You know the experience: Set your laptop on a tabletop or standing desk, and youre in for an ergonomic nightmare. The screen is too low, forcing you to angle your neck and slump your shoulders at an uncomfortable angle. If you plan to use a full-sized keyboard, there's nowhere to place it because the laptop itself is in the way and forget about trying to use the laptop in bed or on the sofa.
Thats why theres an entire industry of laptop stands designed to raise, angle, and support your laptop in a variety of situations. If you spend much of your time working from home, some sort of laptop stand is virtually essential. If you use your laptop in a variety of locations, you might even need more than one type of stand, since some work best on the kitchen table, others can help you work in bed, and yet others are designed specifically to turn your desk into a standing desk or help musicians follow music while performing on stage.
Whatever you are looking for, Ive rounded up the best laptop stands to choose from. Be sure to check out the end of the article, where Ive put together a buying guide that highlights what you should keep in mind when you shop for your laptop stand.
TL;DR These are the Best Laptops Stand Trays:
- Rain Design mStand
- Griffin Elevator Laptop Stand
- Roost Laptop Stand
- Avantree Neetto Height Adjustable Laptop Bed Tray
- Ergotron WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter
- VIVO Single Laptop Notebook Desk Mount Stand
- ElfAnt Laptop Stand
- Omoton Vertical Laptop Stand Holder
- Razer Laptop Stand Chroma V2
- MOFT Laptop Stand
1. Rain Design mStand
Best Minimalist Laptop Stand
- See it on Newegg
- See it on Walmart
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Construction: Aluminum | Tray dimensions: 10" x 9.3" | Height: 6-inches | Weight: 3 pounds
For simplicity and elegance, the mStand by Rain Design is a strong pick. And when we say strong, we mean it. This laptop stand is built from a single piece of aluminum that can hold up even weighty laptops. That said, these stands are particularly well suited to Macbook owners, as they come in three different colors that nicely match the stylings of Apple's notebooks [of course, it works just as well for Windows laptops and Chromebooks].
The mStand will lift your laptop display 5.9 inches up, giving you a better view of the display without having to bend your neck down. But, that's not all it's doing. The stand also includes a whole that can help you keep your desk space tidier with better cable management. You can run your power cables up through the hole and route any wired accessories through it as well. If you want to spice up your setup even more, Rain Design also offers a mStand that can swivel around its base as well as smaller mStand models designed for tablets and phones.
2. Griffin Elevator Laptop Stand
Best Budget Laptop Stand
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Construction: Aluminum and plastic | Tray dimensions: 7.5" x 5.5" | Height: 5.5-inches | Weight: 14 ounces
It doesnt cost a lot of money to dramatically improve the ergonomics of your desk setup. The Griffin Elevator Laptop Stand hoists your laptop up by 5.5 inches so you can stop looking down at your laptop display and straining your neck all day. The raised position wont be ideal for typing on your laptops built-in keyboard, but adding an ergonomic keyboard to your setup is a good idea if youre typing a lot for work anyway. The elevated position can also benefit your video chats with a more natural camera angle no more work peers peering up your nose.
Despite appearing rather large, the Griffin Elevator can actually come with you if you need to travel or like to work from different places. It uses two curved aluminum arms that are linked with a plastic bar, but you can disassemble it in order to fit it into a bag, a backpack, or luggage.
3. Roost Laptop Stand
Best Portable Laptop Stand
- See it on Roost
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Construction: Plastic | Tray dimensions: 9.4" x 10.2" | Height: 6 11 inches | Weight: 5.8 ounces
Roost got its start as a crowd-funded Kickstarter project, and this newer version of the Roost stand benefits from lessons learned making the original. The key takeaway: Roost is ideal for mobile users who need a small, compact stand that can go on the road and be used in a variety of locations. Opened up, it looks like a simpler version of the Sofia + Sam stand, but without an actual tray for the laptop to sit on, or any articulating legs. When its time to pack up, it collapses down to 13 inches long and 1.25 inches square, which effortlessly slips into a backpack or briefcase.
While the Roost is adjustable, it's not quite as adjustable as some other stands. Your laptop can sit as low as 6-inches off the table or as high as 11-inches. It also has a few preset angles for positioning the keyboard and screen. The Roost is made of lightweight plastic, but is rock-solid in use, and thanks to clever "pivot clips:" when you slide your laptop into place, the stand grips it solidly. Theres no way the computer can slide around. The pivot clip design, though, limits you to laptops that are .75 inches thick or less [not including the lid] but its a rare laptop thats bigger than that.
