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The best laptop stands
By Justin Krajeski and Kimber Streams This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to laptop stands. After years testing 17 laptop stands at work and in our home offices, we found that the Rain Design iLevel 2 is the best stand for anyone who spends hours every day hunched over a laptop at their desk. None of the other laptop stands we tested matched the iLevel 2's combination of stability, adaptability, and sleek style. Paired with a wireless mouse and an external keyboard, the iLevel 2 can help fix your posture and reduce neck and arm pain. The Rain Design iLevel 2's exceptional build quality and easy adjustability are worth paying for if you need a laptop stand. It held 11-inch to 15-inch laptops with a sturdy grip in our tests, and it has a simple, straightforward design that looks stylish. It's easier to adjust than every other adjustable laptop stand we tested, too: its platform tilts upward when you slide a knob from the left to right. If you want a more affordable laptop stand that looks nicer than a stack of books, the best option is the Rain Design mStand. Like the iLevel 2, the sturdy, aluminum mStand held laptops up to 15 inches in our tests, plus it has a hole for cable management and a nook to store your keyboard. But unlike our other picks, it isn't adjustable. If you need a laptop stand to take between work and home or to use while traveling, the Roost Laptop Stand is the sturdiest and most compact portable option we tested. The Roost is pretty easy to set up and collapse, and it doesn't sacrifice stability; when you're done using the lightweight model for the day, you can fold it into a long, thick stick. Switching between the Roost's three height settings is a bit tricky, but doing so gets easier with practice. The Nexstand Laptop Stand is a decent and affordable portable option if you're willing to give up some portability and ease of use. It's similar to the Roost in design and height, and it's comparably simple to set up and break down. It was stable enough for laptops up to 15 inches in our tests, but it can be less secure than the Roost if you're not careful; for example, its six height settings aren't clearly demarcated from one another, so you need to double-check that your laptop stand is fully locked before placing a laptop on top of it. The Nexstand is a bit bigger and heavier than the Roost, too.
IRL: Roost's portable, foldable (and kinda pricey) laptop stand
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. As someone who spends an abnormal amount of time glued to an LED display, I jumped at the chance to back the Roost portable laptop stand on Kickstarter last year. My MacBook Pro found rest on its carbon fiber shoulders only moments after it arrived at my doorstep, and I've rarely taken it off.
Twelve South introduces HiRise for MacBook stand, shipping now for $70
Hot on the heels of its HiRise for iMac release, the Mac-only accessory maker known as Twelve South is outing a similar riser for MacBook products. Engineered to hoist MacBooks from 11 to 15 inches up off of one's table, the HiRise for MacBook is a sleek, polished stand that serves a purpose much like the mStand from Rain Design. For avid MacBook users looking for a more ergonomic way to work, this is easily one of the best solutions out there. Unlike most rivals, Twelve South's offering is adjustable, allowing you to raise and lower your MacBook's keyboard and display to match the height of your eyes (or perhaps a nearby monitor). In our testing, we found the build quality to be exceptional, and it's most certainly a piece that you'd be pleased to have sitting alongside your other work peripherals. It's a bit heavy for travel -- but then again, you can't have that base being light enough to tip over -- but those still interested can nab one at the source link for $69.99.
