Does your laptop feel like a medieval torture device when you’re trying to work? It’s not just you. Ever since laptops became the norm in most workplaces and homes, the health risks of working with a laptop have become clearer.
Your wrists, spine and neck will all thank you for upgrading with a laptop stand. Discussions abound about whether we should be using laptops at all, while many of us just clutch our wrists to try and combat RSI before it starts.
I’ve been using one for over 6 months and it’s changed my life (well…maybe not that much).
If you’re like most people, you spend as much as 10h per day in front of a computer – a laptop stand is a must have!
This article will look at 14 practical benefits of using a laptop stand.
Table of Contents
Why you need a laptop stand?
A laptop stand is an essential piece of equipment if you want to use your laptop for hours at a time. It allows you to position your laptop in a comfortable way while keeping it stable and upright.
This is just scratching the surface of the many great benefits that a laptop stand can provide you.
In fact, I can tell you 14 more other benefits why a laptop stand is beneficial to you.
Adjustable height
A laptop stand allows you to adjust the height and angle of your laptop. This way, you can easily find a comfortable position for your wrist, your neck and your eyes. If you spend a lot of time on your laptop, then this is an investment you definitely want to make.
Brings the Laptop Screen to Eye Level
Laptop stands allow you to bring your laptop closer to your eyes so you can see more clearly. They also help prevent neck strain from looking down at your computer all day. Adjustable laptop stands come in many shapes and sizes, allowing you to choose the one that works best for you.
Ergonomic design
A laptop stand is ergonomically designed to match the natural movement of your arm and wrist. It is an ideal solution for those who sit all day long in front of the computer. The stand allows you to adjust the angle and height of your laptop, keeping your wrists in a neutral position.
Better typing ergonomics
Laptop stands are great for improving your typing posture. They help keep your wrists straight and your elbows close to your body.
This helps prevent repetitive strain injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome. A laptop stand will also elevate your screen to eye level.
Laptop stands also helps prevent neck pain caused by looking down at your keyboard and then having to look up to view the screen.
Prevent carpal tunnel
Laptop stands can prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when there is too much pressure on the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is located between the hand and wrist, and can become irritated from excessive typing, emailing, or other repetitive motion.
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, it is important to elevate your wrists and with a laptop stand you can adjust the height of the keyboard for better elevation of your wrists.
Reduce back pain
Laptop stands reduce back pain. Back pain occurs when the spine curves to an abnormal degree. This can happen over time as we sit at a desk all day. A laptop stand puts your screen at eye level, reducing the need to lean forward and arch your back to see the screen. The result is less back pain.
A study has shown that the weight of your head is doubled when you are looking down at your computer screen. That means that the weight of your neck is doubled when you are sitting at your desk.
Prevents overheating
Laptops are very sensitive devices. They get hot really quickly, which means they could burn or even melt if left unattended. A laptop stand keeps your laptop cool by preventing direct contact between your body and the heat-producing parts of your laptop.
Overheating can also cause your laptop to run slow and less efficient. By reducing the amount of heat produced from your laptop, a laptop stand helps keep your laptop running smoothly.
Protects against damage
The last thing you want is to drop your expensive laptop onto concrete flooring. The best way to avoid such accidents is to place your laptop on a sturdy table top. However, there’s no point having a nice-looking desk if it doesn’t protect your laptop. That’s where a laptop stand comes into play.
It provides extra protection for your laptop so you don’t have to worry about damaging it. You’ll never know how valuable your laptop is until something happens to it.
So invest in a good quality laptop stand today.
Laptop stands can also provide you with a bit of extra height if you need it. This can help prevent spills and hand slips while typing.
Reduce screen glare
The displays on modern laptops produce lots of light. When sitting directly under these bright lights, your eyes may start to hurt after only 30 minutes.
By placing your laptop on its own stand, you can easily adjust the screen angle and position so you will be able to reduce the amount of glare coming from the display and you won’t suffer any eye strain.
Lightweight and portable
Most laptop stands are very light, weighing around as much as one and a half pounds or even less. This makes them very portable, so you can easily move them from one room to another or even from one part of your house to another.
For added portability, many laptop stands can be folded up and then placed in a backpack. This makes them incredibly easy to carry with you wherever you need to go.
If you have a laptop stand in your home, you won’t need to keep a big and bulky computer tower taking up space in your desk.
