P
Peter Cohen
You have a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro. Using it on your desk can be a pain in the neck, literally, if you bend your neck too far down to see the screen. The solution? A stand. Certainly any height adjustment will do — you can stack some phone books (remember those?) or a box underneath your MacBook and level the screen with your eye line. But some companies make stands especially designed for the MacBook — here's a roundup of some of my favorites.
Elevator - Griffin Technology
This oldy but goodie lifts your MacBook up about five and a half inches. The design includes two aluminum rails connected a pieces of transparent plastic. Rubberized padding on the top and bottom of each rail keeps the MacBook in place and the stand in place on your desk. The open design makes sure heat doesn't get trapped underneath your laptop, so it's got plenty of air circulation too.
- $31.40 - Buy now
The HiRise sports a spring-loaded stand that can life your laptop from a couple inches to almost half a foot off the desk. The stand is equipped with teflon rails on the bottom, so you can pivot the MacBook from side to side without scuffing your desk. And the arms that support the laptop are v-shaped to help maximize airflow underneath the MacBook. They're rubberized, too, so it won't slip off. The arms are canted forward at an angle to bring the screen closer to your face.
- $69.95 - Buy now
The Loft lifts up your MacBook six inches off the desk. The platform measures nine inches wide by about 8.5 inches deep, and is O-shaped to help encourage airflow underneath the laptop. A cable management ring built into the back of the stand lets you keep your desk a little less cluttered.
- $37.99 - Buy now
Rain Design's mStand is crafted from a solid piece of aluminum which is then sand-blasted and anodized, making it a perfect aesthetic match for the MacBook. It's sturdy, and it lifts the MacBook off the table about six inches. The stand is tilted forward to help bring the screen a little closer, and has rubberized pads to help keep the MacBook in place. There's a raised lip on the front edge of the stand to help the MacBook stay in place.
- $43.58 - Buy now
All the other stands in this list have one thing in common: They're not that portable. They're big and bulky. But not the Roost. This collapsable stand easily folds up so you can take it with you wherever you go. It's available in two finishes: Black and MacBook Silver, and it comes in different sizes to suit 13, 15, and 17-inch MacBooks (the 11-inch MacBook Air need not apply for right now). It comes with a microfiber carrying case that doubles as a screen-cleaning cloth.
- $75 - Buy now
The Xtand Pro is height adjustable with two settings, and works with up to a 17-inch MacBook Pro. Two lips on the front of the stand keep the laptop in place, and there are rubber pads to prevent scratching. The circular base sports a grooved pen holder and non-slip feet.
- $69.95 - Buy now
All these stands have a few common design elements that merited inclusion on this list: They all raise the MacBook off the desk vertically, can work with a wide variety of MacBook models, and are sturdy enough for everyday use. I haven't covered "vertical" stands, either — stands that enable you to use your MacBook while it's closed, setting it upright to take up minimal desk space. If there's sufficient interest I can revisit the topic.
What stand do you use? Do any of the stands listed here appeal to you? What features do you think are the most important in a laptop stand? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Continue reading...