A laptop stand for your desk is a great addition to your workspace. You will no longer have to slouch in your chair or strain your neck when looking at your laptop.

There are numerous other benefits to having a laptop stand as part of your workspace. They create space by raising your laptop and freeing up the area below it on your desktop. They also keep your laptop safe! Computers cost thousands of dollars, so the next time you spill coffee on your desktop, a laptop stand will keep your computer nice and safe from any damage. And finally, they make it very easy to switch your vision between your monitor and laptop. This is because laptop stands put your laptop at an equal height.

For more benefits and detailed information on laptop stands, check out our buyer’s guide directly below our product reviews. Here are our reviews for the best laptop stands for desks.

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    • Durable aluminum alloy build
    • Supports laptop sizes 10”-17”
    • Anti-slip rubber protector

    This adjustable Laptop Stand is an ergonomic, sturdy, and durable product. With a classy design and aluminum build, this product is perfect for reducing back and neck distress from long hours of work at your desk.

    This stand supports all tablets and laptops in the 10-17″ range. The well-designed notebook stand adjusts from 0° to 90° angles to prevent stress on your spine and neck. You can easily adjust the height and angle to find your perfect setup. That’s the key feature in this laptop stand, as others have a fixed height and angle. For more information on the right laptop stand height and angle, check out our buyer’s guide below.

    The amazing build quality provides a delicate feel. It’s also easy to clean, rust-proof, and scratch-resistant. The hollow design provides enough space for ventilation, so you shouldn’t have to worry about your laptop overheating as a result.

    It supports up to 13lbs or 6kg of weight, and the silicone pad on the stand will keep your laptop safe and secure from wobbling around.

    • Manufacturer warranty
    • Sturdy steel design
    • Integrated cable management

    The VIVO height adjustable laptop stand is great for people who want to mount the stand onto their desk. It saves space, and we think it looks pretty cool! The arm holding the laptop stand offers 15 degrees of tilt and 180 degrees of swivel. It will allow you to find the optimal height and angle for your laptop. This ergonomic setup is ideal for anyone who works from home at their desk. Check out our buyer’s guide below for more details on the best ergonomic setups with your laptop stand and monitor(s).

    Additionally, this product has cable management features to keep a clean and tidy workspace. It supports up to 22 pounds in weight and up to a 27″ screen, which we guarantee is more than you’ll need for any laptop on the market. VIVO is a well known brand in the office supply space. They make durable and reliable products that you can count on.

     

     

    • Cools heating laptop
    • Easy to take on the road
    • Holds most PC and Mac laptops

    The Griffin laptop stand in metallic black is a great value pick for the price. It has two arms that are joined by a middle partition. All three pieces come apart, so you can travel with it quite easily. It props up your laptop about six inches which will save your neck and spine a whole lot of stress.

    Each arm also has a silicone padding to keep your laptop secure. The minimalist design keeps plenty of room for ventilation which will keep your laptop cool. Personally, this is the laptop stand that I use, as I think it gets the job done well, and is a reasonable price. The metallic black color also looks great on my desktop.

     

    • Lightweight
    • 6 levels of adjustable design
    • Supports laptops 11”-15.6”

    This laptop stand offers a slightly different design than most traditional ones. It offers six different angled positions to hold your laptop. At the highest level, the front of your laptop will still stay low to the ground, while the screen will be perched up about five inches. It offers the same ergonomic benefits of all other laptop stands, and is highly affordable at under 20 dollars.

    You should consider the angle at which your laptop can fully open if you envision using this stand at its highest adjustable setting. Keep in mind that most laptops open to about 135 degrees. Thus, if it is perched up on a 45 degree angle (the highest setting for this stand), your laptop screen will be perfectly vertical when fully opened. Some people who work from home like their laptop angle to be higher than this, so that the computer webcam only shoes their face and cuts off any part of their upper body. With this stand, that may be difficult when it’s at the 45 degree setting.

    As long as you are happy with the design and setting options, this stand is great. It has silicone padding to keep your laptop from sliding around. And lastly, it is very lightweight and breaks down into a very small carrying pouch in case you want to take it with you on the go.

