I hadn't seen many descriptions of the process of mounting a Pro Display XDR onto an articulating arm using Apple's VESA Mount Adapter, so I thought I'd share my experience.
I recently bought Mac Pro 2019 + Pro Display XDR to replace an iMac Pro. The iMac Pro was mounted on an Ergotron LX Sit-Stand Wall Arm. This arm is bigger and longer than normal and allows the monitor to reach up to standing height in addition to the normal articulation at sitting desk height.
I like using this arm because it lets me keep the iMac off the desk and positioned at any height I want, as well as being pushed flush to the wall to keep it out of the way when not being used. So the goal was to replace the iMac Pro with the Pro Display XDR.
The Ergotron arm has a 100x100 mounting plate:
To mount the Pro Display onto the plate, I first had to attach the Apple VESA Mount Adapter. This slots in in a similar way to the Pro Stand, including having the XDR's magnets guide it in:
Apple includes a metal key to lock it in place, although a small coin works just as well:
The back of the Pro Display is now VESA 100x100 compliant and can be attached to the Ergotron mounting plate:
The Pro Display XDR attached to the Ergotron LX Sit-Stand Wall Arm:
In conclusion, I found attaching the VESA Mount Adapter to the Pro Display XDR to be a very quick and painless experience. Much, much easier than the iMac Pro VESA adapter, which is a multi step process involving fishing with a plastic card to release a latch, screwing small Torx 10 screws in place, attaching a flange, before the final mounting plate goes on.
In fact, as an experiment, I reversed the above process by taking the Pro Display off the arm and placing it back on the Pro Stand (I did actually buy a Stand as well - currently deciding whether I need to keep it).
The whole process took 4 mins, and that was being very careful to cradle the monitor as I unscrewed it from the Ergotron plate. The distinctive holes make great finger holds!
I recently bought Mac Pro 2019 + Pro Display XDR to replace an iMac Pro. The iMac Pro was mounted on an Ergotron LX Sit-Stand Wall Arm. This arm is bigger and longer than normal and allows the monitor to reach up to standing height in addition to the normal articulation at sitting desk height.
I like using this arm because it lets me keep the iMac off the desk and positioned at any height I want, as well as being pushed flush to the wall to keep it out of the way when not being used. So the goal was to replace the iMac Pro with the Pro Display XDR.
The Ergotron arm has a 100x100 mounting plate:
To mount the Pro Display onto the plate, I first had to attach the Apple VESA Mount Adapter. This slots in in a similar way to the Pro Stand, including having the XDR's magnets guide it in:
Apple includes a metal key to lock it in place, although a small coin works just as well:
The back of the Pro Display is now VESA 100x100 compliant and can be attached to the Ergotron mounting plate:
The Pro Display XDR attached to the Ergotron LX Sit-Stand Wall Arm:
In conclusion, I found attaching the VESA Mount Adapter to the Pro Display XDR to be a very quick and painless experience. Much, much easier than the iMac Pro VESA adapter, which is a multi step process involving fishing with a plastic card to release a latch, screwing small Torx 10 screws in place, attaching a flange, before the final mounting plate goes on.
In fact, as an experiment, I reversed the above process by taking the Pro Display off the arm and placing it back on the Pro Stand (I did actually buy a Stand as well - currently deciding whether I need to keep it).
The whole process took 4 mins, and that was being very careful to cradle the monitor as I unscrewed it from the Ergotron plate. The distinctive holes make great finger holds!