4. Avantree Neetto Height Adjustable Laptop Bed Tray
Best Bedstand Laptop Stand
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Construction: Wood tray with aluminum legs | Tray dimensions: 20.5" x 11.8" | Height: 9.5 12.6 inches | Weight: 3.4 pounds
This stand looks sort of like a tray youd use to deliver breakfast in bed, and if you want, you could use it for exactly that purpose. The Avantree Neetto Height Adjustable Laptop Bed Tray is made to support your laptop, but after youve finished editing the TPS reports, set your laptop aside and use this stand for a bedtime snack, to read a book, or any other task requiring a tray that can sit comfortably around your torso. You can even set it on the floor and use it as a TV serving tray for your kid.
Calling it a tray is a bit of a misnomer: Its really more of a miniature table, with legs that hold flat for storage [the same way a folding table closes up]. The legs extend vertically, allowing you to adjust the height of the laptop from sitting at a height of 9.5-inches to 12.6-inches. The miniature table also angles to a maximum pitch of 30-degrees. The tray itself is 20.5 x 11.8 inches big enough for even large gaming laptops and still give you space for a mouse on the side.
Unlike most stands, which are made from aluminum or plastic, the Avantree Neettos tray is oak [and available in several different finishes]. And while you can travel with this laptop stand it packs flat and weighs about 3.4 pounds its probably more convenient to leave at home for all the non-laptop jobs it can do when youre not working.
5. Ergotron WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter
Best Standing Desk Workstation Laptop Stand
- See it at Newegg
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Construction: Particle board trays | Tray dimensions: 35" x 23" | Height: 5 20 inches | Weight: 49 pounds
In the last few years, weve heard a lot from ergonomic and health experts that sitting at a desk might not be the healthiest way to spend eight hours a day. Some workplaces are happy to provide standing desks for workers who want them, but for everyone else and for folks who spend a lot of time working from home -- theres the Ergotron WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter. This oversized laptop stand actually supports a laptop and a second monitor, with a two-tier design that lets you place a full-size keyboard and mouse underneath.
Folded flat, the top tier is five inches high and the keyboard sits at desk level. When you are ready to work standing up, it elevates easily its spring-loaded and can be operated by one person. The stand locks in place with a "handbrake," and can be positioned anywhere up to 20-inches high more than enough to simulate a standing desk.
6. VIVO Single Laptop Notebook Desk Mount Stand
Best Clamping Laptop Stand
Laptop size: No limit | Construction: Steel and aluminum | Tray dimensions: 14" x 12" | Height: 0 17 inches | Weight: 11.6 pounds
Need to keep your desk completely clear? Mount your laptop on a pole-and-clamp that hangs off the corner of your desk. This set-up is a common solution in industrial and lab environments, where you need access to a laptop but cant keep it on the work surface. VIVOs desk mount stand is a steel pole with a rigid clamp that attaches to an arm that holds the laptop tray. [The package also includes a monitor bracket, so you can hang a display from it instead.]
The arm can be mounted at whatever height you need, from desk height to about 17 inches high, and once configured, you can swing the arm around the pole and adjust the angle of the laptop. But to adjust the height of the arm, youll need to keep an Allen wrench handy, since that gets securely locked down during assembly. And dont worry you dont need to drill holes or otherwise damage the desk. The pole clamps onto the desk, and includes pads to avoid scratching the surface.
The laptop tray is enormous 14 x 12 inches and can accommodate any laptop in existence. Its also "ventilated" with a Swiss cheese arrangement of holes, to keep your laptop cool. It also comes with integrated cable clips to help you manage your wires by securing them to the pole.
7. ElfAnt Laptop Stand
Best Adjustable Laptop Stand
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Weight capacity: 15 pounds | Construction: Aluminum | Height: 2.75" - 12.6"| Weight: 15.8 ounces
If you're always working at the same table or desk, you might be able to get away with a laptop stand that's always at the same height. But, if you move around a bunch for work, you might not have that luxury. In that case, you should consider an adjustable laptop stand like the ElfAnt Laptop Stand. Not only is this laptop stand incredibly portable thanks to its fold-up design and lightweight [just under a pound], but it also can support a wide range of positions.
The ElfAnt Laptop Stand uses a series of aluminum bars with hinges and a scissor mechanism, letting it fold up to just 11 x 4.33 inches and then expand wide enough to hold 17-inch laptops. The aluminum frame can support up to 15 pounds, which should be more than enough for most modern laptops. And, the stand provides a height range from 2.75 inches all the way up to 12.6 inches, letting you really raise your laptop display to a comfortable height. With silicone pads placed along the frame, it can also ensure your laptop doesn't slip around or get scratched up by the stand.