     

    • Lightweight and portable
    • Fits PCs and Macs
    • Adjustable height 6-12"

    The Roost Laptop Stand is adjustable between 6 and 12 inches. This means that you can add up to one foot of height for your laptop, helping the ergonomics of your workspace. This added lift can enhance your comfort while working and lead to more ergonomic posture. The stand is compact and light and easy to place on your desk and move from room to room as you see fit. It is a great product for the home office but also great for working from other desks or tables in your house.

    The unique design allows it to fold up into a very compact space where you can take it with you on the go.

    • Unique mini-table
    • Easy to use
    • Versatile and portable

    The Neetto laptop stand can function as a laptop stand or a small lap desk. It’s available in a few different sizes in case you want a larger surface area, or to be able to raise your laptop higher than the standard 6-8 inches. Its legs are foldable so you can tuck it away under your bed when you’re not using it. 

    The legs are adjustable. The surface also has tilt control so that you can find the right angle for you. It’s also available in a variety of different colors such as cherry or honeydew lavender. The surface is made out of engineer wood. In general this laptop stand makes sense if you are looking for something that can also work as a lap desk. If you are looking for solely a desktop laptop stand, we advise you to keep looking.

    • 5.9 inch ergonomic lift
    • Aluminum
    • Strong and sturdy

    The Rain Design laptop will make a solid addition to your home office. It comes in one piece. So while there is no assembly required, it also cannot break down into smaller parts if you ever need to travel with it. It has a hole in the back for easy cable management.

    This stand for your desktop will raise your laptop 5.9 inches, and will fit just about all sized laptops without any issues. Lastly, it features four silicone-like pads in each corner to grip onto your laptop which will keep it sturdy and in place.

    • Premium alloy made body
    • 360 degree rotation
    • Fits all laptop sizes

    We love this swivel laptop stand by Lamicall. It’s silver and made from scratch-resistant aluminum alloy. It definitely has a modern look and feel to it! Getting into specifics, the front is raised 5.3 inches off the ground. With the tilted platform holding your laptop, that means your laptop screen will be raised about 7-9 inches off the ground which is pretty standard as far as the optimal ergonomic positioning goes.

    This stand also features 360 degree swivel rotation. This is great for anyone who often finds the need to rotate their laptop to different angles while working from home. The stand also comes standard with rubber pads that keep your laptop in place. It raises the laptop just a bit so that there is plenty of air in between the alloy surface and your computer which will prevent any overheating concerns.

    This stand fits just about all laptop sizes, but be sure to read the full product description to verify your laptop size will fit.

    • Supports for up to 15.6"
    • minimalist design
    • 6” eye-level riser

    This stand is similar to some of our top choices and gives you everything you likely need. For starters, it’s reasonably priced. It can be broken down into three smaller pieces – the two arms and the middle partitioner. Its aluminum alloy frame can fit just about any laptop size. This stand also has rubber padding on its base and the arms. Thus, it won’t slide around on your desktop and your laptop won’t slide around on the arms that it rests on.

    The minimalist design is great for people who occasionally want to pack it up and take it with them while traveling. It also gives your laptop plenty of room to breath so that it won’t turn into an oven! Lastly, it has holes in the back of each arm for easy cable management. You’ll be plenty satisfied with this laptop stand from Soundance.

    • Supports wide laptops
    • Available in multiple colors
    • Adjustable height

    The number one reason to buy this laptop stand is for its adjustable features. It can raise your laptop up to 10.6 inches, or you can keep it much lower at 2-3 inches if you’d like. You can adjust the overall height and the tilt of this stand. It’s made out of aluminum and also features rubber pads to keep your laptop stable.

    We also like the modern design; it looks very futuristic! The aluminum base also has a few holes in it to keep your laptop from heating up. And lastly, this stand comes in multiple colors. If your looking for metallic pink, we’ve got you covered!

    • Adjustable to eight heights
    • Mobile phone stand
    • Can carry up to 20kg

    Here’s an interesting take on a laptop stand. It features a built-in phone stand as well. Buyer beware, there are plenty of studies that suggest having your phone in sight can drastically decrease your overall productivity. However, we understand that there are likely a lot of use-cases where people working from home or the office need to see updates on their phones at all times.

