Monitor stands have been taking up a lot of my desktop space for a long time … even just one monitor has a stand base from 7-9 inches wide and 6-8 inches deep (some are even bigger), it is holding a monitor, and all that right in front of you ‘n yore hands!? That’s *Prime* desktop real estate, IMHO! Add one or two more monitors and you struggle finding easy to work in areas … three bases ‘n wires everywhere!? I have a *BIG* desk – 46” wide ‘n 29” deep, with 3 tiers on the rear (2 customized permanent ones ‘n a small movable one), plus lots of space underneath; however, 3 monitors can shrink that desk space down to ‘Toy’ desk size.

I recently upgraded the ‘Rose’ Linux test computer ‘n placed it + my much too big 27” monitor onto a ‘Mobile’ overbed type of cart…that also removed a mouse ‘n keyboard from my main desktop. I then moved the 22” IPS monitor onto that *Prime* real estate area. Oh, forgot to mention that my main desk also has a 40” x 11.5” pull-out keyboard tray, but 3 keyboards ‘n 3 mices can crowd each other out real quick. I move my main keyboard from the pull-out tray quite often, and try to squeeze it into the area that a monitor ‘n its stand hoard. That requires sliding the 22″ monitor back almost too far for comfortable viewing…the 22” IPS display panels are so much sharper than the 27” IPS panels are, but they lose a lot when moved back to far. The 27” could sit back with no problem, but still takes up more space ‘n is less sharp than the 22” display. That 27” was a $150 last year, so it wasn’t one of the expensive ones…the 22” was less than a $100 a couple of years ago. The old 2006 22/23” Dell display was being moved around constantly, but always seem in the way, and was difficult to work around.

Enter the $19.99 Loctek Full Motion Desk Monitor Arm ‘n the $23.99 Fleximounts Gas Spring Desk Monitor Arm Adjustable Monitor Mount. The $19.99 one was so cheap that I figured it was also cheaply made (a lot of ‘em are over $100!?!), plus it is a C-clamp type that needed an edge to clamp onto…thusly, I looked for another cheap one in case the first wouldn’t work out. Both are very well made, so those expensive ones must be gold-plated since I doubt they are any more sturdier. The more I thought on these two swing arms (whilst they were shipping) the more I realized that I could actually use them both; however, the 2006 Dell didn’t have the VESA mounting holes.

Enter ViewSonic VG2439Smh 24″ with a MVA panel instead of ISP. Have wanted to try a 24” VA panel display for some time now, and this was a good time for me to get one…whilst I was waiting to upgrade the ‘Apevia’ test computer’s APU/CPU as soon as the price for a Ryzen 9 3900X dropped below $400.

Enter Ryzen 9 3900X for $398.75 w/ free shipping ‘n no tax. It must be like the tray processor types because it doesn’t come with the fan/cooler. That’s fine by me, because I had already purchased a Noctua NH-U9S fan/cooler for it…more on the processor after it arrives next week.

Back to ‘Reclaiming *Prime* Desktop Real Estate’ and a couple of monitor swinging arms. WOW!!! I installed the $19.99 Loctek Full Motion Desk Monitor Arm on the left side of my desk…and the 24” monitor works perfectly with the ‘Apevia’ Ryzen™ test computer from there.

The $23.99 Fleximounts Gas Spring Desk Monitor Arm Adjustable Monitor Mount came with two ways to mount it: C-clamp method and/or a grommet mount base. Grommet mount method allowed me to install it about center of desk by drilling a hole for a bolt to go thru…roughly a 3/8ths inch hole ‘n then a threaded special nut + special rectangle type of washer to tighten it down with. Both mounting methods are well designed…tho you need an edge for the C-clamp method. I could park my truck on the desk now, if I could get the truck inside w/o ripping out the door ‘n some wall. It works perfectly with ‘Antec Jr.’ (my main computer) and the 22” monitor.

All the *Prime* desktop area is now available…more than I had imagined! The 22” monitor is easy to move around, and yet still maintains perfect viewing distance…monitor @ 5-6.5 inches off the desk leaves plenty of room underneath for a mouse, keyboard, pen light, tape measure, USB’s, note pad, etc.

Heck, the desk is over 20 years old, so I also drilled a 1” hole near the Fleximounts Gas Spring base so wires could be brought up from there. The 24” monitor easily swings out to the left of the desk until I need it, i.e. it takes up no desktop space until I swing it back over the far left side.

Rule of Thumb – if you can’t install Ubuntu on it, then you can’t install any Linux Distro on it.

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