Twelve South's BookArc for Air stand cozies up around your MacBook Air
Twelve South's made somewhat of a name for itself by crafting unexpected (and generally visually pleasing) accessories for everything Apple, but the ouftit's latest just seems particularly superfluous. The BookAir for Air is described as a vertical stand for the MacBook Air, enabling you to hoist your new ultraportable upright for use with a desktop monitor and keyboard. 'Course, we have to believe that only a smattering of individuals have any real interest in using their MBA as a desktop replacement, but hey, at least there's now a stand should you fit into that category. She'll be on sale soon for $39.99, with initial shipments to head out next month. %Gallery-115309%
Pretty but pricey: Hands-on with the AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand
Question: What's a quarter-inch thick when folded, weighs a scant 5.5 ounces, yet can support a 17" MacBook Pro? Answer: The AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand. When I first heard about this lightweight laptop stand, my first thought was that it was going to be flimsy and incapable of holding up an iPhone. Was I wrong! The AViiQ stand won a Design and Engineering Showcase Honors Award at CES 2010, and as with new lightweight aircraft, it's all about the materials. The stand is made of a material called Hylite, which consists of thin aluminum sheets that are bonded to a polypropylene core. To allow the AViiQ stand to flex and fold in origami fashion, morphing into a laptop stand, thin lines are machined out of the aluminum, leaving just the flexible polypropylene. There are several tabs that are on the stand and used to lock the "standing" part in the upright position. The tabs have small feet that are molded from a thermoplastic elastomer so that your laptop and the stand stay in one place -- they won't slide, even on the most slick surfaces. %Gallery-104905%
Philips CushionSpeaker coming to America this April for $80
Hear that? That's the sound of millions of Yanks celebrating in unison. Why the joviality? Because Philips' CushionSpeaker is coming to America, of course! The device -- which simultaneously serves as a lap-based laptop cushion / stand and an external speaker system -- first made waves last September when it debuted in Europe, but now that USers have evidently proven that they need one too, they're getting exactly what they want. We had a chance to tinker with the device, and largely, we agree with what has already been said. It's a perfectly fine cushion for using your laptop while kicking back on the sofa, but the bass-less speaker leaves a lot to be desired. It's set to ship to sofa sitters this April for $79.99, and if you're interested in the $39.99 to $49.99 Notebook Sleeve, $49.99 Notebook SoundBar and a variety of other peripherals that now have a stateside release in their future, the full details are posted after the break. %Gallery-81126%
Hanwha SL-888 laptop cooling stand for casual, classy blogging
We've seen a laptop cooling stand or two in our day, so we'll try not to belabor the point here: Hanwha -- which may or may not be the same conglomerate responsible for the Shin-Gung surface-to-air missile and the Duo for Laptop -- is proud to debut the evocatively named SL-888, a portable table for your notebook. Want to sit in a chair? The legs extend to about 12-inches off the ground. Want to sit on the floor? You can do that, too -- the legs collapse. Want to rest it on your lap? Hope you have a big lap, but that too is an option. Featuring a mousepad, a cup holder (perfect for that Whiskey Sour), and a cooling fan for your notebook du jour, all this can be yours for ¥3,980 (roughly $44). Hit the source link to order -- or get a closer look after the break.
Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 asks 'what multitouch revolution?'
Logitech, the company that's dropped more than a billion mice in our laps, is back with a glossy, gold-accented new laptop accessory kit. There's not an overwhelming amount we can tell you that you can't already see above, so we'll go ahead and point out that the laser mouse (M505) and keyboard duo are controlled wirelessly via Logitech's teeny tiny Unifying Receiver (which comes as part of the package), and the laptop stand is capable of accommodating machines with screens up to 15.6 inches diagonally. The riser also has three elevation levels, while the keyboard packs a full numeric pad -- something at least Excel-loving accountants should appreciate. Expect the set to show up in Europe and the US this November with a price around $100.[Via Electronista]
Logitech's Portable Lapdesk N315 takes a stand against carpal tunnel syndrome
It's no CushionSpeaker, but Logitech's $30 Portable Lapdesk N315 is just as curious and probably as useful. Designed to help those sick and tired of mousing about on the built-in trackpad, this laptop table is engineered to grip tightly to machines 15-inches and smaller and provide a pull-out tray that doubles as a mousepad. It's like having a desk, but on your couch. Get it? Get it?%Gallery-72925%
Philips CushionSpeaker examined, found to be ok cushion, decent speaker
It's not every day that someone attempts to redesign the humble laptop cushion, but Philips has done just that with its new CushionSpeaker which, somehow, someway manages to combine a cushion and a speaker. As our pals at Engadget Spanish found out first-hand at IFA, that combination actually delivers mostly as promised, but not without a few trade-offs. The good news is that speaker does seem to be of reasonable quality, and should be an improvement over most laptop speakers (the retractable USB cord is also a nice touch). On the downside, while the cushion is apparently suitably cushiony, the hard plastic surface isn't exactly the most conductive to keeping your laptop in place -- such are the perils of innovation. Hit up the link below for a closer look, and look for the CushionSpeaker to be available sometime soon (in Europe, at least) for €69, or just under $100.