8. Omoton Vertical Laptop Stand Holder
Best Vertical Laptop Stand
Laptop size: 0.55 - 2.71 inches thick | Construction: Aluminum alloy | Product dimensions: 3.7" x 5.9" x 1.85 | Weight: 1.21 pounds
If youve got a great hub connecting your laptop to a monitor or two, a keyboard, and a mouse, you might not really need much from your laptops own built-in display, keyboard, or trackpad. In that case, you can streamline your desk setup with the Omoton Vertical Laptop Stand Holder. This holder will situate your laptop vertically, almost like a super-thin tower desktop, letting you set it off to the side of your monitor to clear up desk space.
The stand is built out of aluminum alloy for a lightweight yet durable design. The stand is adjustable to fit a broad range of laptops, from thin-and-light models measuring 0.55 inches thick to chunkier gaming laptops up to 2.71 inches thick. The holder uses a silicone surface on the inside to hold your laptop in place and avoid scratching between the aluminum surface and your laptop. Plus, the bottom of the stand has a silicone grip to help hold your whole setup in place.
9. Razer Laptop Stand Chroma V2
Best RGB Laptop Stand
Laptop size: Up to 17-inches | Construction: Aluminum | Tray dimensions: 8.4" x 19.5" inches | Height: 2.9 inches | Weight: 1.3 pounds
The Razer Laptop Stand Chroma V2 isn't what you want for a simple place to plop your laptop to keep it cool. It costs too much for that alone. But, if you want a laptop stand with flashy RGB lights and the ability to serve as a highly capable hub for your laptop, then the Razer Laptop Stand Chroma V2 is the one to grab.
This laptop stand will hold your laptop up at an 18-degree angle, giving you a higher display while delivering more airflow to the bottom of the laptop. It also has a fun RGB strip at the front edge of the stand. With an aluminum frame, you can be sure it'll hold up even under the weight of a hefty laptop. Best of all, the USB-C between the stand and compatible computers can let it serve as a hub for 80-watt power delivery, USB data connections, as well as video outputs over HDMI and USB-C. You can connect to dual displays up to at up to 1440p60Hz or a single 4K or 5K monitor.
10. MOFT Laptop Stand
Best Portable Laptop Stand
Laptop size: Up to 15.6-inches | Construction: PU and Fiberglass | Tray dimensions: 6.7" x 8.8" x 0.1" | Height: 2-3 inches | Weight: 0.19 pounds
While many laptop stands can be handy for making your laptop more usable at home, not all of them are as ready to travel as your laptop. That can mean you're left without a stand when you're on the go. Luckily, the MOFT laptop stand is made to travel with you.
This ultra-thin, ultra-light laptop stand is essentially a sheet of sturdy material that sticks onto the base of your laptop. From there, it has a series of special folds that let it lift up the rear of your laptop, hoisting it up two or three inches to elevate your display. While the stand weighs less than a fifth of a pound and is only 3mm thick, it can hold 15.6-inch laptops and support up to 18 pounds. You won't find many laptop stands that add this little bulk to your carry-on.
What to Look for in a Laptop Stand
A laptop stand doesnt need to be expensive. Its usually just something designed to raise the laptop screen to a more ergonomic viewing height and clear the path for a full-size keyboard and mouse. Need a stop-gap? A stack of books could do that [albeit poorly] for free.
Perhaps the most important criteria for an effective laptop stand is that it should position the laptop to work best for your sitting or standing height. A common ergonomic recommendation is to put the top of the monitor at eye level. While even a fixed-height laptop stand is an improvement over staring down at a portable PC on the tabletop, it can be well worth investing in one that gives you the flexibility of an adjustable height.
But your eyeline isnt the only thing a laptop stand can help: laptop angle is also critical to your typing ergonomics [unless youre using a full-size external keyboard]. Again, a stand's adjustability is a useful feature.
As you can see from the models on this list, there is a lot of variety in laptop stands. Decide whether you need one you can permanently set on your desk at home or in the office, or if your laptop stand needs to be portable. A stand youll want to toss in your laptop case should fold up or collapse for convenience when traveling, and be lightweight as well, or itll end up getting left behind. At the same time, though, look for a sturdy design that is strong enough to support your laptop and has some way to keep your expensive computer from accidentally falling, even if thats just rubberized or silicone pads to grip the bottom of the laptop.
You should take your own laptop into consideration as well. Will it physically fit on the stand youre eyeing? Most laptop stands can accommodate even the largest laptops, but some have design features limiting the footprint or thickness of laptop it can hold. Another consideration when picking a laptop stand is how your laptop circulates air. If the fans flow down through the bottom of the laptop, your laptop stand should have a way to let that air escape, otherwise you risk overheating and unexpected shut-downs.
Dave Johnson has been writing about gaming and tech since the days of the Palm Pilot. See him shout into the Twitter void @davejoh
Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark