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14-inch laptop next to a 27-inch monitor: how the two screens line up

By TechCompare · Updated · How we check

A 14-inch laptop and a 27-inch monitor fit a 60-inch (152 cm) desk with 24.6 inches (62.5 cm) to spare. Their top edges sit 9.8 inches (24.8 cm) apart, so the screens won't share a top line as drawn.

Front View

1 • 14"2 • 27"

Top-Down View

12
Desk Width: 152.4 cm60.0 in
Desk Depth: 76.2 cm30.0 in
This exact 14" laptop + 27" monitor layout, pre-loaded. Change the desk size, move the panels, or add another screen.
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A 14-inch laptop and a 27-inch monitor side by side take about 35.4 inches (89.9 cm) of width, which leaves 24.6 inches (62.5 cm) on a 60-inch (152 cm) desk. The drawing puts the laptop on the left with the monitor to its right. The part to check is height, because the monitor's top edge sits 9.8 inches (24.8 cm) above the laptop's.

Desk size
60" × 30" (152 cm × 76 cm)
Monitors
2
89.9 cm combined width35.4" combined width
Layout type
Laptop and Monitor
2 panels

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How this is calculated

The drawing puts every monitor on one stand height and every laptop on one base height. Real stands and laptop bases vary, so read these numbers as examples. The laptop screen is about 7.4 inches (18.8 cm) tall, and the monitor is about 13.2 inches (33.6 cm). The laptop screen is 5.8 inches (14.8 cm) shorter than the monitor. The laptop's top edge sits about 8.2 inches (20.8 cm) from the desk, and the monitor's sits about 18.0 inches (45.6 cm). That leaves a gap of 9.8 inches (24.8 cm) between the highest and lowest top edges, so the two tops won't line up as drawn.

Verdict

Width is the easy part for this pair, and depth is the next check. OSHA asks for adequate desk space between you and the monitor, and it gives 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm) as the preferred viewing distance from your eye to the front of the screen. This desk is 30 inches (76.2 cm) deep, so measure how far your seat sits from the monitor before you buy.

Height is the harder part. OSHA says the top of the monitor should be at or slightly below eye level. Sit down, measure from the desk to your eyes, and compare that number with both top edges, about 8.2 inches (20.8 cm) for the laptop and about 18.0 inches (45.6 cm) for the monitor. OSHA's line covers monitors and doesn't mention laptops, so treat the laptop's top edge as a number to compare, not a rule. When you shop for a stand, OSHA says monitor support surfaces should let you change viewing distances and tilt and rotation angles.

More Laptop and Monitor scenarios

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Related guides

14" 16:10 laptop screen size
The laptop screen in this pair, with its width and height.
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27" 16:9 monitor screen size
The 27-inch monitor in this pair, with its width and height.
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Two 27" 1440p monitors on a 60" desk
The same 60-inch desk with two 27-inch screens side by side.
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Laptop on a stand beside a smaller monitor
A raised laptop beside a smaller monitor, to compare how the top edges line up.
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16" laptop below an ultrawide
A 16-inch laptop with a raised ultrawide on the same desk.
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Frequently asked questions

Will a 14-inch laptop and a 27-inch monitor fit on a 60-inch (152 cm) desk?
Yes on width. Side by side the screens take 35.4 inches (89.9 cm), which leaves 24.6 inches (62.5 cm) of a 60-inch (152 cm) desk. The drawing doesn't show depth, so check that the desk leaves room between your seat and the monitor. OSHA calls for adequate desk space there.
Why doesn't the laptop screen line up with the monitor?
In this drawing the laptop sits on a thin base and the monitor sits on a stand, so their top edges land 9.8 inches (24.8 cm) apart. Raising the laptop by that much would line the tops up.
How high should the top of a monitor sit?
OSHA says the top of the monitor should be at or slightly below eye level. The drawing puts this monitor's top edge at about 18.0 inches (45.6 cm), but that comes from one stand height used for every monitor, so it may not match your desk. Measure from the desk to your eyes while seated, then compare.

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