How much space do you need for a dual monitor setup?

Two 24 inch monitors need a desk at least 120 cm (47.2 in) wide, and they're comfortable on 150 cm (59.1 in). Two 27s need 150 cm (59.1 in). That extra 30 cm is the difference between a desk that just holds two screens and a setup where your mouse finally stops falling off the edge.

The catch is that a monitor's size is measured corner to corner, not across. Two 24 inch screens are about 107 cm (42 in) wide side by side before you leave any gap, so the chart below adds up the monitors' real widths.

How big should a desk be for 2 monitors?

"Screens side by side" is the width of both monitors, frames included, with their edges touching. Screen size means the diagonal of a standard 16:9 widescreen monitor.

"Comfortable" is our rule of thumb, not a standard: about 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) of spare width for keyboard and mouse travel. Under about 13 cm (5 in), the setup feels tight.

The desk sizes are the widths we sell in Australia: 120, 150, 180 and 200 cm, all 75 cm deep. Our Dual Mini desks (80 x 50 cm to 110 x 60 cm) can't comfortably hold two 24 inch or larger monitors side by side.

Adding a laptop beside the screens

A 13 to 16 inch laptop is about 30 to 36 cm (12 to 14 in) wide, and next to the monitors it needs its own patch of desk.

Put the laptop on a stand in front of the screens, or on an arm, and the first chart applies instead.

Quick size checks

Is a 40 inch desk big enough for two monitors? Not for two 24s. You will see 40 inches (100 cm) quoted for that pair, but the screens alone are about 42 inches (107 cm) across.

Is a 47 inch desk enough? For two 24s, yes (a 120 cm desk), with about 13 cm (5 in) to spare. For two 27s, no: they're about 122 cm (48 in) across.

Is a 55 inch desk enough? Two 27s fit with about 18 cm (7 in) spare. Two 32s, at about 142 cm (56 in), don't. Our nearest desk width is 150 cm (59.1 in).

Why the diagonal isn't the width

A 24 inch monitor is 24 inches corner to corner. Its width depends on its shape, and a standard desk monitor is 16:9 widescreen: 16 units wide for every 9 tall. For that shape:

Screen width = diagonal x 0.872

The 0.872 is 16 divided by the diagonal of a 16 by 9 rectangle (the square root of 337, about 18.36).

That's the screen alone. The bezel, the frame around it, adds a little. Published specs for three office monitors list real widths about 1 to 3 percent wider: about 53.9 cm (21.2 in) for a 24 inch class model, 61.1 cm (24.0 in) for a 27 inch and 71.3 cm (28.1 in) for a 32 inch. The chart adds up those real widths.

To check your own pair, take the width from each spec sheet (usually listed under dimensions with stand), add any gap you want, then add 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) for keyboard and mouse room. The 0.872 shortcut works for 16:9 screens only, so for an ultrawide or any other shape, go straight to the spec sheet.

How deep should the desk be?

Width decides whether the screens fit. Depth decides how far back from them you sit. On the 27 and 32 inch examples above, the stand's foot takes about 19 to 23 cm (7.5 to 9 in) of depth, straight out of the space between you and the screen.

OSHA's monitor guidance puts the screen at least 50 cm (20 in) from your eyes. On a 75 cm (29.5 in) deep desk with the stands pushed back, the screens sit about 50 to 56 cm (20 to 22 in) from the front edge. With your eyes a little behind that, you clear the minimum, but not by much.

Our standard depth, 75 cm (29.5 in), is the one to choose when the monitors sit on their stands, especially 27s and 32s. A 61 cm (24 in) deep desk works best with the screens on arms, which lift the stand foot off the desk.

When a dual monitor arm saves space (and when it doesn't)

An arm doesn't make a side by side pair any narrower. Two 27s in landscape are about 122 cm (48 in) across on stands or on an arm. What an arm does change:

• Depth. The stand foot leaves the desk, giving back about 19 to 23 cm (7.5 to 9 in) in front of you. That matters most on a 61 cm (24 in) deep desk.
• Gap and angle. You can close the gap and angle both screens toward you without two stand feet in the way.
• Width, but only in portrait. Turned on its side, a monitor's width becomes its height. Two 27s in portrait span about 67 cm (26.5 in) instead of 122 cm (48 in), and two 32s about 80 cm (31.4 in), before bezels. Portrait pays off for long documents or code.

Match the arm to the screens. The Desky Dual Monitor Arm takes two monitors 27 inches and under, 2 to 10 kg (4.4 to 22 lb) each, so it covers every row of the chart except 2 x 32. For a pair of 32s, the Desky Dual Slim Aluminium Monitor Arm takes 17 to 32 inch screens at 2 to 9 kg (4.4 to 19.8 lb) each, and its 180 degrees of rotation lets you turn a screen to portrait. Compare weight limits across our dual monitor arms, then see where to position your monitor arm.

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Fitting two screens into a small space

Short on width? On a 120 cm desk, stick to two 24s. These three moves buy back more:

• Get the laptop off the side. On a stand in front of the screens or on an arm, it costs no width. See our desk setup with a laptop and monitor guide.
• Turn one screen to portrait. A 27 inch in landscape beside a 27 inch in portrait takes about 93 cm (37 in) of screen width, not 119 cm (47 in) (before bezels).
• Use a corner. OSHA notes that a corner, rather than a straight run of desk, can add space and depth for large monitors. See our L-shaped and corner desks.

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Is it better to have two monitors or one big one?

A large single monitor appeals if you like one expansive picture. At Desky, we lean toward two. Gamers can play on one screen and keep guides or chat open on the other. At work, a video call or presentation sits on one screen while your work stays on the other.

One big screen does save width, though. Published specs put one 34 inch curved ultrawide at about 81 cm (32 in) across, so a screen like that fits a 120 cm desk where two 27s, at about 122 cm (48 in), won't.

Once both are on the desk, our guide to sitting at a desk with two monitors covers height, distance and angle.

Getting both screens working

Extend, don't duplicate. Press the Windows key + P and choose Extend to spread one desktop across both screens. Duplicate mirrors one picture on both; PC screen only and Second screen only switch one off. In Display settings, the same choice is Extend these displays under Multiple displays.

Snap windows into place. Windows key + Left or Right arrow snaps a window to half the screen; Windows key + Z opens snap layouts.

A splitter won't extend. An HDMI splitter sends one picture to both screens: a mirror, not a second desktop. Each extended screen needs its own output from the computer, such as a second video port, a DisplayPort hub or daisy chain (MST), a USB display adapter or a dock. Our guide to monitor connections covers cables and ports.

A laptop as the second screen. A laptop's HDMI port is usually output only, so cabling two laptops together over HDMI won't show a picture. The supported Windows route is Projecting to this PC, using the optional Wireless Display feature. Mouse Without Borders, a Microsoft PowerToys tool, shares one keyboard, mouse and clipboard across up to four PCs, but each laptop keeps its own screen. More in our guide to setting up two laptops together.

Dual monitor setup: pros and cons

Pros

• More screen area for side by side work: two documents, a call beside your work, a game beside its guide.
• Layout options: both in landscape, one in portrait, or angled in an arc.

Cons

• More desk width and depth: two 27s need about 122 cm (48 in) before keyboard room.
• Higher cost: a second monitor, and possibly an arm or a bigger desk.
• Setup time: cables, matching heights and lining up the screens.

Measure your desk, find your pair in the chart, and leave 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) for the keyboard and mouse. If the desk turns out to be the limit, our height adjustable desks in 150 and 180 cm widths cover every pairing in the main chart.