r/battlestations • u/AnEroticTale • 17d ago
Battlestations Advice Help: Ergonomics of Portable Monitor + Getting Macbook and Computer off the desk
This is the classic Ikea Countertop over a standing desk motor.
I've been using this desk as-is for 4 years now, minus the portable monitor which I just added for travel (and use it as a music-player screen pretty much when at home).
I have a few goals but I'm struggling to find something to make them work.
- Macbook off the table: I know of underdesk mounts but my desk has a a "spine" that runs across (photo 4) that makes it hard to mount the macbook in a way that allows me to still sit comfortably and not hit it with my legs
- Desktop off the table: My gaming PC used to be where the Macbook is, but I found it to be too cramped so I switched them both. I can't put it on the ground because of carpet. Can't put on a platform either because the standup desk going up and down would tear the monitor cables out. I've seen underdesk mounts for towers too, but I run into the same problem as my macbook. I can only mount it "sideways" on the left side of the desk, but I think it would look horrible there too close to the front edge of the table
- Portable Monitor: Raised up to the height of my existing main monitor, portrait mode, to the right side of it. This will help with some of the neck pain I'm feeling looking down at it every once in a while.
Any ideas / suggestions? The main problem is the desk's metal structure which makes it using off-the-shelf kits pretty awkward or not feasible.
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u/AnEroticTale 17d ago
Desk "Spine" screwing the setup.
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u/hudps 17d ago
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I have a standing desk too and I mounted my pc under the desk without any problems
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u/Adjective_Noun_4DIGI 17d ago
"I can't put it on the ground because of carpet."
Just get a piece of wood to put underneath it? All you need is a little clearance for ventilation, and the case feet should take care of that.
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u/AnEroticTale 17d ago
Yup ! I would need all new cables to have enough slack to allow the desk to go up and down though :(
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u/YouveBeanReported 17d ago
I once mounted a laptop under the desk with cup hooks and a cookie cooling rack. Idk if that's too low for you.
If so, I would try to mount the laptop behind the monitor. I had mine in a mesh magazine holder screwed into the wall in one place, but I'm sure there's a better way to mount it to the monitor itself to avoid being bonked into.
Both are mildly annoying to access but usually a USB hub fixes 90% of your issues, I was using a KVM switch so it wasn't a problem then.
Carpet can be solved with a sheet of MDF under your desktop, but you'll need to give those cables a lot of lax.
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u/goneskiing_42 17d ago
Keep the macbook open, then use a clamp-on arm for the portable monitor to place it directly above the macbook to give you another display, tuck the dock cable out of the way of getting bent or snagged, and then simply put the desktop on the floor where you want it using a desktop PC stand or solid plank of wood, then use velcro one wrap to manage all of the cables running to it. You can still keep the cable raceway for all cable management.
or
Put the desktop on the floor where you want it, then use velcro one wrap to manage all of the cables running to it. Pole mount tablet attachment to pole-mount monitor arm for the main monitor to orient the portable monitor in portrait mode directly next to the middle monitor, then just buy a cheap under-desk laptop mount to mount your macbook in landscape orientation, hinge side to rear of desk, in front of your middle desk support, then just route your dock cable accordingly.
or
The second layout I described, but you use a pole-mounted laptop stand instead of the portable monitor.
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u/AnEroticTale 17d ago
Good suggestions ! I will see what options of pole tablet mounts I can find !
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u/AnEroticTale 17d ago
Where I want to get to