Last week, I reviewed the LapWorks Desk Stand for Laptops, and gave it extremely high marks.  Within hours, I received an email from my contact there recommending their latest product, the Lap Desk Futura.  He explained that the Futura would be perfect for my long commute on the train, and asked if I would be interested in reviewing it.  Of course, I eagerly agreed, because anything that can make my commute more bearable is a good idea in my book.

Primarily, I have two concerns when I use my laptop on the train, both of which the Futura claims to address.  First is the heat my computer generates, particularly from the battery.  This heat all dissipates straight into my lap, and can be slightly uncomfortable.  More importantly, however, is my fear of dropping my computer.  My laptop is only slightly larger than my laptop computer, so if I shift my legs, even slightly, then my laptop becomes increasingly unsteady, threatening to slip and crash to the floor with each bump on the rail. So, let’s take a closer look at how the Futura addressed these concerns.

I have never used a lap desk on the train before because I was always concerned about the space it would require and the weight of lugging it around when not in use.  This desk, however, folds to an almost invisible 11×103/4 inches, in a design which is slightly wider on one end than the other.  It weighs just over a pound, meaning it is light and small enough to easily slide into my bag.  Its single hinge is heavy, which prevents sagging while in use, and allows the desk to unfold to its full size of 21×11 inches in a mere second.  Unfolded, you will notice that it is slightly elliptical in shape, meaning that it is wider in the center than on the edges.  This shape helps ensure that the greatest area of stability is in the middle where your laptop is most likely to rest.  It currently comes only in a gunmetal gray color (which I loved), however, it will soon begin shipping in a variety of fashion forward colors, so you can coordinate your lap desk with your outfit.

In order to make sure your laptop stays as stationary as possible, the Futura sports 14 non-slip rubber grips which secure the laptop in place.  What makes Futura unique, however, are the eight pads on the bottom which secure the desk to your lap, meaning it will not be able to slide off and drag your laptop crashing to the floor.  Additionally, the lap desk is long enough to create a bridge which spans beyond my entire lap on either side.  It was slightly too long for the small confines of the train, but not significantly so.  This allows me to sit in a considerably more comfortable position, without fear of dropping my laptop, even when my eyes start to drift closed.  Nonetheless, for those of you who prefer to use an external mobile mouse, there is not enough space for that on the Futura.  A mouse attachment should be coming soon.

So, now you are looking at the Futura and thinking, what are all of those funny little slats on it?  Looks like something out of some crazy science fiction movie.  No, this is not Captain America’s futuristic shield.  Instead, these are actually heat vents.  These ventilation slats are raised from the bottom, holding the Futura 1/8 inch off of your lap.  This creates a cushion of cool air to circulate underneath the Futura, cooling the air before it hits your legs.   When I used it repeatedly on the train, I was shocked by how well this simple cooling mechanism actually works.  With no fans or other heavy equipment, this simple raised slat design kept almost all of the hot air away from my legs. 

Unfortunately, I was slightly less impressed by the Futura in what I call desktop mode (sorry, too much Transformers on the brain).   In order to convert it into desktop mode, simply fold the tray into a wedge shape by lowering the leg into one of the five grooves.  This will elevate the screen to a more ergonomically correct angle.   I will say that I was impressed by how well this leg secured the Futura.  It looks extremely flimsy, and I expected it to collapse as soon as any weight was added.  To the contrary, when weight is added, the leg is actually pushed slightly deeper into the groove, meaning it is more secure, rather than less secure, when weight is added.  I never had any problems with the Futura collapsing under even the heaviest load.

 When I placed my laptop on the Futura, however, I immediately noticed how narrow it is in desktop mode.  It is considerably narrower than my laptop (which sports a 15.4 inch screen), which made things extremely wobbly and unsteady.  I did find that the more I lowered the angle, the more steady my laptop became on the Futura.  However, this really seemed to defeat the purpose for me. 

Really, this is my one big complaint with LapWorks.  Everything I have used from them seems to be designed for Lilliputian sized computers.  My computer ranges more toward the Brobdinagian proportions.  I wish Lapworks would better acknowledge these larger sized laptops in their designs.  Of course, that being said, there is some tradeoff in a unit like the Futura which has a dual purpose.  In order to be able to fit my laptop well in desktop mode, the lap desk would have to be significantly redesigned in order to avoid becoming too wide to be easily transportable.

All of this having been said, I can tell you all that I was simply blown away by the lap desk features of the Futura.  What looks like a simple hunk of plastic is actually a precisely engineered and designed unit which secures your laptop while keeping the hot air away from your body.  I wish the desktop mode had worked as well for me.  Unfortunately, it was simply not designed for a laptop the size of mine.  If you hold your laptop on your actual lap at all, however, whether it is on a train, bus, other transportation, or even just while sitting on the couch, you will want to check out the Futura.

Name:Lapworks Laptop Desk Futura

Where to Buy: Lapworks

Price: $29.95

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