Best laptop stands in 2024: Prop up your laptop with these helpful lap desks

Best laptop stands: Prop up your laptop with these helpful lap desks
(Image credit: Michael Soledad on Unsplash)

In need of one of the best laptop stands? If you're looking to create an ergonomic setup that will make your working from homes setup as back-friendly as possible, check out our selection of the best laptop stands here.

It's more important than ever to make sure that your home-working set-up is as effective as possible. While a laptop is super portable and compact, hunching over a small screen isn't particularly ergonomic. 

If you're finding that your neck and back are feeling the strain – or you simply want to keep your desk looking tidy – you might want to consider investing in one of the best laptop stands from our list. These handy pieces of equipment not only bring your laptop screen up to eye-level (which is regarded by health & safety experts as an important part of keeping your office working environment safe), but they can also bring a stylish twist to your home office. 

Another excellent reason for purchasing a laptop stand is that laptops work best when there is enough room for air to circulate and prevent any potential overheating. If you have an older laptop where this is more of an issue, then you can even get laptop stands that have built-in fans powered by USB connectors. 

The best laptop stands

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Editor's Choice

(Image credit: Rain Design)

1. Rain Design mStand

Best laptop stand overall. Sleek, stylish and endlessly practical

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 15-inch
Weight: 1.36kg
Colors: Space gray, silver, black, or gold
Fans: No

Reasons to buy

+
Very stylish
+
Affordable

Reasons to avoid

-
No cooling vents

Raise your laptop to the same ergonomic height as an external display with the Rain Design mStand. This patented design is made from a single solid piece of aluminum, stylishly matching the MacBook Pro's sand-blasted and silver anodized finish to add an extra elegant touch to your workspace. 

However, despite the fact that the Rain Design mStand is designed for the Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro, it's actually suitable for all laptops. There's an outlet at the back that you can feed all of your cables through, which will help keep your desk nice and tidy. 

(Image credit: Nulaxy)

02. Nulaxy C1 Laptop Stand

Best laptop stand for adjustability

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 17.3-inch
Weight: 960g
Colors: Silver, A-silver
Fans: No

Reasons to buy

+
Adjustable height
+
Lightweight construction
+
Safely holds most laptops

Reasons to avoid

-
No fans

This super flexible stand is perfect for those that are looking for something that allows you to regularly adjust the height of your laptop. Its Z-type design lets you adjust the working level from 3 to 10.6 inches - giving you plenty of scope for adjustment. It is made from aluminum to ensure stability and boasts that it safely hold a laptop up to 44 pounds!

There are rubber pads on the top and front lip will hold your laptop so it does not. There is no fan, but there are holes cut into the stand's surface to allow air circulation as it hovers above the desk surface.

(Image credit: Twelve South)

3. Twelve South HiRise for MacBook

Best laptop stand for Macbooks

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 15-inch
Weight: 860g
Colors: Silver
Fans: No

Reasons to buy

+
Height adjustable
+
Plenty of space for laptop to keep cool

Reasons to avoid

-
No 'lip' to prevent laptop from sliding off

The Twelve South HiRise laptop stand is another stylish option, but this one is slightly more adjustable than our number one choice. This laptop stand is also made out of brushed aluminum, although it lacks a lip at the front to help secure your laptop from falling off. However, the rubber non-slip base should be enough to keep your laptop still. 

One of the best aspects of this laptop stand is the rear piston, which can easily adjust the height of your laptop up to six inches for improved ergonomics. The v-shaped design also keeps your laptop's base exposed, allowing for improved airflow and cooling. 

(Image credit: Steklo)

04. Steklo Ergonomic Foldable X-Stand

Best laptop stand for those always on the move

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 17-inch
Weight: 164g
Colors: Silver
Fans: No

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight design
+
Folds down

Reasons to avoid

-
Not particularly stylish

If you work from the office and from home a similar amount, then you might find yourself wishing for a laptop stand that's compact and portable. This X-stand from Steklo is a great affordable option for users who want the perfect balance between ergonomic working and the ability to transport it between workplaces. 

While there's no fans, there's plenty of open space beneath where the laptop rests to help keep the laptop cool.  Meanwhile, the rubber feet provides a stable base to ensure your laptop isn't slipping around your desk. 

Weighing just 18 grams and folding up neatly and compactly, this Steklo laptop stand is portable enough that it can be easily slotted into a laptop bag. 

(Image credit: Trust)

05. Trust Azul Laptop Cooling Stand with Dual Fans

Tired of your laptop whirring like crazy? Try this stand

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 16-inch
Weight: 366g
Colors: Black
Fans: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
In-built USB-powered fans
+
Futuristic blue glow

Reasons to avoid

-
Not adjustable

If your laptop is getting on a bit, or it's feeling overtaxed from all those tabs you're refusing to close, then the less-than-soothing sound of your laptop's whirring might be a familiar companion. Help keep your laptop cool with the Trust Azul laptop stand with built-in USB-powered fans. 

The blue-lit fans give this laptop stand a futuristic, industrial feel, while the integrated cable storage helps to keep your desk tidy. 

Best laptop stands: Thermaltake Massive TM Notebook Cooler

(Image credit: ThermalTake)

06. Thermaltake Massive TM Notebook Cooler

Best laptop stand for keeping things cool

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 17-inch
Weight: 830g
Color: Silver/black
Fans: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Temperature sensor
+
Powerful fans
+
Ideal for gamers

Reasons to avoid

-
Chunky design
-
Limited adjustment

The Thermaltake Massive TM Notebook Cooler is designed to keep your laptop cool during demanding tasks such as video editing - or just when the ambient temperature is high. The industrial look may appeal to some, but it it is more functional than beautiful. It boasts a temperature sensor that detects heat in four different areas to operate the fan automatically when needed. But usefully it also offers manual controls if you want more control over the temperature. There are a pair of adjustable legs that allow you to adjust the. he angle and height of the stand.

• See also Best laptop cooler pads

(Image credit: Twelve South)

07. Twelve South BookArc Stand

A vertical laptop stand is perfect for keeping your desk space tidy

Specifications

Supported laptop size: Up to 15-inch
Weight: 159g
Colors: Space gray, or silver
Fans: No

Reasons to buy

+
Stylish design
+
Fits different size laptops
+
Designed for storage not use

Reasons to avoid

-
Interchangeable inserts sold separately

This laptop stand doesn't quite fulfill the same function as others on this guide, as it doesn't hold your laptop higher off your desk to enable ergonomic working. However, what it does do is give you a handy space to slot your laptop when you're not using it. If you find yourself needing plenty of workspace on your desk and you never know where to put your laptop, this might just be the answer you've been searching for. 

This vertical laptop stand from Twelve South has been specially designed for MacBooks and will keep your laptop neatly out of the way when it's not being used. Alternatively, if you have one of the best monitors or the best keyboards, it's also a great way to keep your closed laptop stowed away when working. 

Read more

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Best standing desks

Louise Carey

With over a decade of photographic experience, Louise arms Digital Camera World with a wealth of knowledge on photographic technique and know-how – something at which she is so adept that she's delivered workshops for the likes of ITV and Sue Ryder. Louise also brings years of experience as both a web and print journalist, having served as features editor for Practical Photography magazine and contributing photography tutorials and camera analysis to titles including Digital Camera Magazine and  Digital Photographer. Louise currently shoots with the Fujifilm X-T200 and the Nikon D800, capturing self-portraits and still life images, and is DCW's ecommerce editor, meaning that she knows good camera, lens and laptop deals when she sees them.