STILL balancing your laptop on an old book stack? It’s past time for an upgrade. Having the right laptop stand can make life easier, allowing you to stop craning your neck while working.
The best stands bring your laptop’s (or external monitor’s!) screen closer to eye level, which is better for maintaining a healthy posture. Some can even fit into a backpack for easy transport or switch from sitting to standing positions. These are our top picks.
Peripherals Are Important
Purchasing one of the laptop stands listed below is one of many ways to improve your posture when sitting at a desk for extended periods of time. Another option is to connect your laptop to a separate computer monitor. With two screens, you’ll be able to multitask more easily and won’t have to strain your neck as much.
Some of these laptop stands work best when used in conjunction with a separate keyboard and mouse. With these accessories, you can place your laptop farther away and at different heights, and you won’t have to stretch your arms in awkward ways to type. Check out the picks in our Best Keyboards and Best Gaming Mouse guides to avoid muscle strain and wrist pain. (Using a gaming mouse does not require you to be a gamer!)
The best wireless computer mouse for gaming
- ObVus Solutions Laptop Tower Stand
- Rain Design mBar Pro+
- Moft Z 5-in-1 Sit-Stand Desk
- Twelve South Curve Flex Laptop Stand
ObVus Solutions Tower Stand
I keep returning to the ObVus Solutions Tower, no matter how many stands I try. It’s strong, light, and stylish (in terms of office supplies). I like how it can be adjusted to different heights and positions, so it should work for most people’s home or office setups. You can flatten it out to throw in your bag, and you might even be able to stand on it (unless you are exceptionally tall).
Changing the height and angle does require some muscle power. That’s probably for the best, because it won’t collapse while you’re working. I’ve been using it on a regular basis since 2020, and it’s still going strong. It’s also frequently on sale.
Rain Design mBar Pro+
This simple Rain Design stand is sturdy despite being made of thin aluminum. Take it from your office to your living room or a coffee shop without fear of it buckling. It has a fixed height and raises a laptop about 5 inches at an angle. My colleague now has two of these, so he doesn’t have to worry about transporting it from home to the office—but you can, because it folds up to just 9.5 x 6 inches and fits into any bag that also holds a laptop. It is also less than a pound in weight.
When placed horizontally, the mBar Pro Plus can accommodate 9.7-inch (and larger!) iPads. The mBar ($25) stand raises a laptop 3 inches but does not fold, and the mBar Pro ($55) raises it the same amount but folds.
Moft Z 5-in-1 Sit-Stand Desk
The Moft Z 5-in-1 stand is easily adjustable into five different positions. You can comfortably stand for a few minutes at its tallest 10-inch height. If you’re going to be standing for the majority of the day, go for the ObVus Solutions Tower, which can go higher and is more likely to reach most people’s eye level. But what I like best about this one is that it’s light and folds down to just half an inch thick, allowing you to take it anywhere without adding much bulk.
Twelve South Curve Flex Laptop
You can adjust it by pushing it down or standing it up to 22 inches high, depending on your setup. Brenda claims that when using an external monitor, she can align the MacBook at the proper height alongside it; when working solely on the MacBook, she can position it at a comfortable viewing angle.
It’s also very small and portable, so if you need a stand that can fit in your bag, this one is ideal. Her only complaint is that it can be a little wobbly for typing on, especially when angled. At home, she uses it with an external keyboard.