Client:
SANUS
Year:
2022
Role:
Industrial Design, User Research
The Sanus Elite 4D Full-Motion TV Mount represents an innovative leap in home entertainment installations.
This premium wall mount was designed for large TVs (42"–90") and engineered to deliver robust performance in a sleek, user-friendly package. The mount supports up to 125 lbs and offers a full range of motion, 28" of extension, ±57° of swivel, ±15° of tilt, all while maintaining a minimal 2.25" profile when retracted.
But what sets this product apart isn’t just how far it moves, it’s how easily it adapts to life after install. For the first time in the category, users can fine-tune their TV’s height up to 8" vertically after the TV is on the wall. This game-changing capability solves one of the most common sources of user regret - mounting a large, expensive TV, then realizing it's a few inches too high or too low.
My role encompassed observational user research, synthesis, and tactical industrial design, bridging user insights with technical feasibility to deliver a premium product.
The project commenced with comprehensive observational research.
Before sketching a single concept, we immersed ourselves in the real-world frustrations users face with current TV mounts. We staged full installations in simulated home environments and observed a range of participants from DIYers or tech-savvy homeowners, to seasoned installers, assemble and mount large TVs using legacy Sanus products and competitive offerings.
Across the board, the pain points were consistent: unclear instructions, mismatched fasteners, and limited tolerance for misalignment. Several users failed to realize the arm structure could shift laterally to center the screen on the wall, even when studs were off-center. Others struggled to interpret mounting templates or felt unsure during the final handoff when attaching the TV to the arm.
One participant described the final step of mounting a $2,000 OLED TV as “…uncomfortable, anxious… Everything whittles down to a couple of connections about one inch wide.” That insight stuck with us.
Key findings included:
Ergonomic struggles during installation due to the weight of large TVs.
Measuring and positioning was a struggle for many - even if users managed to find the stud mounting points and position the TV in their lateral desired position, they were often dissatisfied with its height placement off the ground.
Limited adjustability in existing mounts, which locked users' TVs into a fixed vertical position on the wall.
User desire for a premium, visually cohesive product aligning with high-end TVs.
Concept Development
We entered concept development with a dual ambition: improve user experience across installation, adjustment, and everyday use—and design a mount that felt elevated in both function and form.
Early sketches explored everything from Wacom stand–inspired lift systems to track-lighting aesthetics. Through feasibility workshops, we vetted mechanical paths for vertical adjustment: ratcheting tracks, worm gears, telescoping rails, and more. Ultimately, we landed on a robust, screw-driven system that could support the TV’s weight and still feel smooth and safe to adjust.
This feature was integrated at the bracket rather than the wall plate, allowing the mount to maintain a symmetrical arm structure and clean profile from both front and side views. As we refined the form, we developed three visual design themes, Pillar, Radius, and Racetrack, each exploring different expressions of structure, surface, and visual weight.
Simultaneously, our team explored cable routing pathways, ergonomic tilt knobs, detented swivel joints, and hidden fastener strategies. The result was a mount that looked composed and symmetrical when closed, dynamic, lightweighted, and directional when extended, and completely unobtrusive when viewed head-on. Every detail, down to the finish on the tilt lever, was evaluated for user clarity and visual polish.
Designed for intuitive use.
The design process focused on reducing cognitive load. From unboxing to everyday use, the experience needed to feel forgiving and self-evident.
Installation starts with a pre-assembled core, reducing loose parts and setup time. Thoughtful instructions and an optimized hardware kit help demystify fastener selection, a historically painful step. Built-in lateral shift and cable routing features are now surfaced clearly, and the mount ships with labeled parts that align directly with the illustrated steps.
Touchpoints across the mount were designed for intuitive engagement: textured areas on the arms guide where to grip and push, while the vertical adjustment screw provides slow, controlled motion that prevents wobble or overcorrection. Swivel and tilt tensions were dialed in through multiple rounds of user testing to ensure fluid single-handed movement, even with larger screens.
Even in use, the mount never asks the user to second-guess its integrity. Once installed, it behaves like a natural extension of the TV, quietly adjusting to glare, guests, or layout changes with minimal effort.
The standout feature is the mount’s post-installation vertical height adjustability.
Most users only realize their TV is at the wrong height after they’ve lived with it. The Sanus Elite 4D mount solves this problem elegantly. The Shift™ vertical lift system, integrated into the TV bracket, allows for 8" of height correction without unmounting or re-drilling.
Rather than relying on friction-based slots or telescoping arms that compromise rigidity, the system uses a threaded vertical travel screw and reinforced steel guides to enable precise, stable motion. This feature alone sets a new benchmark in the category, where post-install correction is typically laborious, requiring the stud-mounted lag bolts to be removed and re-positioned.
During testing, installers and users alike noted that the shift feature gave them peace of mind: they didn’t have to agonize over perfect placement during install, knowing that fine-tuning could happen later. This brought measurable value to Best Buy’s associates as well, reducing returns tied to incorrect mounting height and giving them a compelling demo moment in store.
Beyond functional benefit, the lift mechanism is completely concealed within the rear bracket, maintaining a refined aesthetic regardless of screen position. It’s a breakthrough that works quietly, powerfully, and without aesthetic compromise.
Features and Benefits include:
Precision Placement: Allows users to adjust for glare or alignment with furniture.
Enhanced Safety: The incorporation of features like controlled drop mechanisms ensure adjustments can be made single-handedly without risk.
Broader Usability: Adapts to various user heights, decor, and seating arrangements.
The mount’s design aligns with Sanus's premium ethos.
Every part of this product, from the industrial design to the internal mechanics to the packaging, was crafted to reflect SANUS’s position as the category leader in performance mounting.
The mount’s geometry is based on clean concentric forms and softened edges that echo premium tech products the mount supports - from televisions to soundbars to Smart TV systems. Materials were carefully chosen: powder-coated steel for strength and durability, satin-finish ABS for touchpoints, and textured plastic for cable covers that disappear behind the screen.
A minimalist profile ensures that nothing detracts from the TV’s visual impact, while subtle branding, cohesive CMF logic, and interchangeable colorways align with high-end entertainment systems. The mount looks just as intentional from the side of a credenza as it does from across the room.
Importantly, this design approach was never skin-deep. It extended to tolerance control, weight distribution, and packaging logistics. The final product is easy to ship, easy to assemble, and meets both the visual and structural expectations of a discerning user base.
In a market crowded with commodity mounts, the Elite 4D stands out not just for what it does, but for how confidently it does it.
For SANUS: A flagship product that reasserts Sanus's leadership in the mounting category through a first-to-market vertical shift feature and design-first engineering—pushing the brand further into the premium tier.
For Best Buy: A high-margin, demonstrable accessory that elevates the in-store experience. Easy to attach to TV sales, the mount reduces returns due to misalignment and empowers associates with a clear upsell story.
For the User: An install experience that’s intuitive and forgiving, even for novices. The mount adapts to their needs, with tool-less adjustments and futureproof flexibility that makes upgrading or repositioning painless.
For Installers: A fast, frustration-free workflow thanks to pre-assembled components, clean cable routing, and error-tolerant mounting options. Post-install vertical shift eliminates callbacks and costly rework.
The Sanus Elite 4D TV Mount addresses key user needs with thoughtful design and innovation. Positive feedback from purchased-verified Best Buy reviewers highlight its ability to combine practical solutions with a clean, sophisticated look, showcasing the impact of research-driven development on creating a better experience for consumers.
Now available, exclusively at Best Buy.