Video: Philips CushionSpeaker laptop stand combines cushion and speaker
It's half speaker, half cushion and 100 percent useful. Philips' recently unveiled CushionSpeaker laptop stand is designed for the bedridden among us, combining a soft laptop stand with a built-in speaker for amplifying those lap-based movie sessions. Of course, this thing probably won't do much for heat dispersion, but for those also looking for a personal heater, this thing just might be magical. The integrated speaker connects to one's laptop via USB, which just might put off netbook owners struggling to get by with just a couple of those very sockets. There's no mention of a US price and release date, but whatever it is, you know you'll pay it. The cutest video introduction you ever did see is waiting just past the break. [Warning: PDF read link]%Gallery-72000%
Ionic cooling system adapted for laptop use, scalded legs cautiously rejoice
To be totally candid, we can't even utter the word "ionic" without thinking of Sharper Image, but the concept here actually seems like one that just might benefit the public at large... or at least those of us forced to cook our upper legs on a daily basis. San Jose-based Tessera, in cooperation with the University of Washington, has adapted an ionic cooling system for use in everyday laptops. The magic elixir consists of two electrodes, one of which is used to ionize air molecules such as nitrogen, while the other acts as a receiver for those molecules. According to reports, this method can extract around 30 percent more heat from a lap burner than the traditional "fan and more fans" approach. Still, a major obstacle remains in terms of ensuring that the electrodes remain reliable throughout the life of a laptop, but if Tessera has its druthers, some form of the system will be commercialized next year.
Belkin justifies $30 for a pillow, calls it CushDesk
If you're still up for spending unnecessarily these days, Belkin has the perfect excuse to blow 30 bones on a couch pillow replacement. The oddly, almost comically named CushDesk, is nothing more than a sophisticated lap cushion with a somewhat sturdy top that acts as a portable tabletop for your molten-hot laptop. It's available in a number of soothing hues, and while it's fully compatible with mobile PCs and Macs up to 17-inches in size, we're still waiting to hear back about compatibility with UMPCs, MIDs and Linux-based netbooks.
The DIY DumbGuy laptop stand: so easy, even a dumb guy can make it
Don't let that "finished" rubiks' cube fool you. The steps too build this ergonomic laptop stand are dead simple: 1) bend hangar, b) stop bending hangar. Perhaps, therein lies the genus.
Airboard laptop stand puts your Reebok Pumps to shame
Go on, admit it -- your day in the early 90s was never complete without reaching down in public and giving those Pumps a solid squeeze. In all honesty, we can't say that Ki-Seung Lee's Airboard is quite on that level, but it's certainly got the potential to be. This laptop stand was designed to reside in your lap or on your hotel room table and give each individual user the ability to elevate it as he / she sees fit. Of course, the usefulness would really take a hit if this thing takes five minutes to get good and inflated, but we could certainly see this becoming ergonomist-approved should it ever hit retail.
Logitech intros Alto Cordless laptop stand / dock
Logitech just busted out a couple of new additions to its Alto line of laptop stands a few months ago, but it looks like the company has found yet more ways to make your laptop a bit more comfortable to use, with it today introducing its new Alto Cordless model. The main distinction here, of course, is that the keyboard is now freed from the main unit thanks to some newfangled wireless technology although, as with the original Alto, you'll have to supply your own mouse (which can be accommodated by one of the three USB ports on the base). Also like the original, the Alto Cordless can elevate your laptop for some more comfortable viewing, although it's apparently not recommended for use with laptops larger than 15.4-inches. Look for this one to be available sometime next month for an even $100, with an optional $20 power adapter also available for those that need powered USB ports.[Via HardwareGeeks]
WoodStand: Another DIY "iCurve" laptop elevator
Making your own laptop stand out of Legos is cool and all, but not all of us have kids of our own to steal toys from. So we turn to more accessible materials like wood. That's what Erik did. Using wood, lacquer and some copper wire, Erik created his own very elegant iCurve knockoff: The WoodStand. He shared it with us, so we're sharing it with you. Nice work, Erik!Enjoy the pics - and if you make your own, tell us about it!
Logitech's Alto stand elevates your notebook
Looking to take your notebook to new heights? Aside from the overtly deliberate PUN that Logitech is forcing down our throats here, the Alto notebook stand ups the ante of prior renditions by including a full-sized keyboard, sleek(er) design, and an ability to hold notebooks "up to nine pounds." The collapsible device can reportedly be setup in "less than 30 seconds," and measures just 9.33- x 16.84- x 1.41-inches when folded over and not in use. The integrated keyboard touts a variety of "media controls" to handle volume, track, and macro functions, and it also offers a trio of non-powered USB ports for connecting low-power peripherals. Logitech expects to roll these $99 risers out in December for those residing in the UK, while Americans will have to wait until January. [Via Laptoping]
