Until recently, I held my laptop flat on my desk or on my lap.  To be honest, I was perfectly happy doing so, until my good friend, Judie, came along and ruined it for me.

Judie had just reviewed the LapWorks Aluminum Desktop Stand.  She glowed about how much easier it made working with her laptop, and went on and on, calling it the best laptop stand she had ever used (and apparently she has used them all).  So, of course, I know I challenge when I see it.  I decided it was time to find out exactly what Judie was talking about.  Is this really the best laptop stand ever made?  Or is she just making much ado about a flat piece of metal?  Read past the break to see what I thought of the Aluminum Desktop Stand for Laptops.

The first thing I noticed when I received the box was how absolutely flat it was.  In fact, my first thought was, where is the rest of it.  Of course, it was all in there.  The stand actually consists of four hinged pieces of Aluminum.  When it is completely folded, the unit lies almost completely flat.  The package also contains a thin Neoprene cover which you can use to carry the stand when you are not using it (it also doubles as an external mouse pad).

I absolutely loved the fact that this stand folds up flat enough to toss into my backpack without taking up any space at all.  I have never seen a laptop stand that features this kind of portability.  The ability to toss a completely flat piece of aluminum (in a protective case) in my bag and carry it anywhere is invaluable.  This allows me the flexibility, if I choose, to use it at home, at work, or even on vacation.  

Setting up the stand is remarkably easy.  Just lift up the front and place the legs into the one of the precut slots for up to six different viewing angles. This means that no matter how you prefer to use your laptop, the screen and keyboard can always be adjusted perfectly in order to maximize the ergonomics.  Because really, let’s face it: laptops, for all of their convenience, are not terribly ergonomic.  In fact, my neck and shoulders are frequently sore for hours after using my laptop in the train.  So, anything that improves the ergonomics of this situation, even a little, is a welcome addition for me.  And the LapWorks stand improved ergonomics even more than I could have expected.  It is like I am using a whole different computer with this stand.

The real question, however, was how would it work with my laptop.  As I mentioned, the six different settings allow you to adjust the height and angle of your laptop to suit your needs.  The stand also features a swivel base, allowing you to pivot your laptop to face any direction.  This allows you to fit the stand into some tight spaces, in which you might otherwise not have been able to use your laptop.  Just slide it in sideways and pivot the front to face you. 

One thing I did notice, however, was that this stand was designed for smaller laptops. I have a mid-range laptop with a 15.4 inch screen.  This was far too big for the stand.  The sides and back of my laptop hung over the edges of the stand, meaning it just did not feel like it was as secure as I would have liked on the stand.  I think this could be easily fixed by making a second model to fit larger laptops, or even just adding adjustable arms which could secure the sides of the laptop.  Nonetheless, even with this sizing problem, it was still far more comfortable to use my laptop on this stand than flat on my desk.

The stand also included four rubber feet which adhere to the top of the stand in order to help your laptop grip better.  These feet also hold your laptop slightly above the surface of the stand, creating an "air-space" between your laptop and the top of the stand.  This helps ventilate and cool your laptop, which is extremely important (for obvious reasons).

Unfortunately, because my laptop did not fit right, I found that these rubber feet took considerably more abuse than they were designed to withstand.  They sat right where the hot battery and hard drive were oriented, meaning that the glue did not stand a chance.  Add to that the wobble of my laptop, and I probably should not have been surprised when these rubber feet came undone.  Of course, this was not due to any problem with the stand itself, rather it was the result of my using a laptop which was bigger than the stand was designed to hold.

I don’t know if Judie is right about this being the best laptop stand available.  I just have not used enough of them to be able to judge that.  I can tell you, however, that after using this stand, I find it terribly uncomfortable to use my laptop when it is lying flat on the desk.  I do wish that the top had been slightly larger to fit my laptop, and I hope LapWorks comes out with an upgraded model soon.  Otherwise, whether it was the best stand or not, the LapWorks stand has made my laptop infinitely more comfortable to use, in a manner which is completely portable.  And in the end, that is what really matters.

Vital Statistics:

Name: LapWorks Aluminum Desktop Stand for Laptops

Where to Buy: LapWorks

Price: $69.95

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