My expensive monitor arm broke after 6 months of use

I got a top rated gas spring arm from a popular brand back in March and it just collapsed last Tuesday with my 32 inch screen attached. Turns out the locking mechanism was held together with cheap plastic that snapped clean off. Has anyone found a monitor arm that actually holds up with heavier monitors or should I just go back to using the stock stand?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_cooper1mo ago

Had the exact same thing happen with my Ergotron LX after 8 months. The whole gas spring just gave up one morning and my screen hit the desk hard. Here's the thing I've noticed about all this stuff lately. Everything is being built to last just long enough to get past the return window. My dad's monitor arm from 2015 still works perfectly but anything newer than 2020 seems to use cheaper plastic internals. It's not just monitor arms either. Look at washing machines, vacuum cleaners, even simple kitchen gadgets. They all have one weak point made of plastic that snaps and kills the whole thing. The only real solution I've found is to buy used older models on ebay or check if the manufacturer sells metal replacement parts separately.

tessacarter1mo ago

Grabbed a used Ergotron LX from ebay after my new one crapped out the same way. Night and day difference, the older one is way more sturdy. Just make sure you get one that's pre-2020 if you can.