A monitor stand uses a more basic design, with a base and pedestal supporting a VESAinterface. It is placed directly on the desktop. Compact construction minimizes its footprint as well as its overall presence in the workspace. Monitor desk mounts fall into two types: monitor arms and monitor stands. While both offer some of the same benefits, each has unique characteristics. When choosing a desk mount, consider the following: What is a monitor arm? A monitor arm suspends a display over your desktop. It utilizes a cantilever design, where interconnected arm sections support a VESAinterface. Because of how it moves, a monitor arm requires secure attachment to a surface—it either clamps to the surface’s edge or screws on through a grommet hole.