    This stand can raise your laptop between 5.5 and 7 inches and is compatible with most laptop sizes. This stand can also swivel 360 degrees, as it sits on a turntable base! And lastly, it’s foldable so you can take it with you on the go. It’s very lightweight, but it can surprisingly hold up to 44 pounds. While no laptop in human history has probably weighed that much, we thought it was a fun fact to throw in. That’s a strong laptop stand for your desk!

    • No frills easy assembly
    • Sturdy metal design
    • Desk organization built-in

    This laptop stand not only supports a laptop but it adds instant value to your desk. You can you it for storage and organization, place a monitor on it, or use it to turn your desk into a more spacious work environment. The HUANUO Monitor Stand is solid, very affordable, and easy to use. There are no other major features about this stand: what you see is what you get. 

    Worth noting, it raises your laptop by only 3.8 inches. This is below the standard ergonomic height. Thus, if your primary goal is to keep your laptop at eye level to reduce strain on your neck, this stand might no be for you.

    Guide To Buying A Laptop Stand For Desks

    If you want to reduce neck pain and eye fatigue while using your laptop or monitor, you would be wise to buy a laptop stand. For that matter, you’d be wise to get a curved monitor as well!

    Commonly a laptop stand is also referred to as a laptop riser. Both names refer to the same type of product. These products add instant value, and perform a necessary job to enhance the quality and functionality of your workspace.  By placing your laptop on a laptop stand, you can save space, elevate the height of your laptop, and open up new viewing angles while working. There are even more benefits which we will now explore.

    How a Laptop Stand Will Help You

    A popular and common laptop stand consists of a stand you can simply place on your desk, and place your laptop above it. It is common that a laptop stand will provide breathable space for the bottom of your laptop, so that your computer does not overheat. This type of design is particularly important for older laptops. Some laptop stands have a circular design and others have open space by which the bottom of your laptop can vent and exhale hot air. 

    All of the best laptop stands for desks share a few core common features. They tend to be lightweight, minimalistic, and designed to elevate your laptop at least a few inches above your desk. Because nearly all laptop stands range in price from $40 to $70, there are variables other than price that you should consider when making a laptop stand purchase. I will explore these variables which include design, space saving mechanics, and angles that a laptop stand provides.

    Laptop Stands: Core Benefits

    One of the most important variables is the angle at which your laptop stand will hold your laptop. 

    Some of the best laptop stands for desks are flat and you place your laptop directly on top of it. Other laptop stands project your screen at an angle, and this changes the way you view your laptop screen. Another important variable that distinguishes laptop stands is the material in which they are made. Some laptop stands, especially cheaper models, are made of plastic. More expensive laptop stands, in contrast, are usually made of metal alloys or steel. A final key difference is how a laptop stand can help you organize the cables that go into or out of your computer. Higher laptop stands also include cable management functionality. Lower laptop stands are simple boxes that you place your laptop above. 

    Today, essentially all laptop stands are light, durable, incompatible with your laptop. So it is common for people  to make purchasing decisions largely driven by cost aesthetics. The Neetto Laptop, for example, resembles a small table that you can place on your desk. This stands in stark contrast to the Griffin Elevator Stand, which looks like an extension of Apple designed products. In both examples, the functionality offered is very similar. But the look, feel, and design standards vary greatly. 

    Why I use a Laptop Stand

    I use a laptop stand for the primary reason of raising my eye level between screens. This helps me stay active and ergonomically centered. I love it as well because it is light and easy to move. This allows me to take it from one part of my home office to another desk or a table in another room. For many years I didn’t use a laptop stand and didn’t understand their core benefits. Once I started using one I can’t imagine not working with one in the future. This is because a laptop stand enhances my productivity, and will enhance yours too. I don’t type or often use the keyboard on my MacBook Pro. Plus, I have an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I place my computer on the stand and off to the side of my desk. 

    Protecting My Laptop

    I sometimes glance at my laptop computer but primarily rely on my monitor which is a much bigger screen and display. Without a laptop stand, this type of work-flow setup would not be possible. Instead, I would still be cramming my hands onto the built in keyboard of my computer.  Moreover, I care about preserving my computer especially because I paid a lot of money for it. In particular, I want to help my computer avoid situations where it might overheat. A laptop stand, among all of its key benefits, performs this task the best. By elevating my computer above the desk, I can keep my computer at a cooler temperature. This means I don’t hear the fan or the keyboard heat up. And lastly, if I spill liquid on my desk, it won’t ruin my computer. This is very important to me and a nice security blanket.

