Tips for setting up your home office or gaming space.
Tips for setting up your home office or gaming space.
Hello! I’m an UX/UI designer who works mostly from home, occasionally from cafés, Airbnbs, friends’ or family homes, and I also play games when I have free time—though that’s becoming less common lately. Over the past three years, I moved away from building a custom desktop setup and managed to create a comfortable home office configuration that balances portability with performance (see specs and photos at the end). When I need to relocate, simply grab my laptop and secondary screen and move around.
For this new project, I’m aiming to enhance the arrangement by adding a desk shelf and maximizing desk space. To achieve that, I’m trying to raise my secondary monitor using a VESA-compatible method since it doesn’t support standard mounting. I’ve looked into several options but haven’t found a perfect fit: desk clamps from Amazon (too bulky), Balolo phone stand for a shelf (would require the primary screen to be about 23cm higher than the shelf, which isn’t ideal), and others. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
P.S. dickbutt is hiding in this post ___ Setup specs:
Laptop: Asus ROG G14 (2020) RTX 2060 Max-Q AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS 16Gb RAM
Monitors: 24" BenQ Mobiuz EX2510s (IPS 1920*1080, 165Hz, Gsync) + 15.6" Asus ROG XG16AHPE (IPS 1920*1080, 144Hz, Gsync)
Peripherals: Wireless keyboard, Logitech G915, wireless mouse, Airpods Pro or Steelseries Arctis 7 depending on mood.
Current home office setup: Portability mode enabled.
Perhaps the more affordable 27-inch proart? For the compact display, consider a tablet adapter compatible with VESA arms. They come in substantial sizes and simply clip onto screens. There’s no real need for a desk shelf when monitors can float together. If you’re aiming to organize items, opt for a solid wooden slab and label it as your “random clutter zone.” For a functional shelf, you’ll need a drill—any hardware store will cut wood easily if the job is straightforward. You can choose any size or color, and it will be sturdy enough.
Thanks for your reply! I hadn't encountered such clamps before, didn't realize they existed. Glad I could DIY it—it would have been quite costly if bought new. A ~30$ Ikea project would fit perfectly in my area. The main focus is more on organizing space and adding height rather than just storing items. Apart from the keyboard and mouse, thank you again! If anyone discovers other options, they’ll be very helpful.
EDIT: Regarding the Asus ProArt, even though it wasn’t the main topic, there are several reasons I didn’t want to commit right away. I’m not ready for a 1440p setup just yet—I’d wait another 2-3 years before investing in a GPU, since I don’t need it and I’m comfortable with 1080p for both gaming and work. I also don’t require a display with 144Hz for daily tasks or gaming. For color accuracy, the BenQ already meets my requirements. When purchased, the BenQ was more affordable than the ProArt anyway.
EDIT 2: If anyone ever finds a similar discussion for this purpose, here’s what works for me.
It was completely reasonable. Based on your message, gaming wasn’t a priority, so the advice made sense. Otherwise, I’d suggested different monitors. If you decide to go for a larger display, aim for at least 1440p on a 27-inch screen. 1080p works well but feels a bit rough compared to higher resolutions. It’s also significantly more affordable than most premium options.