A clear and clutter-free desk could make a world of distinction in your productiveness since having too many issues on prime of your desk might be distracting and trigger you to lose concentrate on the duty at hand.
Even with one of many finest standing desks arrange in my workplace, I discover that I can by no means have sufficient desk house. Whether or not I’m utilizing my desk to take a look at out sensible house gadgets or for taking images, I’m all the time in search of new methods to maximise my workspace.
Whereas I’ve used a monitor stand and even downsized my keyboard previously to unencumber some valuable desk house, I knew I might do much more with the appropriate accent. Happily, certainly one of my former colleagues at Tom’s Information pointed me to at least one that I didn’t even know existed.
Over the previous few years, the finest mini PCs have gotten much more highly effective with out compromising their a lot smaller type issue. Though the mini PC I’ve on my desk already takes up loads much less house than a full-size PC, by mounting it to the again of my monitor, I might have much less cables operating up the again of my desk with much more free house. In order that’s precisely what I did.
An entire new use for these VESA mounting holes
In the event you’ve ever mounted one of many finest TVs to the wall or added a monitor arm to your desk setup, then you definately’re probably accustomed to VESA. These patterns of holes in the back of each TVs and screens make it simple to make use of a TV mount or a monitor stand or arm as an alternative of their included stands.
What you could not find out about VESA although is you could additionally use these holes to mount different gadgets to your show together with a mini PC — that’s if in case you have the appropriate adapter. Though I’ve all the time liked the thought of mounting a mini PC to the again of a monitor with a purpose to save house, I didn’t understand there have been adapters that allow you to do exactly that whereas nonetheless utilizing a monitor stand or arm.
The VESA mount adapter extender bracket I bought ($13, Amazon) is designed for Intel’s NUC line however it’s additionally suitable with different mini PCs. Whereas one finish of the adapter goes between your monitor and your monitor stand, you may mount a VESA-compatible mini PC to the opposite facet and have it tucked neatly behind your show.
I picked up a Minisforum UM350 ($289, Amazon) mini PC on sale final 12 months and regardless that I didn’t assume I’d have a lot use for it on the time, it got here with a VESA mounting bracket. It took simply two screws to safe the bracket to the underside of the PC.
From right here, I needed to take away the bracket from the underside of the mini PC in order that I might connect it to the adapter. Afterwards, the mini PC simply slid proper into place. In the event you plan on doing one thing related, you wish to preserve the orientation that your mini PC might be in as soon as mounted to the again of your monitor in thoughts throughout the set up course of.
I selected to have my mini PC’s energy button and entrance ports dealing with up in order that the rear ports can be nearer to the monitor’s ports. This meant that I might use shorter cables whereas utilizing the built-in cable administration in my monitor stand ($30, Amazon) to maintain the whole lot tidy.
Saving these additional bolts positive got here in useful
With my mini PC mounted to my VESA mount adapter extender bracket, it was time to connect it to the again of my monitor and reinstall my monitor stand. I hoped to reuse the bolts I already had however there was a catch.
The bolts I used to connect my mini PC to the extender bracket caught out a bit too far and pushed up in opposition to the again of the monitor. Whereas I might tighten the bolts on the far proper facet utilizing the prevailing bolts from my monitor stand, they simply weren’t lengthy sufficient on the left facet. Happily, as I all the time do, I saved the entire bolts that got here with my monitor stand and I used to be capable of finding some longer ones for the 2 holes on the left.
Though I might have used shorter bolts to connect the mini PC to the extender bracket, the best way that I ended up doing it labored out because it offered a bit extra space for airflow beneath the underside of my pc.
With my mini PC mounted firmly to the left facet of the again of my monitor, it was time to wire the whole lot up. The longer cables I used beforehand would depart me with loads of additional cable to handle which is why I discovered some shorter HDMI cables within the repurposed shoe rack I’ve hanging on the again of the closet door in my workplace.
A good cleaner setup now with extra desk house
Earlier this 12 months once I bought my Samsung M7 Good MonitorI believed I did a reasonably good job making a minimal desk setup with a mini PC on one facet and my Nintendo Swap in its DIY dock on the opposite. It has served me rather well over the previous few months whereas working from house in addition to when taking part in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Although my desk already seemed loads cleaner than many others, I knew deep down that I might do higher. Once I heard that VESA mount adapter extender brackets might permit me to do one thing I’ve all the time needed to strive, I knew it was time to redo my setup.
The tip end result makes it seem like there isn’t even a pc on the desk in any respect. I swapped my wired mechanical keyboard for a wi-fi one — the NuPhy Air 75 in case you had been questioning – and I additionally discovered a approach to eliminate my already smaller, re-shelled Nintendo Swap dock. With the Genki Covert Dock Mini ($50, Amazon) plugged into an influence strip in my desk’s cable administration trayI solely have a single USB-C cable that runs up from the underside of the desk to make use of my Swap in docked mode.
Though I’ll probably find yourself redoing my desk setup but once more down the road, I’m actually proud of how this one turned out. I haven’t had any issues with the mini PC mounted to the again of my monitor and with a toddler operating round my workplace, there’s one much less button for him to attempt to press. In case you have a mini PC that’s VESA suitable, you could wish to contemplate doing one thing related, particularly if you happen to worth desk house as a lot as I do.