- Space saving design allows you to quickly and easily move your laptop between rooms and even places of the house.
- Compact design won’t waste much space on your desktop.
- Easily store it in your desk drawers or closet.
Reduce clutter
Every student, freelancer or gamer has a desk filled with books, notebooks, pens, pencils, a phone charger, textbooks, laptops, tablets, and much more. Over time, all of these items start to pile up and quickly become cluttered.
This makes it hard to find anything when you need it, as everything is hidden beneath piles of other stuffs.
A laptop stand is a great way to prevent this clutter. Laptop stands allow you to organize your desk with everything that you need close at hand.
Advance Features
Some laptop stand models comes with USB Port, Cable Management, Drawer and Smartphone Holder allowing for better desk organization and of course fewer cable clutters.
Boost productivity
A laptop stand will allow you to boost your productivity because of better ergonomics and less strain in your body for long hours of use. This is the first thing you should purchase after you decide on a laptop.
A laptop stand provides a better and more comfortable typing position while boosting air circulation around your laptop, improving its efficiency. It will also allow you to conveniently place your other accessories alongside the laptop.
Longer battery
The heat from your laptop can cause your battery to drain faster. A laptop stand will help lessen the heat of your laptop, thus prolonging the battery life in each use. The higher the quality of your laptop stand, the better it will minimize your laptop heat and prolong your battery life.
Disadvantage of laptop stands
Though a laptop stand provides a lot of benefits, it does have some minor disadvantages.
For example, it may add additional weight to your baggage if you are going to travel from one place to another. Therefore, before you place an order for a laptop stand, you should be sure that it will be practical for your trip.
Not compatible with all laptops. Some laptops are slightly different from the design and configuration. Therefore, it is recommended that you research on the laptop stand before placing an order for it.
Types of laptop stand
A laptop stand is used to elevate a laptop and provide a more ergonomic work space. There are three types of laptop stands: Slanted Laptop Stands, Dual Rise Stands and Folding Laptop Tables.
Slanted Laptop Stands
Pros and Cons
Slanted laptop stands are usually lighter than most of the other types and they are also more portable too because they can be folded and collapse into a more compact way. However, you might find the keyword always slanted and it might not be the most ergonomic amongst the laptop stands.
Verdict: They are the most compact but not the most ergonomic
Dual Rise Stands
Pros and Cons
What I like about dual rise stands is that they can elevate both screen and the keyboard. It allows me to be more comfortable using my laptop. Because they also feel more sturdy, I was able to use the keyboard from the laptop instead of me getting a separate external keyboard.
What I don’t like about it is that they can be a bit more bulky than slanted laptop stands and less portable. I also notice that they are more usually expensive.
Verdict: Better ergonomics but less compact than slanted laptop stands
Folding Laptop Tables
Pros and Cons
Folding laptop tables offers the most versatility among the types. Not only it can be used on your desk, but you can also bring it on your bed. You can also adjust the height more and make it an alternative desk. The fan that is already included is also more heavy duty and gives more cooling power.
Although it seems to be the more feature rich among the types. However, because of its size, it will be more difficult to bring outside of your home. And because of the more complex features, expect that it will be much more expensive.
Verdict: Perfect for home use, not portable and more expensive
Best laptop stand brands
Staying productive on the go can be hard without the right office equipment. A laptop stand is designed to provide the right height and angle for all types of computing devices, and is perfect for an office setting or while traveling.
These are some of the best laptop stand brands available on the market today with the best reviews and high positive ratings:
Best Slanted Laptop Brand: Kensington Easy Riser
Best Dual Rise Stands Brand: Nulaxy Laptop Stand
Best Folding Laptop Table Brand: Executive Large Laptop Stand
Are laptop stands worth it?
Laptop stands have been around since the early 2000s when laptops were first introduced in the market. Since then, there has been a lot of innovation in this field.
Today, we see many new models being released every year. Some of these innovations include adjustable heights, tilt angles, swiveling screens, etc.
Laptop cooling pads are great if your laptop overheats. They keep your laptop from getting too hot and help prevent damage to your computer. A few ergonomic benefits can also be gained from raising up the display of your laptop. Cooling pads with adjustable height and angles can actually improve posture and decrease neck pain by getting your monitor closer to eye level.
Beware of cheap laptop stand brands, though, I have found them highly ineffective and useless because of the cheap materials and components used.
