I’m not right here to promote you the thought of laptop computer stands—see that story right here—however if you happen to’re going to drop a small fortune on an iOS gadget, it deserves a pedestal that enhances its sculptural craftsmanship. Apple has surpassed 2.2 billion lively units as of February 2024, so odds are you personal at the least one. And if Apple made laptop computer stands, they’d seem like Rain Design’s.
Apple units are recognized for his or her elegant simplicity, and Rain Design simply will get it. All of its stands disappear behind the gadget that they’re meant to assist and don’t drown your office in visible muddle. Most of its merchandise hover between $25 and $65 (excluding the $319 iGo monitor stand) and have iOS-esque finishes—silver, gold, house grey, black, midnight blue, and starlight (that champagne hue)—and most are designed with a cable outlet.
Apple carries Twelve South stands, however I favor Rain Design’s. They barely cheaper, with a greater variety of types and colours. And so they’re sturdy, so that they’ll nonetheless be holding sturdy even after you’ve changed your MacBook with its shinier successor.
Stability You Can Rely On
The mStand is my favourite of the bunch. It’s rock-solid, solid from a stable aluminum plate, and designed with a large base (7.5 x 10 inches) that makes it one of the crucial secure stands I’ve examined. I very a lot admire the slot beneath to tuck my exterior keyboard and mouse when not in use. In the event you collaborate in-person typically, the mStand360 mannequin provides a swivel base. Rain Design makes mStand variations for iPhones and iPads, too.
{Photograph}: Rain Design
In the event you favor a bit extra flexibility, the iLevel2 ($65) helps you to dial the peak from 5.4 to 7.9 inches with a easy entrance slider. The mTower ($50) is a vertical stand that allows you to stow your Macbook upright, liberating up useful desk house—perfect if you happen to use an exterior monitor. And if you happen to’re somebody who meant to work at your desk however someway ended up on the sofa after lunch, the iLap ($45)—with its removable entrance cushion—is likely one of the few lap desks which are simply as secure for desk work. (The iRest does the identical for tablets; all three cushions are detachable to fold down and pack.)
Prepared for Motion
The mBar Professional+ is the very best moveable stand. The 5.5-inch elevation feels good for comfy viewing and typing. Once I’m not toting this to a espresso store, it stays stationed on my already cluttered desk, prepared for once I want a second display screen.
When you’ve got a pill, mBar Professional+, which works with most MacBooks, can be appropriate with the 9.7-inch iPad, 10.5-inch, and 12.5-inch iPad Professional in horizontal mode. It folds down to only 9.5 x 6 inches and weighs lower than a pound; it is compact sufficient to throw into any tote bag, together with my Lululemon Boxy Mini Tote. Plus, it comes with a svelte pouch, like all the firm’s moveable merchandise. In the event you favor decrease laptop computer stands, the foldable mBar professional ($55) and the mBar fastened stand ($25) each elevate your MacBook by three inches.
Rain Design isn’t out right here attempting to reinvent the wheel with flashy options. The corporate has taken the basics and made them higher, providing an assortment of stands that—on the very least—do not buckle beneath stress. Primarily, Rain Design delivers what all of us need: unwavering stability, real thoughtfulness, and sturdiness that’ll outlive your Apple gadget.