Laptop Stands

Laptop Stands and Risers

A laptop is a compromise: the screen and the keyboard are bolted together, so you can either look at the screen properly or type properly, but not both. A laptop stand solves that by lifting the screen towards eye level and letting you use a separate keyboard and mouse underneath. NXP stocks 25 laptop stands and risers from Kensington, StarTech.com, Fellowes and Logitech, covering fixed risers, height-adjustable stands and foldable models for people who move desks.

What a laptop stand actually fixes

Working off a bare laptop pulls your head forward and down. Over a full day that loads the neck and upper back, and it's one of the most common complaints in any office running laptop-first. Raising the screen so the top of the display sits at roughly eye level lets you keep your head upright and your shoulders down.

The catch is that lifting the laptop also lifts the keyboard out of reach. A laptop stand only works properly as part of a set: stand, plus an external keyboard and an external mouse. Budget for all three, or you'll trade a neck problem for a shoulder problem.

Choosing between the three types

Fixed risers hold the laptop at one set height and angle. They're the simplest option, they're stable, and they suit a permanent desk where you already know the right height. The Fellowes Office Suites and Kensington tabletop risers sit in this group.

Height-adjustable stands let you tune the height and angle to the person. This matters in shared offices, hot-desking setups and anywhere staff vary in height — one stand fits everyone rather than being right for one person and wrong for the rest. Kensington's SmartFit range uses a colour-coded sizing system to make that adjustment repeatable rather than guesswork.

Foldable and portable stands collapse flat for a bag. They're the choice for people who work across sites, home and office, or between meeting rooms. StarTech and Kensington both make aluminium collapsible models, and the Logitech Casa is a pop-up design for exactly this pattern.

Materials and load

Aluminium stands run cooler, feel more solid and generally cost more; steel is heavier and very stable; moulded plastic and moulded-fibre designs are lighter and cheaper. If your laptop is a 15" or 16" machine — or you're stacking a laptop plus a document holder — check the stated load capacity and the width of the platform before ordering, especially on the slimmest folding stands.

Laptop stand or monitor riser?

They solve related but different problems, and this category carries both. A laptop stand holds the laptop itself, usually at an angle, and typically leaves airflow under the base. A monitor riser is a flat platform that lifts a separate display — often with a shelf or drawer underneath for a keyboard, so it doubles as a way to clear desk space. StarTech's height-adjustable monitor risers here go up to 32" and 34" displays, and there's a riser with an integrated drawer if you're short on storage.

If you want the screen to float free of the desk entirely, a monitor arm is the better answer.

Setting it up properly

Three checks once the stand is on the desk:

1. Screen height — top of the display roughly level with your eyes when you're sitting upright.
2. Screen distance — about an arm's length away.
3. Elbow angle — with the external keyboard on the desk, your elbows should sit at roughly 90° and your wrists flat. If they don't, adjust the chair first, then add a footrest if your feet no longer reach the floor.

Buying for more than one desk

If you're kitting out a team, buy a consistent model so the setup is the same at every desk and support is simple. NXP has no minimum order quantity, so you can order one stand or thirty. Orders placed by 3pm dispatch the same day from the nearest branch, and freight is free on orders over $50.

Frequently asked questions

How high should a laptop stand raise the screen?

High enough that the top of the screen is roughly level with your eyes when you're sitting upright with your back against the chair. For most people at a standard desk that's a lift of 100–150mm, which is why adjustable stands suit shared desks better than fixed ones.

Do I need an external keyboard with a laptop stand?

Yes. Once the laptop is raised, its built-in keyboard is too high to type on comfortably. A laptop stand, an external keyboard and an external mouse are a set — using the stand without them just moves the strain from your neck to your shoulders and wrists.

What's the difference between a laptop stand and a monitor riser?

A laptop stand holds the laptop, usually on an angle and with airflow underneath. A monitor riser is a flat platform that lifts a separate monitor, often with space beneath for a keyboard. If you use a laptop plus an external display, you may want one of each.

Are aluminium laptop stands worth the extra cost?

For a permanent desk, usually yes — aluminium is more rigid, dissipates heat better and holds up to daily adjustment. For occasional travel use, a lighter folding stand is the more practical buy.

Will a laptop stand help my laptop run cooler?

It helps. Raising the laptop and opening up the underside improves passive airflow to the intake vents. If a laptop is genuinely overheating under sustained load, an active laptop cooling pad with fans is the better fix.