Having the right desk size is essential for a comfortable workspace that keeps you productive and organized. A desk that is cluttered because it’s too small can feel messy and distract you from getting your tasks done. If you are in the market for a new desk, be sure to follow my sizing tips in this article.
So what size of desk should you get for two monitors? Get a desk that is at least 63 inches (160 cm) wide and 28 inches (71 cm) deep. This desk size fits two 24″ monitors side by side as well as your desktop or laptop with a few extra inches to work with. A desk that is 28 inches deep gives ample space for your keyboard and mouse to sit in front of the monitors as well as some extra space to write or take notes. I always recommend a larger desk if you can afford it and have the space.
Now, if you want to know why this is the best desk size for two monitors keep reading on. I provide a lot of useful insights that you probably did not consider for your setup and I also give further recommendations depending on your monitor sizes as well as how much space you have to work with. I also consider other factors like material, cost, weight, ease of assembly, etc. If you are going to buy a new desk for your workspace or gaming computer setup with a dual monitor setup, make sure you read this article first.
Best Desk Size For Two Monitors
The answer I gave before is valid regardless of the size of your monitors, going all the way up to two 27 inch monitors. A 63 inch wide desk will be adequate to hold two 27 inches monitors while giving you a comfortable experience with enough extra space for work, placing decorations and lights, as well as some food or snacks.
The absolute minimum desk depth I recommend is 24 inches and prefer 28 inches. This desk depth allows for your monitor and keyboard to sit on the desk in a way that allows you to maintain the proper viewing distance with a good posture and hand position.
I recommend this size of desk even if your monitors are smaller and don’t take up as much room. You never want a desk that only barely fits your monitors with no extra room for anything else. Besides, maybe you’ll upgrade your equipment in the future and get bigger monitors. A larger sized desk is accommodating of changes and is versatile.
That being said, you may not have the space to fit a 63 inch wide desk in your room. The table below will show you the bare minimum size of desk you should get depending on the monitor size assuming you will only place your monitors on the desk. The recommended size column takes into consideration your computer, speakers, and a lamp as well.
If you are planning to put even more items on top of the desk like a printer or multiple computers, you need to consider even larger sizes than the table below and also start thinking about how much weight the desk can carry. I talk more about such considerations later on.
Dual Monitor Size + Equipment | Bare Minimum Size (Only Fits Two Monitors) | Recommended Size |
---|---|---|
20 – 22 inches (51 – 56 cm) | 45 inches by 24 inches | 58 inches by 28 inches (or larger) |
23 – 24 inches (58 – 61 cm) | 50 inches by 24 inches | 63 inches by 28 inches (or larger) |
25 – 27 inches (63.5 – 69 cm) | 55 inches by 24 inches | 63 inches by 28 inches (or larger) |
28 – 30 inches (71 – 76 cm) | 62 inches by 24 inches | 78 inches by 28 inches (or larger) |
If Your Monitors Are Smaller Than 23 Inches
If your monitors are smaller than 23 inches, I highly recommend you purchase a desk with the assumption you will have larger monitors in the future. The ideal size for a monitor currently is 24 inches or larger. This is subjective I know, but hear me out.
The most common monitor size currently is 24 inches with a 1080p resolution. You can purchase monitors with 2K and 4K resolutions as well and while a 24 inch monitor with 2K resolution (1440p) is pretty decent, you generally want larger monitor size for these higher resolution monitors. As such, when these resolutions become more common and cheaper, we’ll see a trend towards larger monitor sizes.
Furthermore, 24 inches is the sweet spot for 1080p monitors and many people will agree with me on this. If you buy a new monitor in the future, unless its for some specialized application that requires a weird size, chances are you will get a 24 inch monitor or something around there. You should buy your desk with this in mind.
How To Fit Two Monitors On A Small Desk
Another problem you can run into is if you have bigger monitors than you have desk space in your house. In this scenario, I recommend a dual monitor desk mount as this will secure your monitors to the desk and occupy much less space than if your monitors were on their own stands. Furthermore, the arm will give you the ability to adjust you monitor’s position and orientation in the air, so you won’t be limited by desk space.
If you have large monitors that are on their own stands and the desk is too small, chances are the monitors will hang off the sides of the desk. This is a recipe for disaster as they can get bumped by someone walking by and break.
What Else Should I Consider When Buying A Desk
While desk size is perhaps the most important consideration, there’s a few more things you should think about so you don’t regret your decision in the future.
Why You Should Consider Desk Shape When Purchasing A Desk?
While you can’t really go wrong with a rectangular desk, I’m a strong proponent of more desk space whenever possible. A custom shaped desk can offer you more desk space by fitting better in the available space.
L Shaped desks fit nicely in corners and increase the depth of the desk on one side to give you additional desk space. This space can be great for a printer, or space to take notes, place decorations, etc.
Standing Desks Are All The Rage These Days
If you are buying a new desk and haven’t considered an adjustable standing desk, please do. If you sit at your desk for many hours of the day, your posture and overall health can suffer if you aren’t taking breaks and stretching from time to time. A standing desk is a great way to change it up during the day and keep your body moving.
Nowadays, you can find adjustable desks that switch between sitting and standing positions with the press of a button.
Other Things To Consider When Buying A Desk
- Cost – This is a given and you probably know your budget. You can find a decent desk for $100, but if you can dish out some extra money for an adjustable sit/stand desk, I would highly recommend it. I use this type of desk and can’t imagine ever going back to a desk with fixed height. Similarly, if you can afford to pay a bit more for a slightly larger desk and avoid feeling cramped while working, I would seriously consider doing so.
- Weight Capacity – If you are going to place your computer, two monitors, printer, speakers all on one desk, you’re gonna have to consider it’s weight capacity for safety.
- Ease of Assembly – Will you install your desk in one spot and never move it again? Or do you need it to be easily movable. Are you putting the desk together yourself, or are you paying for it to be installed? Consider all these things before you buy a desk and are 4 hours into building it with no end in sight.
- Materials – This is somewhat built into the other considerations. The material you want will influence the price, and durability of the desk as well as how it looks in the room.
- Style – One of the most important considerations is to match the desk with other furniture in the room both in color as well as style. A single piece of mismatched furniture sticks out like a sore thumb, and you’re the one whose gonna notice it every day.

Hamid Tahir is a Mechatronics Engineer and founder of WFH Overload. He is currently working from home and is dedicated to the continuous improvement of his home office setup. Hamid has extensive experience setting up workspaces and dealing with the related tech. He hopes to share his knowledge to help you create the most productive and comfortable work from home setup. Read More