This review is about the triple monitor arm setup.
Reason for buying: I am a software developer with limited space on my desk. Being an engineer, I am constantly upgrading and maintaining my skillset via reading technical books and watching video lectures. All this warrants an additional monitor which can be used for programming while watching lectures on the primary laptop screen or having some space closer to table’s edge where I can keep my book to read. In order to save desk space and have the option to mount an additional screen (dual/triple screen setup) I opted for a triple monitor arm. I bought the setup for a price of Rs. 10253, after bank discount, and using this with a 24-inch Dell P2419H monitor.
Now I ordered a triple monitor arm due to the following reasons:
1. It has a single arm made up of 3 sub-arms (2 simple mechanical arms which can only pivot 360 degrees and one gas spring loaded arm which can pivot 270 degrees, and move up or down) which provides the additional reach, which may be required in cases where we have bigger table tops. This makes the triple monitor arms setup more versatile and future proof.
2. Wider range of monitor screen sizes and weights that it can accommodate.
3. Because this setup is a pole mounted one, it saves more space than the setup which comes diagonally up from the table top. I can actually use the space underneath the pole to keep my books. The diagonal rising setup is more common in dual monitor arms.
4. The price difference between dual monitor setup and the triple monitor arms setup was somewhere around Rs. 1500, which is not much considering the flexibility one gets in a triple monitor arms setup.
Technical specifications (since they do not appear in listing)
Length of simple sub-arm: 210 mm (center axis to center axis)
Length of gas spring arm: 310 mm (center axis to center axis)
Pole length: 500 mm (after screwing into the base)
Base to pole top height: 535 mm
Compatible screen size: 17 inch to 32 inch
Max weight per arm: 1 to 7 kg per arm
Compatible vesa pattern: 75 mm X 75 mm and 100 mm X 100 mm
Max reach from pole to vesa bracket axis: 730 mm approx. (addition of arm lengths)
Fixing options: C type (grips at table edge and does not require a hole through table’s edge) and grommet (requires hole through table’s edge). Both come with dual fasteners.
Storage: Arms come in Styrofoam packaging, so storing them for long duration is possible without fear of termites destroying the packaging.
Pros of the triple monitor arms setup:
1. The triple arm setup is quite flexible. It can serve as a single monitor setup, dual monitor setup and triple monitor setup. Both the arms are removable separately from the arm holder as they are secured with the hep of allen bolts (5mm).
Different setup combinations are possible:
a. Single monitor setup: Mount monitor on the pole or on a single arm.
b. Dual monitor setup: Mount 1 monitor on the pole and 1 on a single arm. Or 1 monitor each on both arms.
c. Triple monitor setup: 1 monitor on each arm and 1 on the pole.
I have opted to go for the first setup with my monitor mounted on a single arm and keeping the other arm in storage.
2. Good range of monitor sizes and weights.
3. Pole mounted setup saves more space than the ones that rise diagonally from the table top.
Cons of the triple monitor arms setup:
1. The setup is quite expensive and costs more than some 24 inch monitors themselves. But at the time of writing this review, there are no good options available at the price point. Good in terms of flexibility, monitor size and weight specifications.
2. The plastic components, particularly the cable management covers are made of brittle plastic and one is required to handle them very delicately. A screw-on option would have been a better option from stability and sturdiness perspective.
3. There’s confusion regarding warranty on the item. The product listing says 5 years, the warranty button on Amazon’s website and mobile app says 3 years and if you call up Rife Technologies in Delhi, they claim it to be 1 year. Since the item is mostly mechanical and well made, I opted to keep the setup and deal with any problem with the setup if and when it occurs. The unit does not come with a warranty card.
Watch out for the following:
1. As it happens with mass produced items, the quality on some units can take an unintentional hit. My first unit came with the aluminium base with incorrect threading. The direction of the threads in one hole was a bit at an angle, rather than going straight. That led to the screw settling at an angle, which made the base plate impossible to be flush with the table’s top. Had to return the item and get a replacement. So, if you order one, make sure that all the items (screws, bolts, allen keys, plastic parts) are there in the box and that the entire setup is functional.
2. They advertise that the arms can accommodate up to 32-inch monitors, but bear in mind that if all three monitors are of 32-inch size, then they cannot be configured to form a curve around the computer operator as all of them have to be kept straight in landscape mode. In such situation, it can be difficult to read text located at the far ends of the monitors located on the left and the right-hand side, especially at high resolution. If you want to use a triple monitor setup in a curved formation, make sure not to go beyond 29-inch monitors. Or use this triple arms setup for mounting 2 monitors (for reach), in conjunction with a single monitor arm.
Hope this helps prospective buyers.
| Brand | Rife |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Rife Technologies, Rife Technologies, 362, Vardhman Plaza-2, J Block Community Center Rajouri Garden, Delhi. 110027 Service Hotline 18002120170 |
| Model | LMS-G |
| Product Dimensions | 31.5 x 8 x 8 cm; 4 Kilograms |
| Item model number | LMS-G |
| Compatible Devices | Monitors, Televisions |
| Special Features | Height Adjustment |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Display Technology | LED |
| Standing screen display size | 32 Inches |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Mounting Type | Tabletop Mount |
| Actual viewing angle | 15 Degrees |
| Has Auto Focus | No |
| Programmable Buttons | No |
| Manufacturer | Rife Technologies |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item Weight | 4 kg |
