Best Laptop Stand of 2022

1

Best Overall Laptop Stand

RainDesign mStand

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$43.90

(10% off)
at Amazon

See It

Foldable?: No | In-Use Dimensions: 10 ¼" x 10" x 6"

REASONS TO BUY

Rubber grips on top of the stand

Aesthetically pleasing

Cable management

REASONS TO AVOID

Not adjustable

When buying office products, many people are looking for polished and beautiful decor and accessories that still deliver top performance. If this sounds like you, check out the RainDesign mStand. This anodized aluminum stand is constructed from a single, solid piece of forged metal. The opening underneath is a handy spot to stash runaway desk items, and there is a 2" diameter circular slot in the back for cable management. The RainDesign mStand is sturdy and practical and will add a streamlined look to any laptop work area.

We love the style and form of the mStand, but due to its inability to adjust or fold down to a smaller size, it may not be the right choice for everyone. If you need something that travels well or that you can adjust to your specific needs, check out some of the other options below. In addition, the price tag is on the higher end for a stand of this style. Despite these caveats, we still love the RainDesign mStand and think it's an awesome choice for anyone seeking a sturdy, sleek, and stylish laptop stand.

2

Best Travel Laptop Stand

Roost Laptop Stand

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$89.95

at Amazon

See It

Foldable?: Yes | In-Use Dimensions: (10-⅛" to 10-⅞") x (8-¾" to 9-⅜")

REASONS TO BUY

Tiny when folded

Three height adjustments

REASONS TO AVOID

Plastic

Does not support thick laptops

Expensive

Our top recommendation for those looking for a collapsible laptop stand is the Roost Laptop Stand. You can easily fold this stand into a travel mode measuring just 1" x 1 ½ " x 13", making it a great fit for those who would like to carry it along in their laptop bag. When it's time to expand it and put it to use, it has three different height adjustment options giving you the optimal view or reach to your laptop.

The Roost offers a reasonable degree of functionality, but unfortunately, it will not accommodate thicker laptops because of the smaller size of the lower support hooks. We're also a bit wary of the plastic construction. If you know you are hard on your things, you may want to go with a beefier model. Also, the Roost stand is pricey, so it's probably not suited for those on a budget. Still, if you want an adjustable version that folds up into a tiny package, the Roost is a fantastic choice.

3

Best Budget Travel Laptop Stand

iVoler Adjustable Aluminum

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$15.99

(48% off)
at Amazon

See It

Foldable?: Yes | In-Use Dimensions: 9-½" x 6-½" x (2-½" to 5-⅛")

REASONS TO BUY

Aluminum construction

Fits in most laptop bags

Adjustable

Accomodates books and tablets

Affordable

REASONS TO AVOID

Lower screen height

If you need a foldable and affordable laptop stand, check out the iVoler Adjustable Aluminum. We were impressed by its anodized aluminum construction and surprised by how small it can fold up, easily tucking away inside a backpack or laptop bag. In addition to its six different angles, this stand's width can be adjusted to accommodate tablets, books, or even cell phones.

Although versatile in many ways, the iVoler does not lift your devices up off of your desktop; it merely gives them a tilt. If you need a stand that will lift your laptop off your desk entirely, check out one of the other options. But if you need a collapsible and affordable travel laptop stand with sturdy construction and lots of angle options, this model should be your go-to.

4

Best Laptop Stand for Height Adjustment

Nulaxy C5

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$64.99

(18% off)
at Amazon

See It

Foldable?: Yes | In-Use Dimensions: 10-⅞" x 10-½" x (2-1/4" to 20-½")

REASONS TO BUY

Wide range of height adjustability

Compact while folded

REASONS TO AVOID

Lacks cable management

Shaky if typing

The Nulaxy C5 is a foldable laptop stand that offers a large degree of adjustability. Not only can you fine-tune the angle of the stand, but the height can also be set anywhere from 2" to 21". With a maximum height that high, the C5 essentially doubles as a standing desk for those looking to improve or change their posture. Despite its wide positioning range, the Nulaxy C5 folds up to be impressively small. It's not quite small enough to slide into a laptop bag, but with folded dimensions of 10-⅞" x 10-½" x 2-1/4", it could easily fit in a duffel bag or desk drawer.

The innovative design of the C5 has a few flaws. There are no cable management devices or slots, so your cables will be rather exposed while the stand is in use. Also, if you're typing on your laptop while it's on the device, it shakes around a bit. The higher you have the stand extended, the more it shakes. Despite the drawbacks, we think that the Nulaxy C5 is an excellent option for those looking for a laptop stand with a ton of adjustability, especially regarding height.

Foldable?: No | In-Use Dimensions: 10-¼" x 10-½" x 6"

The Lamicall Laptop Riser is an aluminum laptop stand that rotates on its centered cylindrical pillar, allowing the top half of the stand to rotate infinitely in either direction. We found this feature to be especially useful for group projects or meetings. The Lamicall has non-slip rubber pads on the base to keep it from moving around on your desk as well as on top of the stand to keep the laptop itself in place. We like the centered retaining tab, which leaves the sides of the laptop unobstructed while typing. If you're looking for extra storage on your desk, there is plenty of room underneath the Lamicall Laptop Riser.

If you're going to type on your laptop while it's on the stand, be prepared to deal with some slight wobbling while it's on the Lamicall Laptop Riser. This model is also relatively bulky and is not a good choice for traveling. We still think the Lamicall is a great product, and we love that it rotates 360º.

Foldable?: Yes | In-Use Dimensions: 11" x 11" x (5-½" to 7-½")

The Kentevin Adjustable Stand is a foldable laptop stand that has some very useful features. It collapses to be completely flat for instances in which you don't want to use any tilt at all. The 360º pivoting base is perfect for group projects or spinning your screen around to show a video with a friend. Kentevin also thought of designing a folding phone stand into the side of this model to make sure that you are able to view all of your media in one place.