    Overheating even more pronounced for older computers. I sometimes take out my 2014 Dell Notebook to look at old photos I have yet to transfer to the web. After only a few minutes on my desk, the machine slows down and starts to overheat. But when I use my laptop stand, I get a better and different computing experience. The machine stays cooler and performs better.

    Ironically members of my family have older computers and frequently ask to borrow my stand. While I believe they should (and will) buy their own one day (or so I hope) a laptop stand is so light it can be picked up with a few fingers and moved and shared readily. A laptop stand therefore also makes for a nice shared gift. It adds instant value, will improve your work experience, and costs you so little. So what are you waiting for, go get one already! There are also tons of resources if you are looking for a new laptop.

    Health Benefits Of A Laptop Stand

    Would you be excited to learn that there is a solution for that annoying neck and shoulder pain you get from sitting at your laptop and working all day? Good – because there is! The solution is actually really simple and you’re going to wonder why you hadn’t made this change sooner. The solution is a laptop stand!

    Most people feel pain in their upper shoulder region or in their upper back between their shoulder blades. One potential and likely reason for this is screen positioning. The screen you’re staring at for hours on end is in a position that propagates detrimental postural habits. 

    Positioning Your Laptop Stand

    Ideally you want the top of your screen to be at about eye-level and positioned at about an arms length distance away from your face. When you do this, your spine and the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and upper back can maintain an ideal position while you work. When your spine is positioned optimally, your vertebrae (the bones that make up your spine) are stacked in a way where they most align like perfectly fitting puzzle pieces. Although the structures that make up and support your spine naturally deteriorate with age, this process can be sped up by perpetual excess stress.

    Maintaining Proper Posture

    However, it is not possible for your spine to hold the weight of your head without the support of your muscles. Your muscles must consistently contract to enable you to sit up tall and maintain proper posture. When your muscles are at their ideal length, that is when they are the strongest. Think of your muscles like a spring – if a spring is constantly held in a stretched position, overtime its coils will loosen and its ability to spring and produce power will also decline. This is similar to how your muscles weaken over time when they are constantly stretched in order to look at a screen that is poorly positioned; the only difference is our bodies are smart!

    Your muscles will try to keep working and supporting. They do so by producing little anchoring points within your muscles in an attempt to produce more strength. However, this mechanism is a temporary solution with detrimental, long-term consequences. We can perceive this happening when we feel pain in the muscles that are being stretched. These are like “knots” when we try to massage out the pain.

    What Else You’ll Need For An Ergonomic Workstation

    As I mentioned, laptop stands that only have a tilting feature and not a vertical height adjustment feature may negatively impact how you use your mouse and keyboard so that your shoulders, arms, and wrists are not in an optimal position. In order to address this, it is best to purchase a keyboard and mouse that can rest on a lower surface than your screen. Your mouse and keyboard should be placed in a position that will promote your shoulders relaxing down away from your ears, your elbows bending approximately 90 degrees, and your wrists resting in a neutral position.

    To further promote optimal postural positioning, it is also important to have a supportive chair so that your whole spine is supported and you are more easily and comfortably able to maintain good posture. A good chair is one that has full back support, ample cushioning, armrests, and is height adjustable. To fully benefit from an ergonomic office chair, you must keep your whole back in contact with the chair, keep your elbows lightly resting on the armrests, and keep both feet resting flat on the floor (see image below). 

    More Immediate Pain Relief Solutions 

    After making these beneficial changes to your workstation, it may take some time for your body to heal and for you to fully reap the benefits of your new at-home office setup. If you’re still experiencing neck and shoulder pain throughout your work day, here is a list of some simple ways to relieve the pain:

     

    I hope this article will help you create a work environment that allows you to be pain-free, and sets you up for long-term success and health.

    Kevin
    Kevin

    Kevin is a WFH veteran. He has spent the better half of the past decade traveling the world while working remotely. Kevin has recently settled down and stopped traveling frequently, but continues to work from home and has created a spectacular home office. He loves reviewing new products for his office and sharing his insights so that people can improve their home office experience.

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