Five Best Laptop Stands

Working on a laptop for long hours can be killer on your back, neck, and overall posture. An easy and affordable way to upgrade the ergonomics of your workspace is to grab a simple laptop stand, and whether you build one of your own on the cheap or buy one with a fancy design or added features, it's a great idea to get one if you spend long hours hunched over a tiny screen. Here's a look at five of the best laptop stands, nominated by you, our readers.

Earlier this week we asked you which laptop stands you thought were the best. You weighed in with a number of great options, models, and suggestions for the perfect laptop stand setup, many of which were specific to your particular workspace. Still, a few options rose above the rest. Let's take a look at them.

Rain Design mStand

The mStand Laptop Stand by Rain Design was built for Macbook laptops, but it works just fine for any laptop model. It's a simple, solid piece of aluminum that's angled perfectly to keep your laptop elevated, cool, and screen opened to just the right angle so you can see it while you're working. The new mStand 360 has an adjustable base so you can swivel your laptop from side to side while you work to change the view. It's meant more for use with a external keyboard and monitor, but presumably could be used with a standing desk setup. If you are in to Apple systems, it'll fit right in on your desk. If you're not, it'll still look sharp. The mStand retails for $60 (but is available for as little as $45 at Amazon) and the mStand 360 goes for closer to $60.

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IKEA BRADA

The IKEA BRADA is an inexpensive laptop support that comes in a couple of different designs, but both are affordable. The fold-out desk style stand with spaces in the sides for cable management are about $10, and the angled model shown here is only $4. Both models aren't exactly adjustable or offer any special features (although cable management slots are a nice bonus) but they get the job done, can be hacked easily, and can also be added to a DIY setup for just the right fit.

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Griffin Elevator Laptop Stand

The Griffin Elevator laptop stand is an elegant, space-saving setup that offers plenty of space in the center and around the sides for other devices, keyboard storage, and cable management. The brushed aluminum design and rubberized feet keep your laptop in place while elevating it, and while its not height adjustable, it does bring your laptop up to a workable height whether you choose to use it there (perhaps with a standing desk setup) or connect an external keyboard to it. It also has an open design to keep your laptop cool, and while it's another laptop stand that was designed for Macbooks, but it works just as well with any model of laptop. The Elevator stand will set you back $40, either direct from Griffin or over at Amazon.

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Cooler Master NotePal U2

If you're looking for a laptop stand that's also designed to keep a hot laptop cool, the Cooler Master NotePal U2 can do the job. It comes in a number of models, and can accommodate multiple adjustable cooling fans designed to keep your system cool while in use. Even without the fans, the mesh material and elevated design elevates your laptop for easier use and cooling, and when you're not using it you can disassemble the stand to use as a protective carrying case for your laptop to keep it safe while you travel. It's available in a number of flavors and sizes depending on how many fans you want with it and the size of the laptop you're using, but expect to spend around $20 at Amazon for most models.

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Do It Yourself

Of course, to get the most truly custom and functional option for your workspace, you have to build your own laptop stand. Whether it's just some books under your laptop or a fancy DIY option like some of the options we've shown you before, making your own is the best way to really get the height you want and to get it to fit into the spacey ou have to work with. Plus, many of you noted that it's just simpler to use something you have lying around than trying to shoehorn something potentiall expensive into your available space. Plus, you can go from a simple stand to charging ports and height adjustability pretty quickly depending on the level of effort you want to put into it. Photo by Craig Lloyd.

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Now that you've seen the top five, it's time to vote for the best option of the top five.

Honorable mentions this week go out to the $28 3M Vertical Notebook Riser, which many of you praised for being height adjustable, affordable, ergonomically correct, and perfect for using your laptop with an externally connected keyboard. Many of you also praised The Crane Laptop Stand, an incredibly adjustable, customizable laptop stand and workstation that can be tweaked so you can use your laptop while elevating it or set to the perfect working height for equipment underneath or your specific needs. You'll pay for the ultimate in customizability though, the Crane Stand retails for $170, and the Pro version retails for $200.

Have something to say about one of the contenders? Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn't included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Don't just complain about the top five, let us know what your preferred alternative is?and make your case for it?in the discussions below.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it?it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!

Title photo by Mike Sisk.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/CvR8QyEtbK4/five-best-laptop-stands

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