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qwimjim

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 5, 2011
159
0
I've got a 27" iMac and unlike most desktop monitors, the iMac doesn't have vertical height adjustment. If I sit straight in my chair (I'm 5'11") with my desk at proper height for my keyboard and mouse, my iMac is almost 10 inches too low. I have it sitting on a bunch of textbooks right now but it's not a great look.. what does everyone else do to raise it up for proper ergonomics?
 
I have the same size iMac. It really should be a little higher I suppose, but I've become used to it. Some people wall mount them, but that's not for me. And the idea of using phone books on my brand new desk setup is not happening...:)
 
If I want an ergonomic posture no I cannot lower my chair. My wife is 5'6" and she has the same issue, frankly I don't see how anyone could sit properly without propping up their iMac quite a few inches?
 
Get a monitor stand. There are some ugly ones around, but a bit of searching should find something to match your iMac. Amazon do a range of them.
 
then you're bending your neck, not a good idea :)

No offence here fella but quit whining about it and make something. Get some nice wood and make a platform for it on your desk or something. You can use the platform to stow away your KB & M under, or simply get some wood (oak or whichever you prefer) cut to the same dimensions and glue them together to make a solid platform block.

duckduckgo.com is your friend
 
I don't understand this. The normal height for a keyboard is 26" - 27" above the floor. The 27" iMac is 20" tall, so that would place the top of the iMac at 46" from the floor. I'm 6' and my table is 27" high. If I put a 27" iMac on this, it would actually be too high. The top of the screen would be above my eye level. The ideal maximum height for a screen is when the top of the screen is at your eye level. Lower is okay as you just use your eyes to scan the screen. I have a 22" Viewsonic monitor at a distance of 30". I never have to move my neck to read any portion of the screen.
 
No offence here fella but quit whining about it and make something. Get some nice wood and make a platform for it on your desk or something. You can use the platform to stow away your KB & M under, or simply get some wood (oak or whichever you prefer) cut to the same dimensions and glue them together to make a solid platform block.

duckduckgo.com is your friend
Of course. Everyone is a carpenter and have access to power tools needed to make a monitor platform.:rolleyes:
 
i don't know what to tell you but when i sit in a chair my eyes are at 54", if you're 6' and your eyes are at less than <46" then your chair is probably way too low.
 
Do you not have eyes that can move in their sockets?! are you an owl?
The notion that you have to move your head to look at something not directly in front of your face is rediculous.
Some people on this forum define the term anal retentive. If this is one of life's problems for you, you must be wicked bored. I shudder to think what you must go through at a stop light, having to look up and all. :eek:
I don't mean to jump on you in particular, but for god sake man, is this really a problem that needs solving?
 
How do you raise your iMac to eye level?

I have an iMac the same size. It really must be a bit higher I think, but I got used to it. Some people mount them on walls, but it's not for me. And the idea of ​​a directory on my new office setup is not the case ... :p

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Too much stuff, so little time
 
Of course. Everyone is a carpenter and have access to power tools needed to make a monitor platform.:rolleyes:

Never heard of a saw and sand paper? You dont need power tools and it doesnt have to be perfect. Local DIY stores will even cut wood to specific dimensions so the OP wouldnt even have to get his/her hands dirty. Could even go to IKEA or some homeware place and buy a few cheap chopping boards to glue together... Get creative.

Lifehacker.com is another good website.
 
Of course. Everyone is a carpenter and have access to power tools needed to make a monitor platform.:rolleyes:

d00d. Not like Lowes or Home Despot won't cut wood to size for you. It's a monitor stand not a NASA rocket.

Edit: teach me to read to the bottom of a thread, I see Phonitron beat me to the smackdown. :)
 
How do I raise the level of my head to see my screen? Oh gosh darn it, my iMac has a tilt mechanism!!!! SOLVED ;)

Seriously though fella, man-up and move on with your day, this is simple stuff. :rolleyes:
 
i don't know what to tell you but when i sit in a chair my eyes are at 54", if you're 6' and your eyes are at less than <46" then your chair is probably way too low.

I'm 5'11" when I sit in my Aeron chair - perfectly straight with proper knee bend, feet on floor, my eyes are at 48" above the floor. I actually had to get a stand to lower my iMac because I had to constantly tilt my head back to read the screen (bi-focals).
 
I'm not sure what is wrong with about half the people responding to this thread. I know how to raise my iMac, as I said I have it propped up on some books, I was asking if anyone knew of an aftermarket solution this is a little more elegant and befitting.

As far as arguing over whether ergonomics are important or if people who care about such things lack "manliness" as one put it. I'm not going to get into that, but suffice to say if you spend all day working at a computer it should be a major priority. My wife is a physio, she sees an endless stream of people with debilitating neck, back, and wrist pain in their 30's and 40's. It's always the same problem, ergonomics and posture.
 
Okay, okay serious answer.

A screw mounted stand that allows 360 swivel, tilt and height adjustment is just the ticket. A few solutions exist with variable reach adjustment i.e side of desk, centre of desk, mount, clamp or bolt to desk solution.

Is that the sort of product you require?

http://www.imacmount.com/imac-vesa-adapter.html

If you want it to be more 'elegant' you could purchase the 27" iMac VESA adaptor and a VESA Desk Arm and this will remove the hovering iMac stand that remains when elevated.
 
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I use adjustable height desks. I'm 6'2" and my eyes are 50" from the floor. My office chairs (home and work) are adjusted to maximum height. My work desk sits on 3" of lumber to raise it. My Ikea desk at home has adjustable legs. My 27" iMac at home and the monitors on my Windows PC at work are all at the correct height -- top of display even with my eyes.
 
I'm not sure what is wrong with about half the people responding to this thread.
They are outraged that you found a fault with an apple product.
How dare you! :p

I guess their solution is cobble something together that looks like a boy scout woodwork project or sit at your computer with monitor tilted, hunch your head/neck/back and develop a Quasimodo posture. :)
 
What you want is a VESA adapter for the iMac. Then you can use a large range of VESA stands, arms or wall mounts. The stands are usually the cheapest and offer enough adjustments for most people. Desk mounted arms usually offer a much wider range of adjustments but few can handle the iMac. Wall mounts rarely offer anything beyond swivel, pivot and tilt adjustments.

You just want to be sure it offers height and tilt adjustments. Pivot is a great bonus if you do a lot of reading on the computer as it sets it in a tall orientation. Which I love to do when reading PDF's as I can walk about the room while reading.

Just be sure to get one that is rated for your size of screen and weight of the iMac. For the 27" iMac I'd be looking at one rated for 30lbs or more. Most stands can handle the 21" iMac.

Here are two mounts that are rated for 30lbs. So they can handle the 27" iMac. It has a weight of 30.5lbs with the stand so it should be a couple pounds lighter when the stand is removed.
Stand Mount
Arm Mount
iMac VESA adapter

If your desk is made out of particle board with a veneer or thin boards and you want to us a desk mounted arm. You will want to put a larger steel plate on the underside and bolt to it. Just to distributed the weight over a larger area and not risk breaking the desk.

Also if you really want to get into ergonomics you should consider a standing desk that is height adjustable. When you don't feel like standing you can use a saddle chair or drafting chair.
 
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