Freestanding vs Cockpit-Mounted: How to Choose a Sim Racing Monitor Stand for Single, Ultrawide or Triple Screens

Short answer: decide how many screens you want first, then where the stand bolts. A cockpit-mounted stand keeps the screen locked to your rig and takes no extra floor space. A freestanding stand sits on its own feet in front of the rig, works with almost any cockpit, and keeps your screens away from wheelbase vibration and motion platforms. After that, check three numbers on the spec sheet: the screen size range, the VESA pattern on the back of your monitor, and the weight the stand is rated to hold.

This guide uses the published specs on each Full Push listing and the Next Level Racing spec pages. Where a brand does not publish a number, we say so rather than guess.

The three ways to mount a sim racing screen

Step 1: Single screen, ultrawide or triples?

• One monitor or TV: the simplest setup. A large TV on a freestanding stand works well if it sits right behind the wheel.
• One ultrawide: a single curved ultrawide gives you more side view without the bezels of a triple setup. The Elite Direct Monitor Mount and the F-GT Pro Direct Monitor Mount 2.0 both take ultrawides up to 49 inches.
• Triple screens: three matching monitors wrap around you so you can see cars alongside and judge corners earlier. Next Level Racing says its Round Tube triple stand gives up to about 195 degrees of peripheral vision.
• Quad (triples plus overhead): a fourth screen above the main display for telemetry, timing, streaming or a flight overhead panel.

Step 2: Cockpit-mounted or freestanding?

Cockpit-mounted stands bolt to the rig, so the screen always stays in the same place relative to your seat and wheel. They take no extra floor space.

• Next Level Racing Elite Direct Monitor Mount (NLR-E017): fits Elite cockpits, takes one 27 to 43 inch flat screen or an ultrawide up to 49 inches, with 200 mm vertical and 239 mm horizontal adjustment and 18 degrees of tilt.
• Next Level Racing F-GT Pro Direct Monitor Mount 2.0 (NLR-R018): made for the F-GT Pro Black and Carbon Grey editions. It takes one 27 to 43 inch screen or an ultrawide up to 49 inches, is rated to 50 kg, and its steeper upright angle brings the screen in closer behind the wheelbase.
• Next Level Racing F-GT Monitor Stand (NLR-A006): attaches to the F-GT cockpit and holds one screen up to 65 inches or three 27 inch screens, rated to 60 kg, with the screen bar adjustable from 80 to 115 cm high.
• Conspit GT-Lite Monitor Mount: a single-monitor bracket made for the Conspit GT-Lite cockpit, with adjustable height and angle. Conspit does not list a screen size or weight rating on the listing.

Freestanding stands sit on their own base in front of the rig. They work with wheel stands and most third-party cockpits, and the screen isn't shaken by the wheelbase. Next Level Racing recommends its freestanding stands over the Elite Direct Monitor Mount if you plan to add a Motion Platform or Traction Plus, because motion could affect monitors attached to the cockpit.

Step 3: Compare the freestanding stands

A few differences that matter:

• Lite Free Standing (NLR-A020) is the light, compact option. It weighs 5.66 kg, is made of carbon steel tube and glass-filled nylon, and is designed for the Lite Series cockpits (GTLite, F-GT Lite, GTLite Pro, Formula Lite Pro) and the Wheel Stand 2.0 and Wheel Stand Lite 2.0.
• Round Tube stands (NLR-R010 and NLR-R011) use 50 mm carbon steel tubing, screw-driven anti-sag adjusters for height, tilt and level, and lockable castor wheels so you can roll them away. The triple adds dual-strut side arms to keep the outer screens steady.
• Elite stands (NLR-E035, E036, E037) are black anodised 6063 aluminium extrusion with powder-coated steel. The adjustable post spacing lets you pull the screens in closer on narrow rigs or push them out for wider cockpits and motion platforms.

