Best laptop stand 2023

A dark grey MacBook sat on top of a brown laptop stand with a phone to one side and a black controller the other.
Credit: Michael Soledad

A dark grey MacBook sat on top of a brown laptop stand with a phone to one side and a black controller the other.
Credit: Michael Soledad

The best laptop stand is a great way to help protect your joints and make your work a lot less stressful on your body.

It can make your working environment a lot more comfortable, truth be told, and owning one has the potential to improve productivity, especially if you combine it with a great wrist rest, an adjustable office chair, or any other desk-based items that can improve your overall comfort.

While some laptop stands simply raise your device, others provide you with more space, giving you more room to integrate one of the best wireless keyboards or wireless mice, as well as monitors, such as the best monitor for MacBook Pro to use with an Apple laptop into your setup.

Of course, height is also integral - if you want to raise your laptop up high, then some stands will suit you better than other desk risers. It's also here where the point of adjustability comes in. If you need it, it may be better to have a stand with more options for configuration so you have the flexibility to adjust things as you see fit.

With all this in mind, we’ve selected these laptop stands based on our research into their adjustability, additional features, general reviews, and, of course, price. Plus, we’ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions so you can pick the best laptop stand for you. That being said, here are our top picks...

Best laptop stands

  1. Twelve South Curve
  2. obVus Solutions Tower Stand
  3. VIVO Single Desk Mount Stand
  4. AIZ Portable Desk
  5. Boyata Laptop Riser
Twelve South Curve product image of a black laptop stand with a thin black and grey laptop on top.
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Credit: Twelve South

1. Twelve South Curve

Best laptop stand overall

Colour: Matte Black
Material: Silicone, Aluminium
Weight: 680 grams
Dimensions: 25.4 x r26.67 x 15.24 cm

For those wanting quite the versatile laptop stand, the Twelve South Curve looks like a great all-round option.

You'll find your laptop will be well supported with non-slip silicon pads that can help to prevent scratches. There's also an open bottom to help airflow and prevent overheating.

The Twelve South Curve also brings your webcam up to eye level, which will be useful for video conferencing, as well as generally raising your laptop to a more comfortable height that can help to improve posture and relieve any neck and shoulder strain.

As for supported sizes, this stand can support laptops with screen sizes from 11-17 inches, meaning you should be able to place basically anyone on here and it'll be supported absolutely fine, whether you're using one of the best laptops for illustrators, the best gaming laptop under 300, or the best budget laptop otherwise.

Read More: Best budget office chairs

obVus Solutions Tower product image of an adjustable grey and black stand with a thing MacBook placed on top.
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Credit: obVus Solutions

2. obVus Solutions Tower Stand

Best portable laptop stand

Colour: Silver
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 1.81 Kilograms
Dimensions: 31.8 x 30.51 x 7.01 cm

The obVus Solutions Tower Stand looks like a marvellous choice if you're after a laptop stand that's great for portability.

There's a strong aluminium frame present which should be rather sturdy, especially when you take it on your travels as this stand will be folded up and bundled in a bag, most likely.

When collapsed, it can shrink down to a thickness of 2 inches, so you'll be taking up very little space with it.

It's also height adjustable from two to 21 inches in total height, as well as featuring some adjustable angle tilt which means you can definitely make sure the stand is configured to your preferences.

Moreover, you'll find the obVus Solutions Tower Stand should allow some great airflow to reach your laptop, which should also help with cooling.

Read More: Best triple monitor stands

VIVO Single Desk Mount Stand product image of a black desk-mountable stand with a white laptop connected to the top.
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Credit: VIVO

3. VIVO Single Desk Mount Stand

Best adjustable laptop stand

Colour: Black
Material: Alloy Steel, Aluminium
Weight: 4.8 Kilograms
Dimensions: 30.5 x 40.6 x 45.7 cm

This VIVO Single Laptop Notebook Desk Mount Stand features loads of adjustability which can be useful for basically any desk setup.

It can tilt, swivel and rotate, and also attaches to your desk via a sturdy clamp, which means you should certainly have plenty of options for configuration once you've added it to your setup.

There's some built-in cable management so you can keep your office space looking neat and tidy if you've got any trailing cables, be it for display output or for charging, and more.

The VIVO Single Laptop Notebook Desk Mount Stand should fit practically any laptop and also be rather sturdy, with its alumni and steel alloy frame.

Read More: Best standing desk converters for a tall person

AIZ Portable Desk product image of a black and dark brown adjustable desk with a silver MacBook and white mouse on top.
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Credit: AIZ

4. AIZ Portable Desk

Best laptop stand alternative

Colour: Black / Oak
Material: Steel, MDF
Weight: 15.37 pounds
Dimensions: ‎35.25 x 18 x 3 inches

If a traditional laptop stand isn't your jam and you're looking for something larger but still portable, then the AIZ Portable Desk looks like a great choice.

What you're getting here is a portable desk that, with its four wheels, should be super easy to move around so you can work practically anywhere.

In addition, it's comprised of steel and MDF board, giving you a solid surface for you to work on, as well as a durable, portable desk.

The AIZ Portable Desk is also height-adjustable, so you can use it both seated or standing, giving you an option similar to the best standing desk frames.

Read more: Best gaming desks

Boyata Laptop Riser product image of a silver and grey adjustable laptop stand.
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Credit: Boyata

5. Boyata Laptop Riser

Best laptop stand with wide compatibility

Colour: Black / Gold / Rose Gold / Silver / Grey
Material: Aluminium, Silicone, Rubber
Weight: 2.86 pounds
Dimensions: ‎‎12.44 x 10.43 x 2.64 inches

If you're on the hunt for a laptop riser with wide compatibility for laptops, then this Boyata Laptop Riser looks like a great choice.

It can support laptops from ten to seventeen inches in size and can hold up to 20kg in weight, meaning you should be fine to load up even the largest of laptops onto the stand.

This Boyata Laptop Riser is also height adjustable so you can find your ideal height and angle for comfortable working.

This particular stand also looks pretty good, being available in a wide range of colours, including rose gold, silver and black, so you should be sure to find one that suits your setup.

Read more: Best laptop stands for MacBook Pro

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Searching for the right laptop stand can be tricky at times, but we've answered some of the most commonly asked questions to help you out.

Is a laptop stand worth it?

In short, yes. We'd say that a laptop stand is worth it for raising your laptop up for the sake of ergonomics, as well as for offering you a means of making your setup cleaner and giving you a little more in the way of desk space.

In any case, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin seems to think so, and always brings a laptop stand in his 40-litre backpack to travel.

How tall should a laptop stand be?

As a general rule of thumb, your laptop should be raised up around five to ten inches for you to generally be more upright.

You can of course raise them up further, but it all depends on personal preference and your own needs.

Does a laptop stand help cooling?

Laptop stands, in some instances, can help with cooling. This is because they can raise your laptop up from the ground so air can get around the entire device.

How much should I spend on a laptop stand?

As a general rule, we'd say spending between $50 and $100 will get you a good laptop stand that offers some good looks that should also help to improve your posture and give you a cleaner-looking desk setup.

What angle should a laptop stand be?

Generally speaking, the top of a laptop should be between eye level and 30 degrees below it, and having a laptop stand can help to achieve this.

The reason for this threshold is to help improve posture and ease any potential aching from being too slouched for too long.

Do you need an external keyboard with a laptop stand?

If you've got your laptop on a stand, then having an external keyboard for convenience can work well, given you won't be touching your laptop when it's raised up, and you can essentially, therefore, use it as a smaller, higher up monitor, as opposed to just a laptop.