Stacked monitors vs side by side
Side by side keeps every screen at the same comfortable height, but takes width: dual 27-inch monitors need about 49 inches. Stacked, the same two screens fit in about 24 inches of width — the footprint of one monitor.
The trade-off is height. With the bottom screen as low as it will go, the top screen of a stacked pair ends up roughly 12 inches above a seated eye line. That is fine for something you glance at — chat, email, monitoring dashboards, a trading watchlist — and tiring for something you stare at all day.
Which screen goes on top?
Put your main screen on the bottom, at eye level, and the secondary on top. A popular combination is a 34-inch ultrawide below with a 27-inch above: the ultrawide is your workspace, the 27-inch holds reference material.
Tilt the top screen down 10–15° so you look at it face-on rather than at an angle, which also cuts glare from ceiling lights.
What you need from a stacked monitor arm
Stacking needs a tall pole — in the planner, a 27-inch over a 34-inch ultrawide puts the top mounting point about 23 inches above the desk, so look for a pole of roughly 30 inches or more. The lower arm should be able to drop the bottom screen close to the desk.
Check the per-arm weight limit: ultrawides are heavy, and the top arm carries its screen on a long lever.
Updated November 12, 2026 · Dimensions calculated from each screen's diagonal and aspect ratio.