Step 4: Start with one screen and add more later

You don't have to buy a triple setup on day one. Two upgrade paths are built in:

• Elite freestanding: start with the Elite Freestanding Single (NLR-E035), then add the Elite Freestanding Triple Monitor Stand Add-On (NLR-E039) for two 21 to 43 inch side screens with 42 degrees of outer angle adjustment. The Elite Freestanding Overhead / Quad Add-On (NLR-E038) then adds one 21 to 43 inch screen on top of an Elite single, triple or quad stand.
• Elite direct mount: the Elite Direct Mount Overhead Monitor Add-On (NLR-E018) puts a screen up to 32 inches above the main display. It needs the Elite Direct Monitor Mount and takes VESA 75 x 75 or 100 x 100 mm.
• F-GT cockpit: the F-GT Monitor Stand can hold one screen now and three 27 inch screens later.

Step 5: Check VESA, weight and curve before you buy

1. VESA pattern. Measure the bolt holes on the back of your monitor or TV in millimetres. Large TVs often use wide patterns such as 400 x 400 mm or more, which the Elite triple and quad side plates (up to 200 x 200 mm) do not take. The Round Tube stands go up to 800 x 400 mm.
2. Screen weight. Check the monitor's weight without its stand against the rating: 20 kg on the Lite Free Standing, 50 kg on the Round Tube Single and the F-GT Pro Direct Mount 2.0, 60 kg on the F-GT Monitor Stand, and 50 kg centre and 30 kg per side on the Round Tube Triple.
3. Screen size. Triple stands cap each screen at 43 inches. For one big TV, look at the Round Tube Single, the Elite Freestanding Single or the F-GT Monitor Stand, which go up to 65 inches.
4. Curve. Next Level Racing says curved monitors on the Elite Triple should be no more curved than 1500R.
5. Clearance. The space between the stand's feet has to clear your cockpit or wheel stand: 79 cm inner clearance on the Lite Free Standing, 84 cm on the Round Tube stands, and 720 to 1240 mm post spacing on the Elite stands.
6. Matching triples. Use three identical monitors so the bezels, height and colour line up.

Still choosing the rig itself? Read our guide to wheel stands, foldable cockpits and aluminium rigs, or browse all monitor mounts and stands.

FAQ

Is a freestanding or cockpit-mounted monitor stand better for sim racing? It depends on your rig. A cockpit-mounted stand saves floor space and keeps the screen fixed to your seat. A freestanding stand fits almost any rig and keeps the screens away from wheelbase vibration and motion. Next Level Racing recommends a freestanding stand if you add a Motion Platform or Traction Plus.

Can I put triple monitors on a cockpit? Yes, on the F-GT cockpit. The F-GT Monitor Stand (NLR-A006) holds three 27 inch screens or one screen up to 65 inches. For triples up to 43 inches, use a freestanding triple stand such as the Round Tube Triple (NLR-R011) or Elite Triple (NLR-E036).

What is the largest TV I can mount in front of a sim rig? Up to 65 inches on the Round Tube Single (NLR-R010), Elite Freestanding Single (NLR-E035), Elite Triple (NLR-E036, single-screen mode) or F-GT Monitor Stand (NLR-A006). The Lite Free Standing stand goes up to 55 inches.

Can I start with one monitor and upgrade to triples later? Yes. The Elite Freestanding Single takes the Elite Triple Add-On (NLR-E039) for two side screens and the Overhead / Quad Add-On (NLR-E038) for a fourth. The F-GT Monitor Stand goes from one to three screens on the same frame.

Do curved or ultrawide monitors work? Yes. The Elite Direct Monitor Mount and F-GT Pro Direct Monitor Mount 2.0 take ultrawides up to 49 inches. On the Elite Triple, Next Level Racing says curved monitors should be 1500R or flatter.

Will a monitor stand fit a flight sim cockpit? The Round Tube stands and the Elite freestanding stands are listed for both racing and flight cockpits, and the Lite Free Standing stand works with the Next Level Racing Flight Simulator range. The overhead add-ons can hold a flight overhead panel screen.

Want more on the brand? Read our Next Level Racing brand review.