Arctic Z1 Pro monitor stand review

Why is it that a lot of monitors have crummy stands that are barely useable. Case in point, the stand on the LG 21:9 UltraWide IPS LED monitor (29EA73) that I reviewed 2.5 years ago. Great monitor, not so great stand. It that only allows for the screen to pivot forwards and backward, but does not allow for the monitor height to be raised and lowered. How do you fix that? Well, you could place a block under the monitor to raise it, or you can attach it to an adjustable monitor stand like the Arctic Z1 Pro. Let me show you how it works.

What is it?

The Arctic Z1 Pro monitor stand is a highly adjustable VESA monitor mount that has a built-in 4-port USB hub and is compatible with 13″ – 32″ monitors that have a VESA 75 x 75 or VESA 100 x 100 compatible screw hole pattern on the back.

What’s in the box?

Arctic Z1 Pro monitor stand
VESA mounting bracket
Hardware
Hex tools

Assembly

The Arctic Z1 Pro monitor mount is designed to be clamped to the edge of a desk or through a grommet hole in the desktop. If you are going with the clamp, the first step is to attach it to the bottom of the stand using the included hardware.

My desk is mounted flush against a wall, so I will be using the Z1 Pro through an existing 2.5-inch diameter grommet hole.

To prepare the base for use through a grommet, you have to attach a metal plate to the bottom.

In the image above, you’ll notice to cables. There’s a long USB cable and a shorter cable. The long USB cable connects the built-in 4-port USB hub in the stand’s base to your computer and the shorter cable connects to the included AC adapter to power the hub (total output 2.9A).

The threaded rod used with the edge clamp is also used to secure the stand through a grommet.

Here’s the stand secured through the grommet in my desk. You can also see 2 of the USB ports. The other ones are located on each side of the short section of the T shaped base.

The main monitor support tube screws into the threaded socket in the stand. The tube has an adjustable stop (the narrow ring at the top) which is used to adjust the height of the monitor.  The wider black ring at the bottom is a cable guide that is used to keep the monitor’s cords neatly routed.

The arm that holds the monitor slides over the support tube and locks in place with a twisting lever.

The arm is hinged to allow for the monitor to be moved closer and farther from you or even completely out of the way if that’s what you need.

To attach the monitor, it must have a 75 x 75 or 100 x 100 compatible VESA screw hole pattern on the back so that the included X bracket can be attached.

Once attached, the monitor then slides over the end of the stand’s adjustable arm and then two screws secure the monitor to the end of the arm.

With everything assembled, the monitor’s viewing angle can be adjusted up, down, left, right, etc. The Arctic Z1 Pro helps improve ergonomics, posture, etc.

The addition of the 4-port USB hub is handy.

Final thoughts

I was impressed with the Arctic Z1 Pro monitor stand until I was done with the install. At that point I realized that there was one deal breaker… there’s no way to route cables and wires from the top of the desk to the bottom of the desk because the Z1 Pro completely covers the grommet opening. This is an issue if you want a neat installation so that there aren’t a bunch of cords visible behind the monitor.

The Arctic Z1 Pro is a well made and easy to install heavy duty monitor stand that can be attached  to a desk with two methods. If you’re clamping it to the back of a desk, it’s great. Just be aware that if you need to use the grommet installation, this stand might not work out for you if you want to keep cable clutter at a minimum.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Arctic. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.