Are Ergotron monitor arms worth the money over cheaper alternatives?

Specialist subreddits including r/MonitorArms and r/StandingDesks repeatedly call Ergotron the default premium recommendation, citing stiffness, long warranty, and durability. However, contrarian threads on r/StandingDesk and r/Monitors argue diminishing returns versus $100–$150 arms for typical 24–27 inch monitors. The honest answer from the consensus: worth it if you're mounting heavy or expensive screens or expect to keep the arm 5+ years; harder to justify for entry-level setups.