Many of us use laptops daily but the portable nature of a laptop means it can cause us neck pain and strain when we are working on them. This is where a laptop stand comes in.
The best laptop stands look great, bring your laptop screen to eye level to prevent muscle tension and strain and prevent your laptop from overheating by promoting cooling and ventilation.
There are, however, many styles and types of stand to choose from. Check out the reviews and buyers guide below to help you find the best laptop stand for your needs.
1. Roost Portable Laptop Stand (Top Pick)
The Roost Laptop Stand is a lightweight, collapsible option that is conveniently portable. It can handle daily use and offers a universal fit so it can hold almost all PC and Macbook models safely and securely.
The stand can be adjusted to give up to 12 inches of height so you can easily bring your laptop screen to eye-level.
This stand is made to be light but it is also strong and sturdy and will hold your laptop in place with ease.
The stand includes rubber insets that help secure your computer and it works best with an external keyboard and mouse.
For convenience, the stand can easily fold away and fit into a backpack or bag and is very easy to carry around.
What We Like:
- Portable
- Sturdy design
- Very high quality
What We Don’t Like:
- More expensive than other portable options
2. Nulaxy Ergonomic Aluminum Laptop Stand
This Nulaxy model is a sleek, streamline and sturdy laptop stand perfect for 10 – 15.6″ laptops.
The aluminium alloy helps to keep your laptop cool and the forward tile offers ventilation and airflow to prevent overheating.
The stand is sturdy and can hold up to 4kg of weight. It helps to reduce neck and back pain as well as eye strain by raising your laptop screen to eye level.
The stand has protective hooks to hold your laptop in place, rubber pads to prevent sliding and a cable outlet so you can keep your charging cables organized.
When not in use you can disassemble the stand into 3 parts so it can be packed away. Reassembly is quick and simple.
What We Like:
- Streamline design
- Can be disassembled when not in use
- Promotes airflow to prevent overheating
What We Don’t Like:
- Not height adjustable
3. Hankey Bamboo Large Foldable Laptop Stand
This Bamboo Stand from Hankey is one of the few environmentally friendly solutions, it not only acts as a laptop stand but also a small desk space.
It has an adjustable design so you can choose between 5 tilt angles for your laptop and you can alter the height level of the desk legs too. This multifunction desk is compact and can be folded away for convenient portability.
The swirl patterned design not only looks smart but also helps with heat dissipation.
This laptop stand includes a cup-groove as well as one small drawer for your pens or notepad. There is also a stopper to prevent your laptop from slipping from the holder.
What We Like:
- Environmentally friendly
- Practical multifunction desk
- Looks smart
What We Don’t Like:
- Fiddly to fold away
4. Rain Design iLevel 2 Adjustable Height Laptop Stand
The Rain Design iLevel 2 is a great-looking, highly functional and adjustable laptop stand that works with all notebooks and laptops.
This is a smart, sturdy solution that can help reduce neck and shoulder strain.
The stand is designed to allow you to adjust the height to promote comfort and good posture. It has a tilt mechanism that helps bring the screen closer while also allowing the heat to escape to keep your laptop cool.
The design is smart and this is a perfect MacBook stand thanks to the anodized aluminium that matches Apple MacBooks.
There are rubber feet to protect your desk and rubber grips to keep your laptop from slipping. This stand has a small footprint, is a suitable laptop stand for desk work and is best when using an external keyboard and mouse.
What We Like:
- Sturdy and high build quality
- Easy to adjust without removing the laptop
- Looks smart
What We Don’t Like:
- Expensive but high quality
5. Nexstand K2 Portable Laptop and Notebook Stand (Best Value)
The Nexstand is a lightweight, portable stand that can be used anywhere at any time. It is one of the best budget options for portable use.
The stand is strong and has a pivoting arc grip design to hold and position your laptop as needed.
The stand also has antiskid pads to hold your laptop screen in place and can be quickly and easily folded away when not in use.
You can adjust the height settings of the stand between 6 – 10″ and it comes with a handy carrying sleeve. This unit works best alongside a portable mouse and keyboard.
What We Like:
- Portable
- Height adjustment options
- Conveniently folds away
What We Don’t Like:
- Made from plastic
6. TaoTronics Laptop Stand
The TaoTronics stand is a foldable, sturdy option that can be used on tables or sofas/ beds.
The surface of this table tilts to 4 different angles and the retractable blockers stop your laptop or tablet from sliding off the stand.
As you’ll likely be using the stand for long periods, there is a soft wrist rest that helps prevent strain.
You can adjust the height of this stand easily and smoothly by pressing a button and you have a choice of 5 levels.
The stand is also wide enough to fit the laptop and an external mouse for ultimate practicality.
You can also fold this table away when it is not being used so it can be neatly stored away or comfortably carried.
What We Like:
- Durable desk
- Adjustable height and tilt options
- Can be folded away
What We Don’t Like:
- Uses clips to prevent items from slipping off which may leave marks
7. RioRand Portable Laptop Stand
This laptop stand is foldable, lightweight and extremely compact making it ideal for business trips. The white colour looks professional too.
Built using strengthened nylon, stainless steel, and silicone this stand is strong and long-lasting. It is universal and able to hold 11-16″ laptops. To help keep your laptop safe and secure it has detachable hooks. The angle of the stand can be adjusted to protect your neck and reduce eye strain.
As the stand does not have a solid back it promotes ventilation and stops your laptop from overheating.
What We Like:
- Compact and portable
- Sturdy
- Adjustable
What We Don’t Like:
- Setting up and collapsing the stand may need some practice to get used to
Laptop Riser / Stand Buyer’s Guide
A laptop stand is like having a whole desk in a compact package. They help to make using your laptop considerably more comfortable to work and they can help improve your posture and reduce neck, back, and eye strain.
Fixed or Adjustable?
Adjustability is one of the essential features of a laptop stand. An adjustable stand allows you to customise your needs by altering the height and angle so you can find the most comfortable position to prevent tension and muscle fatigue. If you are looking at adjustable laptop risers make sure they are also sturdy.
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Portability
If you plan on carrying your laptop stand with you for work or meetings, you will want it to be compact and lightweight. Look for a laptop riser or stand that can be folded away. The size of laptop stands varies greatly, when looking at portability make sure the stand you choose can safely hold your laptop size. Many are built to be universal and can fit laptops up to 15.6″. If your laptop is bigger than this you will need to look for a larger stand.
Material
The best laptop stands are sturdy and are designed to help prevent overheating by using certain materials (such as aluminium) or by certain designs (e.g. an open back or ventilation holes). Softer materials are less likely to leave scuffs and marks. When choosing a laptop stand material consider its manoeuvrability, strength and how user-friendly it is.
Metal laptop stands are popular as they are strong, lightweight and help keep your laptop cool.
Plastic and wooden stands are commonly used and are often a less expensive option.
Weight
Many people want lightweight stands but if you are looking at laptop stands for desks the weight might not be as important.
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Style
As you can see from our reviews, laptop stands come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Some have a minimalistic design while others are made to look great. The style and design ultimately come down to personal preference.
External Equipment
When using even the best laptop stand you will likely need an external keyboard and mouse for comfort and practicality.
Additional Features
The best laptop stands may also offer the following features:
- Cable management hole – this is a cord organizer so you can keep your workspace tidy.
- Mousepads – to allow you to easily use an external mouse without the frustration of finding a suitable surface.
- Cooling pads – these are cooling fans to stop your laptop from overheating.
- Small drawers – for convenient organization, small drawers can be used to store USB sticks, pens, and notebooks.
