Fast Track Sims Triple Monitor Stand/Mount

Posted by Reviews by Gov on 2nd Jan 2012

Background: For the past few months I have been toying with the idea of building a triple monitor setup for my racing cockpit. There are a lot of fantastic pictures and videos on the internet of some awesome rigs. I finally decided it was time for me to join in on the fun and got the process going. I already had a couple of ASUS monitors lying around and thought now was the time. I started pricing out all of the parts I needed and reading reviews of different monitor mount solutions for the triple screen setup. After getting a new video card lined out and monitors purchased, I started looking hard into my options concerning mounting. My initial research led me to the standard desktop mounts that ran anywhere from $200-$300. Honestly, I wasn’t that impressed with what I saw in that regard and went elsewhere for options.
My first option was to build one myself. There are many racers who have done this successfully, whether it is using some pricey 80/20 Aluminum and television wall mounts, or the cheaper lead pipe route. For my rig I wanted a mount with adjustability and also the ability to ‘fold’ it up if needed to save a bit of space. My biggest concern was being able to mount it to my cockpit which you can see in the pictures. I built my cockpit about 5-6 years ago out of 16 gauge steel square tubing and while I could probably park a car on top of it and not have to worry about damaging it, it does pose some problems as far as mounting is concerned for a triple monitor stand. One day I was browsing the iRacing hardware forum and came across a post by Mark Lutes about a triple monitor stand prototype he was developing for his awesome sim racing cockpits. I commented on the thread that the mount appeared it would be ideal for my cockpit. Mark PM’d me to see if I would be interested in a prototype he built if I would provide some feedback for him. We worked out the details concerning my setup and the measurements I needed.
Build Quality:After receiving the mount in the mail a couple of days later, my first impression of the unit was that it was SOLID. The mount is very well built and a lot of attention was paid to the details. The welds on the base look good and strong and the paint job is top notch. All of the pieces have plastic caps or covers to hide any of the adjustment screws or bare surfaces. It is a very professional looking product. Not much more to say here, top notch.
Ease of use and Adjustability: The adjustability of this rig is very good with one caveat that really will be a non-issue for most users. You must have 3 identical monitors for this stand to function properly. The reason being is that the monitor arms and center mount are not independently adjustable as far as height is concerned. Therefore if you have two different brand or even model monitors they will most likely have different vertical mounting locations on the back. The particular monitors I am using on the arms (ASUS VW246H) have the mounting point towards the top part of the monitor and not in the center of the back. My center monitor is an ASUS VK246H, which is virtually identical to the VW246H’s, but has a webcam on top. Even though they are the same monitor with a little cosmetic difference, the mounting point on the center monitor is about 1/8-1/4” lower than the other two. I was able to make this work, but it is something to be aware of if you don’t have three matching monitors. There is roughly 11” of usable vertical adjustment for the monitor arms and center bar, which should be more than enough for most users, whether your mount will be lower or higher than normal. All adjustments are made by loosening a hex bolt with the included hex wrench. There is a plastic cap covering each adjustment bolt that is easily removed and provides a nice finish. Once any adjustment is made, simply tighten everything back up and you are good to go. The arms are long enough to provide for wide variety in monitor sizes and viewing angles. I don’t know what the official monitor size limit is, but I would venture to say that up to a 28” monitor would fit. Mark will have to jump in here.
Value: I am not sure if Mark has listed the prices officially for these mounts, but I do believe that they are going to be under $300. Sure that is a lot of money, but really isn’t out of line at all when compared to commercial desk mounts for triple monitors. This mount however is built like a tank and you don’t have to worry about your side monitors sagging, not matter the size. The ability to bolt to your rig or table is definitely a plus as it reduces the footprint a bit and provides increased stability.I was a bit worried that if I had a standard desk monitor I would snag one of the monitors when walking by and drag the whole thing off in the floor. I don’t have to worry about this problem with this particular rig.
Conclusion:So, you get what you pay for, as I don’t think you can find a better constructed triple monitor mount for the price. You can tell that this rig was built by a sim racer for sim racers. From my communications, Mark appears a standup guy and I am sure he will be more than willing to provide support for any problems that may arise. As more and more sim racers are making the switch to triple monitor setups, the demand for a great monitor stand is going to increase, and I believe that the Fast Track Sims Triple Monitor Mount is a fantastic solution for those looking for a solid stable and adjustable monitor stand for their rigs.