Cable slack needs to accommodate the movement a monitor actually makes. Too little slack pulls on a connector when a screen rotates or an arm extends; too much can hang into the user's legs or catch the chair. Plan the moving section separately from the cable's fixed route so that a neat appearance does not conceal tension at the port.
Observe the full movement before fastening
Move each screen slowly through its intended working range while watching the connections. Include portrait rotation, height changes, arm extension and any sit-stand desk travel that affects the route. Stop if a cable tightens or a connector starts to tilt. The required reserve depends on the hardware geometry, not on a universal extra length measured on an empty desk.
Inspect where the cable changes direction near each port and hinge. Follow the cable and equipment guidance for bending and strain relief. A sharp fold hidden in an arm channel is still a sharp fold, and a connector that fits only when pressed sideways is not a satisfactory route. Use an appropriate cable length instead of stretching a short one into place.
Separate power and video paths where the support or manufacturer requires it, and keep ventilation openings clear. Do not run a loose loop through a moving joint where it can be pinched. On a two-monitor arm, inspect both screens together because moving one branch can alter a shared bundle or pull against a cable secured to the other.
Secure the fixed route while preserving adjustment
Use suitable reusable ties or clips on parts of the route that should remain stationary. Fasten them gently enough to avoid crushing the cable jacket, and keep the moving reserve accessible. A tightly bound bundle can transfer the force from one snag to several connectors, so appearance alone is a poor measure of whether a cable arrangement is sound.
Keep the reserve away from chair wheels, foot space, drawers and the underside of a moving desk. Choose a location where the loop can change shape without becoming a handle for a passing hand or bag. A floor cable cover addresses a crossing route; it does not compensate for an unsupported hanging connection at the monitor.
Test routine tasks after fastening: pull the chair in, open nearby drawers, reach the dock and adjust both screens. Then inspect the ports again at the limits of intended movement. If access for disconnecting requires cutting a hidden bundle or dragging a monitor across the desk, revise the route while the arrangement is still easy to change.
Label the ends of similar cables and photograph the working route without exposing sensitive screen content. Recheck the slack after moving a stand, changing desk height or replacing a cable. A replacement with stiffer construction may need a different path even at the same length. Keeping movement and service access explicit makes cable management useful beyond the first tidy photograph.