The Kentevin Adjustable Stand is not the most stable model that we've gotten our hands on. We found this laptop stand to be a bit wobbly while we were typing on it, which was caused mainly by its flexible plastic construction. Even though this isn't the strongest model on the market, we still think it's a good option for those that are looking for a flat-folding stand that rotates 360º.

Foldable?: No | In-Use Dimensions: 10-¼" x 10" x 5-¾"

If you're looking for a one-piece laptop stand with a different look and design, the Soundance Aluminum Computer Riser might be a good choice for you. This model puts your computer screen right at eye level while sitting in most office chairs and aligns well with the height of external monitors. There is ample room between the feet and the stand for storing and organizing odds and ends on your desk. Each one of the support pillars has a slot in it for routing cables to ensure that your workspace stays nice and organized.

Unfortunately, we found a couple of substantial flaws with the Soundance Aluminum Computer Riser. The model we tested had uneven support arms, which made the entire stand wobbly right from the get-go. Also, because of the lack of torsional support between the arms, the entire stand is a bit flimsy. This isn't a big deal if you're just going to be using the Soundance as an auxiliary stand, but if you need to type on it, this could get very annoying.

Foldable?: Yes | In-Use Dimensions: 10-½" x 9-¼" x (1-⅞" to ~12")

The Urmust Laptop Notebook Stand Holder is made out of a hollow aluminum alloy to allow for maximum ventilation and heat dispersion. The pivots on this model allow for the device to be fine-tuned to a number of custom positions based on the users' preferences. If style is your thing, the Urmust comes in 7 different colorways giving you lots of ways to match your office accessory to your office decor. When the device is in use, there is a ton of room for storage between the stand and its base.

During our assessment, we discovered that the Urmust Laptop Notebook Stand Holder cannot support heavier laptops. Also, the retaining tabs at the base of the laptop plate are relatively shallow. This really is not the ideal stand for larger laptops. It's still a fun model if you're all about adjustable height and want a specific color.

Why You Should Trust Us

To test these products we used our In-House Review Editor Ross Patton and our In-House Research Analyst Austin Palmer. Between the two of them, they have more than 15 years of professional product testing experience. They have teamed up on projects ranging from lithium-ion-powered hand tools to ergonomic keyboards to iPhone gimbals and even jump ropes. With their combined knowledge, educations, and experience, you can rest assured knowing that they have our readers' best interest in mind.

At GearLab each one of our team members uses a laptop stand every day, so naturally, we used our panel of professional product quality judges to differentiate between the stands that deserve awards and those that are so-so in comparison. We carefully inspected each model for both attributes and flaws alike. Although much of our scoring is subjective, we are confident that our advice will help you purchase the perfect model for your needs.

Analysis and Test Results

We recognize that our readers are not all looking for the same product. Some of you may need a version for travel, while others may want a stylish permanent fixture on your desk. Some of you may intend to type on your laptop, while others may be using an external keyboard. To explain the various characteristics of each product, we broke our analysis down into three sub-categories — stability, adjustability, and features.

Stability

Depending on the application for which you intend to use your stand, stability may or may not be a key purchasing factor for you. If you're going to be typing on your laptop while it's on the stand, you'll definitely want a stable model. If not, this characteristic will be far less important.

The most stable model that we have tested is the iVoler Adjustable Aluminum. Thanks to its aluminum construction, this model doesn't flex. The design of the iVoler has the weight of the laptop essentially sitting on the desk, so there's no room for wiggling.

If you want a stand that lifts your entire laptop off the desktop rather than just the back, we found that the RainDesign mStand was relatively stable for typing, considering its design. Only slightly more wobbly than the mStand during our assessment was the Roost Laptop Stand, but this is to be expected considering its plastic construction. Finally, the Nulaxy C5 does okay when the stand is adjusted to a low height, but the higher the stand is set, the less stable it becomes.

Adjustability

Some people may want a rigid stand that stays in one place 24/7, but if you're going to be moving around or you like to change up the position of your stand, there are plenty of models that have an array of adjustments.

One model with a particularly high degree of adjustability is the Nulaxy C5 Laptop Stand. The C5 can be used flat, or the stand can be tilted towards you. It also has an arm that articulates so that you can lift your entire laptop off of the desk rather than just the back, and that arm extends an additional 14 inches.

If you need a portable and adjustable stand, check out the iVoler Adjustable Aluminum. This model has 6 height settings, but what really separates the iVoler from the others is its adjustable width — this stand can be used for a full-sized laptop, but it can also be squeezed small enough to be a stand for a smartphone.

The Roost Laptop Stand offers three different height options ranging from 6 to 11 inches off the tabletop, but is otherwise static. For those that are looking for a straightforward version that does nothing other than hold your computer and look stylish, it's hard to top the RainDesign mStand. Devoid of any bells and whistles, we think this model is the way to go for those who desire simplicity.

Features

A product as seemingly simplistic as a laptop stand can have a surprising amount of bells and whistles. They can fold, rotate, collapse, articulate, and organize your cables but still maintain a simplistic look and design. For this section of the review, we describe any attributes that differentiate the products from one another.

The RainDesign mStand doesn't have a lot going on as far as extra features go, but the slot in the back of the frame is especially handy for keeping cables organized and out of sight, and the rubberized pads keep your laptop from slipping around on the stand.

Conclusion

At GearLab, it is our intention to provide you with an in-depth hands-on analysis of products in order to take the headache away from your purchasing decisions. Laptop stands can help improve your posture, alleviate eye strain, and aid in organizing your desk. We hope that no matter what the application of your laptop stand will be, our review has helped you find the perfect model for you.