Targus Dual LCD Arm Review

by Jerry Jackson

If you've got two LCDs taking up valuable space on your desk then Targus might have the perfect solution for you. The Targus Ergonomic Dual LCD Display Arm provides users with an ergonomic solution by positioning up to two LCD monitors at eye level to help avoid strain while working. The height of the LCD arm is adjustable so a number of different users can change the height to suite their needs. The arm also pivots horizontally making it easy to adjust for visibility and comfort.

Before I jump into this review I want to point out one minor annoyance with the name of this product. Calling a dual LCD arm a "Dual LCD Display Arm" is like calling an ATM an "ATM Machine." LCD stands for "Liquid Crystal Display" so Targus technically is calling this mounting arm a "Dual Liquid Crystal Display Display Arm." That's just one too many words.

Now that I've vented, let's talk about what makes this product great.

Product Features and Specifications:

• Compatibility: Dual monitor arm supports two 13 lb. LCD monitor with VESA mounting
  capabilities
• Ergonomic: Horizontally and vertically adjustable. Holds LCD monitor at eye level to help
  avoid neck and eye strain during work
• Cable Management: Integrated cable management keeps cables hidden and desktops
  clutter free
• Color: Brushed aluminum
• Exterior Dimensions: 17.25" tall by 16.25" horizontal reach
• Weight 8.44 lbs
• Model Number: AWE33US
• Warranty: Limited One Year Warranty
• MSRP: $199.99

Build and Design

The Targus Dual LCD Stand is an attractive, streamlined design that has a lot to offer if you're currently using two LCDs on your desk. The entire assembly is made from brushed aluminum with rugged hinges and thick plastic (with metal reinforcement) on the mounting plates and vertical adjustment arm.

To help keep your workspace organized, the dual LCD arms also include a cable management feature so your monitor cords are hidden and your desk is free from unnecessary clutter. Each articulating arm contains a hollow channel on the bottom where you can insert cables an secure them with a plastic snap-in plate. While the cable routing isn't "perfect" it does hide cables better than most LCD arms we've seen.

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The central support column also serves as the vertical adjustment arm and is locked into place with a twisting tension collar. While this part of the design is nice, I would have liked to be able to independently adjust the height of each monitor. Likewise, while the tension collar feels extremely stable, I would feel more secure about trusting the height adjustment if I could lock it with a bolt.

Installation

The Dual LCD Arm is extremely easy to install. The center support pole for the LCD arms can be mounted through an existing hole in the desk or clamped to the side of the desk for added convenience. The steel clamp is quite solid and didn't budge even when I applied significant pressure to the stand. Overall, this setup is ideal for home offices or corporate environments, or college dorms because the Targus LCD Arm mounts to desks without having to drill into the desk and it allows you to create a comfortable, ergonomic workspace to help increase productivity.

The VESA compliant LCD mounting plates meet international pre-defined mounting standards used by LCD manufacturers making the arm compatible with VESA compliant LCD monitors. However, it's worth noting that this display arm complies with the "VESA 75" standard and not the "VESA 100" standard. If you are mounting a LCD that uses the larger 100mm VESA mount you will need to purchase a separate mount adapter plate to connect the included 75mm VESA mount to your LCD. My 22" LCD uses the VESA 100 standard, so I had to purchase an additional adapter plate to use it with this stand.

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The Targus Dual LCD Display Arm supports two LCD monitors that weigh up to 13 lbs. each. My desktop setup includes one 19" LCD weighing 7 lbs. and a 22" LCD weighing 19 lbs. (although I think 19 lbs includes the weight of the original stand). In any case, if both weights are correct I am officially maxing out the weight limit for this support arm.

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Despite the heavy load, the Targus Dual LCD Arm manages to support both displays quite nicely and offers a range of movement and fine adjustment to get exactly the viewing angles I want from both displays. Both mounting arms can rotate 90 degrees to swing either LCD into portrait or landscape position ... a nice feature for reading webpages or lengthy Excel documents.

Conclusion

Bottom line, the Targus "Dual LCD Display Arm" is a solid piece of engineering that is perfect for any desk with two LCDs. We were extremely impressed with the clean looks and durable build quality of this stand. Most competing dual LCD stands have an MSRP greater than $350 and a street price of more than $200. The Targus Dual LCD Arm has an MSRP of $200 and a street price just above $150.

Considering that the Targus has a less cluttered design and better cable routing than the higher priced competition it's easy to recommend this stand. The only minor issues we encountered with this stand was the lack of separate height adjustments for each LCD (not an issue for most consumers) and the lack of VESA 100 mounting hardware. Additionally, it would have been nice of the vertical adjustment collar could be locked into place with a bolt for extra security ... but the tension collar feels secure.

If you're looking for a dual LCD stand, the Targus "Dual LCD Display Arm" is an excellent choice.

Pros

• Attractive design
• Easy to install
• Excellent range of motion
• Good cable routing
• Great price

Cons

• No independent height adjustment for each LCD
• Tension height adjustment is convenient, but a locking pin/screw would be nice
• Separate mounting adapter required for VESA 100 standard

 

Looks like Amazon.com has this mount for $150, that's a great price. The ease of install is a big deal with these devices too, the last one reviewed on this site (Ergotron Dual Arm: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4045) was quite a chore.

Two monitors can be useful for just about any job, not just traders, programmers and designers. Once you get a taste of it it's hard to use one measly monitor.

 

I'm really fond of that design. Perfect blend of form and function. This just made me cringe, though:

If I have got two LCDs? Are you serious?

=\

 

There are VESA standard notebook trays that you can connect to these types of stands to hold notebooks ... but since both arms don't have independent height adjustment I personally feel this stand should only be used for LCDs.

I guess I could have clarified.

 

Good review. At $150 though, I would have to disagree with the "great price" statement. For $150, I could add a 3rd 19" LCD to my collection!

I think with my next desktop, I'll go with two 22" then later on get a 28" and put it in the center as my primary monitor then have the two 22"'s on the side. I'll agree though a multiple monitor setup is the way to go. I remember reading that it increases productivity by 20% or more. A good investment that will pay off in no time...

 

Nice review Mr. Jackson

Yeah, $150 is probably more than I would spend but people who have two monitors and who want clean desk(cable management looks good) and/or who needs the ergonomic features would easily spend the money(plus, the design is nice).

Increase productivity is good but increased productainment(productivity and entertainment) is even better

 

Yes, at home I have one screen running "serious" applications like Photoshop and Microsoft Office while the other screen is usually running a movie. "Productainment" is a darn good word for it.

 

I know, I was just giving you trouble for your grammar.

I ain't have got none of that there stuff. All in good fun.