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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.
Rain Design iSlider: a pocketable iPad stand
There's a problem with most really usable iPad stands: they're too big to be portable. Sure, you could always use an iPad case that doubles as a stand, but it many situations that ends up being somewhat of a compromise. The team at Rain Design put their formidable minds to work on the problem and demonstrated their solution at Macworld/iWorld 2013. That solution is now shipping: the iSlider (US$49.90), a lightweight and portable iPad stand that adjusts over a 55° range to make your iPad more comfortable to use. Design At first glance, the iSlider might be mistaken for an aluminum doorstop or a compact (5.5" deep by 3" wide by a maximum of 1" high) trackpad. Seriously, it doesn't look like any other iPad stand you've seen. But with a quick pull on one end of the device, a mechanism slides out of the half-pound aluminum body and you have your iPad stand. %Gallery-179965% iSlider is built to accomodate both "naked" iPads and iPad minis, and also those in cases that are less than 5/8" thick when installed on the device. A set of grooves on the back of a padded arm are used to provide precise and sturdy lift to your device. A folding foot at the bottom of the iSlider holds your device in place and also provides access for a charging cable. The iSlider works equally well at holding your digital toy in either landscape or portrait orientation, and a set of non-skid feet on the bottom keep the iPad and iSlider from ... well, sliding. Functionality Made out of brushed aluminum, iSlider is a nice match for your Apple devices and looks perfectly at home on a desk with your MacBook or iMac. One of the marketing images used by Rain shows an iSlider going into the front pocket of a pair of jeans, and I was surprised to see that I was actually able to plop it into a pocket without it looking too obvious. I use a fun "Padintosh" case from ThinkGeek to protect the back of my iPad, with a standard Apple Smart Cover over the front. When I folded the Smart Cover over the back of the iPad and placed the entire handful onto the iSlider, it fit perfectly. On the other hand, my iPad mini is unclothed at this time, so it is quite skinny. Unfortunately, that meant that there was plenty of space down in the foot at the bottom of the iSlider, so the iPad mini moves a little bit if you try typing on it or poke at icons. Fortunately, there's a solution right at your fingertips -- the iSlider comes with a small carrying bag, and I just put that behind the mini to keep it from moving. I suppose I really should just break down and order an iPad mini case, though... Conclusion Rain Design has solved the problem of carrying an adjustable iPad stand around by designing a unique folding mechanism for the iSlider. It looks good, it's built to last, and it provides both style and function in a pocketable design. Pros Rugged aluminum body should be able to survive drops and bumps Eminently pocketable and adjustable over a wide range Can accommodate iPads in a variety of cases and covers Non-slip feet keep your iPad and iSlider from moving Cons Somewhat expensive, but worth every penny Who is it for? Anyone who needs a portable and sturdy iPad stand that looks ... mahvelous!
Rain Design launches iSlider at Macworld/iWorld 2013
We haven't seen much out of Rain Design in the past few years. The iRest won Macworld Best of Show in 2011, but there was nothing new new at Macworld in 2012. Later in the year, the company rolled out the mTower, a stand that looks like it was designed to compete against TwelveSouth's BookArc line and upgraded its mStand to include a swivel base. For Macworld/iWorld 2013, the company unveiled another iOS-centered accessory: the iSlider. Made of anodized alumnium like many of Rain Design's other products, the stand can fold down into a small wedge and be tucked into the side pocket of a bag. It's billed as being used for an iPhone or iPad, but this is best suited for an iPad or iPad mini. The iSlider will retail for US$49.95, but Rain Design doesn't have it on its website yet.
Rain Design's iMac turntable sends the iMac for a spin
iMacs are great, except when you have one sitting with its back to a wall and you need to plug something into the back of it. Particularly with the larger models, you end up having to pick up the iMac and swing it around to get to those ports on the back. Wouldn't it be a lot easier if you could just spin it? That's the idea behind the Rain Design i360, a turntable that encloses the base of an iMac or Apple Cinema Display, and then allows easy movement of the display. Want to show a co-worker on the "back" side of your iMac something? Just spin the entire computer around. Need to plug or unplug something? No problem -- just swing the iMac or Cinema Display around and do it. I've had an i360 on my first-generation Intel iMac since just after I bought it, and I can't count the number of times that it has saved me from having to pick up the computer and slide it around to plug something in. I've recommended the i360 to many of my Mac consulting customers who have iMacs or Cinema Displays, and many of them end up buying the device.
