Choosing The Right Monitor Stand: Measurements And Sizing

Knowing how to measure your monitor stand size is important for several reasons. Whether you're looking to buy a new monitor or want to ensure your current one fits your workspace, having the correct measurements is essential. The most common way to measure a monitor is diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner, excluding the bezel or frame. This provides a consistent measurement, regardless of the screen's size or aspect ratio. You can use a standard tape measure or a ruler, ensuring it's long enough to reach across the screen. Place it flat on any corner of the screen, pull it taut, and drag it to the opposite corner to get the diagonal length. You can also use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate this length by measuring the width and height of the monitor and taking the square root of their sum. Additionally, you can find the aspect ratio by comparing the length and height measurements and dividing them if necessary. For example, a monitor with a width of 20.9 inches and a height of 11.8 inches has an aspect ratio of approximately 16:9. Knowing how to measure your monitor stand size will help you make informed decisions when purchasing new equipment or arranging your existing setup.

Measure the Diagonal Size

To measure the diagonal size of your monitor, you will need a measuring tape or a long ruler. It is beneficial to use a measuring tool with imperial inch measurements as monitor sizes are usually standardised using this unit. However, you can also use a metric measuring tool and convert the result to inches (cm divided by 2.54).

Place the tape measure or ruler at the top left corner of your screen, ensuring that you only measure the display screen and not the bezels or plastic case. Stretch the tape measure to the bottom right corner of your screen. The number at the end of the tape measure is your diagonal monitor size.

If you are using a piece of string or paper, draw it taut and mark the point where it stretches to the diagonal length of the screen. Then, use a ruler to measure from that point to the starting point.

If you don't have a measuring tool, you can also find your monitor's diagonal size by looking up the model number on the manufacturer's website or on a search engine.

The diagonal size of a monitor is typically denoted in inches and is usually the most prominent feature in the specifications of a monitor. This is because measuring diagonally provides a more accurate representation of the relative overall size of the screen, regardless of its other specifications.

Measure the Width and Height

To measure the width and height of your monitor, you will need a measuring tape or a long ruler. If you don't have either of these, you can use a piece of string or paper, but you will still need a ruler to determine the size by comparing the string/paper to it.

Make sure your measuring tool has imperial inch measurements, as physical monitor sizes have been unofficially standardized to use imperial measurements. It's easy to convert metric to imperial (just divide your cm result by 2.54 to get inches), but if you have an imperial measuring tool, you can cut out this step.

Now, place the measuring tape horizontally across the screen for the width, and vertically for the height. Make sure to only measure the actual display screen part of your monitor and not the bezels or the plastic "case" around the screen.

Measurements are typically given in inches or centimetres. For example, a monitor might be 20.9 inches wide and 11.8 inches tall.

If you want to measure the display's surface area, simply multiply the width by the height, and the number you get is the total surface area. A display with a larger surface area technically equals a larger screen.

Measure the Aspect Ratio

To measure the aspect ratio of your monitor, you will need to first measure the width and height of the screen in pixels or inches. It is important to only measure the screen itself, excluding the frame or border. You can use a ruler or a tape measure for this.

Once you have the width and height, you can divide the width by the height to get the aspect ratio. For example, if your monitor has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, you would divide 1920 by 1080, which equals 1.78, or an aspect ratio of 16:9.

Common aspect ratios for monitors include:

• 1.33:1 (4:3) - This was the standard for many CRT monitors and early LCD monitors.
• 1.66:1 (5:3) - This is commonly used in European cinema.
• 1.78:1 (16:9) - This is the most common aspect ratio for widescreen monitors and is used for HDTV and most video content.
• 1.85:1 - This is commonly used in North American cinema.
• 2.35:1 - This is an ultra-widescreen aspect ratio used in cinema for panoramic shots and is also available for gaming and professional applications.

If you don't want to measure your monitor manually, you can find the aspect ratio by checking the product specifications or looking up your monitor's model number online. Additionally, there are online aspect ratio calculators and tools that can help you determine the aspect ratio of your monitor.

Measure the Bezel Size

To measure the bezel size of your monitor, you'll first need to determine whether your monitor has a raised bezel or a flat front glass screen. Raised bezels have a frame around the edges, while flat front glass screens have edge-to-edge glass without a raised frame.

If your monitor has a raised bezel, follow these steps:

• Measure the height and width of the entire glass display, including the raised bezel.
• Measure the height and width of the viewable screen area, making sure to measure within the bezel.
• Subtract the height and width measurements of the viewable area from the respective measurements of the entire display. The resulting values will give you the bezel size in height and width.

If your monitor has a flat front glass screen without a raised bezel, you can determine the bezel size by subtracting the screen dimensions from the overall dimensions of the monitor. Here's how:

• Measure the height and width of the monitor's front panel, including the casing or frame.
• Measure the height and width of the viewable screen area.
• Subtract the height and width measurements of the viewable area from the respective measurements of the front panel. The resulting values will give you the bezel size, or the thickness of the frame, in height and width.

Keep in mind that the bezel size may not be uniform on all sides, so you might want to measure multiple sections of the bezel to ensure accuracy.

Additionally, if you're looking to purchase a privacy filter or screen protector for your monitor, it's important to measure within the bezel to get the correct product size.

Monitor Depth and Weight

When measuring the size of your monitor, it's important to focus on the screen itself, excluding the bezel or frame. This is known as the visible area or display screen. The standard practice is to measure the diagonal length of the screen from one corner to the opposite corner. This provides a consistent measurement, regardless of the screen's other specifications.

To measure the diagonal length, place your measuring tool at the top left corner of the screen and stretch it to the bottom right corner. Make sure the measuring tape is taut and flat, especially if you're measuring a curved monitor. Read the measurement at the end of the tape, rounding to the nearest whole number as monitor sizes typically fall within the natural number spectrum. Common monitor sizes include 21″, 24″, 27″, and 32″, while laptop screens vary with popular sizes being 11.5″, 12″, 13.3″, 14″, 15.6″, and 17″.

If you're unable to measure the screen directly, you can estimate the diagonal length by measuring the width and height of the screen and then using the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the diagonal. Simply square the width and height, add the two numbers, and then find the square root of the sum. Alternatively, you can input the width and height into an online Pythagorean theorem calculator.

While the diagonal length is the standard measurement, it's important to also consider the depth of your monitor, especially if you have limited desk space. The depth of a monitor refers to its thickness, which can vary depending on the type of screen and other specifications. For example, older cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors are typically bulkier, while LCD screens are slimmer and take up less space.

When considering monitor depth, it's also worth noting that the aspect ratio can provide some indication of the relative depth. The aspect ratio represents the ratio between the width and height of the screen. Common aspect ratios include 4:3, 5:3, 16:9, and 16:10. A monitor with an aspect ratio of 16:9, for instance, indicates that for every 16 units of width, there are 9 units of height.

Additionally, the weight of a monitor is an important consideration, especially if you plan to mount it on a stand or arm. The weight can vary significantly depending on the size, type, and materials used. For example, an Apple Pro Display monitor with a screen size of 21.0″-25.7″ has a weight of 11.3 lb | 5.12 kg for just the screen and 15.9 lb | 7.2 kg including the screen and casing.

To find the weight of your monitor, you can refer to the product specifications listed by the manufacturer, either on their website or on a sticker usually found on the back of the monitor. This will provide you with the most accurate weight, including the screen and any additional components.

Frequently asked questions