Most desk setups have the monitor too low. The typical monitor placed on its stock stand sits with the centre of the screen at around eye level, which means you are looking slightly upward. Sustained upward gaze causes neck extension and shoulder tension that accumulates over a working day.
A monitor riser — also called a desk shelf or monitor stand — is a simple platform that raises the monitor to the correct height. It is one of the most effective ergonomic improvements you can make to a desk setup, and unlike a monitor arm, it requires no drilling, no desk-edge clamping, and no adjustment after setup.
The ergonomic case
The correct monitor position has the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. This means you look slightly downward at the screen — the natural, relaxed position for the eyes and neck. Looking upward at a screen for hours contracts the muscles at the back of the neck and upper back. Looking straight ahead is slightly better but still less comfortable than a subtle downward gaze.
For most monitors on their stock stand, the screen is too low. A riser of 10–15 cm is enough to move the top of a 27-inch screen to the correct position for an average-height adult. Taller people need more height; shorter people may need less.
The benefit is not subtle. Users who raise their monitors to the correct height consistently report less neck tension and fewer end-of-day headaches associated with eye and neck fatigue.
The hidden benefit: reclaimed desk space
A monitor riser creates a cavity underneath it. On a 30–40 cm deep riser, this space is large enough to store a keyboard when not in use, stack a laptop, hold an external drive and a notebook, or house a USB hub out of sight.
This reclaims the surface behind the keyboard — the dead zone between the keyboard and the base of the monitor that is too narrow to use for anything else but too prominent to ignore. A riser turns this space into a small shelf.
Risers designed specifically as desk shelves emphasise this storage function, with slots, cable holes, or notches built into the base. If desk organisation is a priority alongside ergonomics, a riser with built-in storage is a sensible combination purchase.
The space beneath a monitor riser is large enough for a keyboard, laptop, drives, or a USB hub — turning dead space into a usable shelf
Types of monitor riser
Fixed platform riser: A solid raised surface, typically 8–15 cm high, with legs or a solid base. The simplest and most stable option. No moving parts, no adjustment. Works well if the fixed height is right for you — measure before buying.
Adjustable-height riser: A platform with telescoping legs or stacked sections. Allows height customisation from roughly 5–18 cm. Useful if multiple people use the desk at different heights, or if you are unsure what height suits you.
Desk shelf with storage: A wider raised platform — often 70–90 cm across — designed to span the full width of the monitor and provide shelf space to either side. These suit setups where the monitor is smaller than the shelf width, allowing books, a lamp, a small plant, or a speaker to sit at the same level.
Monitor arm (not a riser, but the alternative): A monitor arm mounts the monitor on an articulated arm attached to the desk edge, removing the stand and riser entirely. Arms offer the most flexibility — height, depth, and tilt are all independently adjustable — but require a suitable desk edge for clamping or a drilled grommet hole for pass-through mounting. For setups where the monitor height needs to change regularly (standing desks, shared workspaces), a monitor arm is superior. For fixed single-user setups, a riser is simpler and cheaper.
What to check before buying
Height: Measure the eye-to-desk distance in your seated position and subtract the monitor's screen-centre height on its standard stand. The difference is the riser height you need. Do not guess — a riser that is 5 cm too low leaves the same problem you started with.
Load capacity: Most risers specify a maximum weight. A 27-inch monitor typically weighs 4–6 kg. A 32-inch or ultrawide monitor can weigh 8–12 kg. Cheap risers with thin legs can bow or shift under heavier displays — check the rated capacity against your monitor's weight.
Depth: A riser needs to be deeper than the monitor stand. A monitor stand that extends 25 cm from the screen needs a riser at least 25 cm deep. Shallow risers that leave the stand legs hanging off the edge are unstable.
Width: Standard risers (40–60 cm) fit most single monitors. If you want a desk shelf that extends beyond the monitor, choose a 70–90 cm width. For ultrawide monitors (34"+), check the total stand width before ordering.
Material: Bamboo, wood, and solid steel are all durable. Hollow particleboard risers can compress over time under heavy monitors. Metal mesh designs look open and light but offer less storage surface.
Cable management: Look for a cable hole or slot in the back of the riser so monitor and display cables can route through cleanly rather than looping around the outside. This is a small detail that makes a noticeable difference to the finished look.
The top of the monitor screen at or slightly below eye level — achievable with a 10–15 cm riser for most desk heights
Does every setup need a monitor riser?
No. A monitor arm provides all the same ergonomic benefits with more flexibility, and some desks or setups are not suited to a riser. If any of these apply, a monitor arm is the better choice:
- You have a standing desk that moves between heights
- You want to move or reposition the monitor frequently
- You use an ultrawide monitor with a very wide stand
- You want to share desk space dynamically (co-working)
For a fixed single-monitor desk where the screen stays in one place, a riser is simpler, cheaper, and requires no installation.
Browse the minimal desk setups gallery to see how monitor risers and shelves look in real setups, and see our full cable management guide for routing cables through and behind the riser neatly.
