It also has holes on both sides to feed cables to help keep things organized. And it comes in six different colors with either white or black legs, suiting most decor styles.

Why it made the cut: If you already have a desk but want the option of standing, the VaridDesk Pro Plus 36 comes fully assembled and simply sits on top of your desk. It has 11 height settings for customization and is spring-assisted for easy lifting.

The VariDesk Pro Plus 36 is a standing desk converter, meaning you don’t need to buy an entirely new desk in order to add standing functionality. This converter comes fully assembled, so you can get to standing while working as soon as it arrives. And it is spring-assisted, so you don’t need to be capable of heavy lifting to raise it. 

The VariDesk Pro Plus 36 has 11 different height settings so that you can really fine-tune your setup. One of the benefits of this converter is that your monitors will be 4.5 inches higher than the desk, making your workspace more ergonomic, even in a seated position. The maximum height is 17.5 inches, which will work even for taller folks.

One thing to be aware of is that the base size is 24 inches deep, which may be more than a lot of desks. Executive editor Stan Horaczek has been using this desk for month with it hanging off the edge of the desk a little with no issues. . It is only 36 inches wide, so you won’t be able to use extra-large monitors on here, but it should fit most standard displays.

Why it made the cut: This l-shaped desk is very affordable, has plenty of legroom underneath, and offers a simple, modern design in many different colors. 

L-shaped desks are a great option for maximizing desk space. It does require a larger room to house it, but you could put it in a corner or have it facing out. It’ll provide plenty of room for two–or more–monitors and a laptop and still have space to spare. The Tribesigns desk even comes with a dedicated CPU stand to keep your computer lifted off the floor slightly.

This desk made the list over other L-shaped models thanks to all the space underneath. Many other desks of this style have legs or supports in the middle, making it difficult to roll between sections without pushing your chair back. This desk is fully open underneath except for a bar across the bottom of the back, though that could act as a nice footrest. The legs are made of metal, resulting in a sturdy piece of furniture.

The potential downside to this desk is it is only 18.9 inches deep. That doesn’t give you much room for things beyond your monitors. But, you have essentially two desks in one, so you should still have plenty of room to have a dedicated computer area and writing area. 

Why it made the cut: This gaming desk comes with multiple accessories to keep your gaming peripherals organized and charged.

The SEVEN WARRIOR Gaming Desk was clearly designed with gamers in mind. It comes with numerous accessories to keep you organized and make your gaming sessions better once you’re done with your photo editing. You get a desk-sized waterproof mousepad, meaning you don’t have to worry about running out of room on your mousepad while in the middle of the action. It also comes with an attachable cupholder that hangs off the desk, protecting your electronics from the risk of knocking over your cup. There is a mountable headphone hook and even a standalone gaming handle rack with four USB charging ports, so you can easily charge your controllers or devices. 

The desk has t-shaped legs for stability and has adjustable feet should you have an uneven floor. It can hold up to 330 pounds. That’s plenty even if you’re playing on an old-school CRT display. The tabletop is made of particleboard but has a black carbon fiber-like finish to look sleek. It has holes for cable management, though there is no basket underneath for holding the extra length. Perhaps the main downside to this desk is that the top comes in two pieces, so you will have a seam visible if you don’t want to use the mousepad on top.

What size desk is the best for two monitors depends on how large your monitors are. You’ll likely need a desk at least longer than 40 inches, especially if you want extra room beyond your monitors. A desk over 60 inches will probably be best if you have large monitors.

Depending on your monitor stand or arm, you can absolutely mount two different monitors. If each monitor has its own stand, there will be no issues putting them on a desk together. However, you may run into problems with certain monitor stands and arms, as some are designed only to hold certain sizes of monitors. 

Whether it’s better to have two monitors or three depends on how you work or what you use your monitors for. Three monitors can be ideal for a truly immersive gaming experience or if you need lots of different windows up at a time for work. For most users, however, two monitors are plenty.

Finding a desk that is suitable for dual monitors comes down to the size of your monitors and how much room you have for a desk. Of course, you will inherently need a larger desk for two monitors, but be sure your space can accommodate the bigger size.

Size is key when trying to support several monitors, so we made sure to focus on desks that are large enough to support even big screens. The sturdiness of a desk was one of the most important features. We also factored in additional attributes like cable management, compatibility with monitor arms, and accessories that come with the desk. In addition, we tried to find desks that offered a range of styles to suit different decor preferences as well. Lastly, larger desks can get prohibitively expensive, for our list of the best desks for dual monitors we mainly focused on options on the affordable side of the spectrum. 

Abby Ferguson is the Associate Editor for Gear and Reviews at PopPhoto, joining the team in 2022. She has been involved with the photography industry in various capacities since her undergraduate training at the University of Kentucky, with work ranging from client photography to program development and management of the photo department at Evolve, a vacation rental company.

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