A laptop stand might seem superfluous, but even the simplest set of stilts for your computer will save your posture. If you've gone without for the past few years, you're likely just used to shoulders that feel tight and achy, which is no wonder when you spend hours a day staring down at a screen rather than straightforward.
Sure, you could use a stack of books, a cardboard box, or a leaning tower of Tupperware to lift that laptop high, but listen: you can't slide a keyboard under a stack of books. It looks janky at best. And you need that Tupperware to save last night's Thai food leftovers. Besides, dedicated, portable laptop stands make the process of raising your screen to the proper height simple enough that you'll actually do it, thereby saving you from feeling like you've spent the day jammed inside a crate. Behold, the best laptop stands that'll save you from Laptop Neck (scientific term).
The best overall laptop stand: Rain Design iLevel adjustable laptop stand
Rain Design iLevel adjustible laptop stand
Because human bodies and WFH setups are all unique snowflakes, the best laptop stands are adjustable, allowing you to lift or lower your screen to the perfect eye level for you. Plus, an adjustable stand means you're covered if you need to shift your workstation from your kitchen table to a coffee table—or to a whole new apartment. This one from Rain Design is sturdy and easy to adjust. It's a little too heavy to toss into your backpack on a daily basis, but hopefully, you're already sorted in the office.
A sleeker adjustable laptop stand: TwelveSouth hiRise adjustable laptop stand
TwelveSouth hiRise adjustable laptop stand
The TwelveSouth is a little complicated to tweak, but it looks a little cleaner, especially on a cluttered permanent desk setup. Mirroring the monitor stand you find in your average office space, it brings a certain professional aesthetic you probably very much need at home.
The best portable laptop stand: Roost laptop stand
If you see yourself taking your ergonomic setup to-go, whether to a co-working space or to a coffee shop, The Roost is your best bet. What it lacks in the style department, it is adjustable, and super easy to pack up and toss into a tote.
The best cooling laptop stand: IETS GT500 Supercharged Laptop Cooler
IETS GT500 Supercharged Laptop Cooler
It's one of the more expensive offerings on our list, but it more than justifies the price if you've got a laptop that tends to run hot. Thanks to a powerful built-in fan (complete with a foam seal design to keep out dust), this laptop stand will keep your notebook components nice and chill, even on those freaky heatwave days. And if the blingy RGB lights aren't your cup of tea, you can thankfully turn them off.
The best minimalist laptop stand: Rain Design mStand laptop stand
Rain Design mStand"laptop stand
This laptop stand isn't adjustable, which mildly undermines our whole pitch around protecting your neck. But it does have a handy notch in the back to help you corral all your cables.
A sleek budget laptop stand: TwelveSouth Curve laptop stand
TwelveSouth Curve laptop stand
Like the mStand, the Curve isn't adjustable. Unlike the mStand, the Curve holds your laptop up with two arms, instead of a connected base. The difference is mostly aesthetic, but it also might help your laptop from overheating, since you'll get more airflow underneath it.
A rotating laptop stand: Minthouz 360° Swivel Laptop Stand
Minthouz 360° Swivel Laptop Stand
Not only does this pedestal stand allow for easy height adjustments (lending itself to standing and typing to help save your back from hours in a chair), but it can easily swivel around too. Why? Well, it makes showing off your screen a much easier task for a start, letting you present and share your screen without relying on a projector or people huddling around your seat.
Accessories you'll need to transition to a laptop stand
An unfortunate side effect of raising your laptop to fix your neck is that your laptop's keyboard and trackpad are out of commission. So you'll have to grab one of the best keyboards and a computer mouse or trackpad.
Logitech K380 bluetooth keyboard
This budget Bluetooth keyboard from Logitech will solve that problem. It isn't the most exciting keyboard around, but it does the job.
Qisan mechanical keyboard
If you've been meaning to upgrade your home keyboard for a while anyway, consider getting a compact mechanical keyboard like this one. Its keycaps feel a lot more satisfying to type on and are removable, which makes the whole thing easy to clean. Plus, they produce that fantastic nostalgic clacking sound, which will impart everything you're typing with the gravitas of the Next Great American Novel (though it might annoy the crap out of your roommates).
Dell wireless mouse and keyboard combination
Chances are you have a wireless or wired mouse laying around, but if you don't you might as well get it and a functional wireless keyboard at the same time.
Trust Vaia Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad
If you fancy a keyboard/mouse combo with even more minimalism, then it doesn't get more streamlined than a wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad. This model from Trust combines a large keyboard with a generously-sized touchpad, complete with physical left and right-click buttons for added convenience.
Apple magic trackpad
One of the best things about an Apple laptop is its trackpad, which is super responsive and features a bunch of proprietary (and useful!) gesture controls. Putting your laptop on a stand shouldn't have to mean losing those.
Now read:
The best standing desks for working in a back-pain-free home office
The best ergonomic office chairs for peak WFH comfort
The 22 best mattresses to buy now for a better night’s sleep in 2023, reviewed
