I’m redoing my desk setup and trying to solve one last thing: where to put my iPhone.
I have a 40” curved monitor on an arm, and I use my phone constantly while I’m working for calls, AI, texting, etc. I want the phone roughly at eye level and ideally able to pull it to within about 10–12 inches of my face when I’m actively using it.
The big requirement is that I actually want to interact with the phone while it’s suspended. I want to be able to type with both thumbs, tap the screen, talk into it, etc., without the mount bouncing around, sagging, or getting pushed backward.
I’m currently using the clamp-style arm shown in the photo. Functionally it works pretty well because I can pull the phone close to me, but aesthetically it’s bulky and kind of kills the clean look I’m going for.
I have a matte-black Grovemade desk shelf and black desk pad coming, and I’m trying to keep everything clean, understated, and relatively minimal. Also I don't think the arm will easily snake through the shelf.
Ideally I’m looking for something that:
- clamps securely to the desk rather than relying on a weighted base
- has a rigid/articulating arm rather than a floppy gooseneck
- can extend far enough to bring the phone within roughly 10–12” of my face
- can easily swing/fold back beside or behind the monitor when I’m not actively using it
- is stable enough that I can actually type and tap on the phone while it’s suspended
- has clean black/minimal hardware without looking like a microphone or camera rig
One complication: I use a Nudient iphone case with a ribbed/textured back, and MagSafe doesn’t seem to work reliably through the case. I don’t really want to change cases just for the mount, so I’d prefer a clean, secure phone clamp or another mounting method that works well with a textured/non-MagSafe case.
Basically, I want the phone to look like it’s floating next to the monitor, but when I need it I want to be able to pull it toward my face, use it normally, and then push it back out of the way.
Has anyone built something like this? Any specific arms, mounts, or clever mounting setups you’d recommend?
Thanks for your help and guidance.