I was really not looking for a laptop stand, but when I got a chance to take a look at tis one by Belkin, I decided to give it a shot. Overall, I’ve been very happy with it: it’s a nice piece of hardware, it performs mostly as expected, and it has changed my laptop-using habits.

**** Build and Design ****

There is really not much to this stand: it is made out of two pieces of solid anodized aluminum connected in the middle with a plastic ring. The top surface is essentially one large ring, with the hole in the middle meant to facilitate the airflow. Both the top and the bottom are rubberized, the top entirely and the bottom only at the corners. The rubberized surfaces prevent your laptop from slipping and ensure a better adhesion of the stand to the work desk. The big hole in the stand’s base helps you with your cable clutter. The look of the stand is very similar to the Apple’s design, and Belkin is obviously primarily aiming to attract Mac users.

**** Functionality ****

The stand did at first seem a bit flimsy, but after using it for a few days I am happy to report that both of the laptops that I tested it with – 13” MacBook Air and 15” MacBook Pro (the second lightest and the heaviest Mac laptops currently available, respectively) – were able to stat securely on top. If you do disturb them, by plugging or unplugging cables and memory cards, they shake but at no point ware they in danger of slipping or falling off. You may have a different experience with different laptops or under different working conditions, but as far as I am concerned this stand has performed well in this regard.

This is my first time using a laptop stand, and I love it! I am fairly tall, and staring down onto the small laptop screen for extended periods can really be straining on my neck and shoulders. Elevating the laptop closer to the eye level definitely helps in this regard. If you are a shorter person you may not see as much of a difference though. I also like the fact that my work area can now be slightly de-cluttered, as I can place several peripherals underneath the laptop. This definitely saves some desktop real estate. On the other hand, I will now need to get another external keyboard (I already own a Bluetooth mouse). This will slightly add to the clutter, but overall it’s a net win.

**** Conclusion ****

This is a fairly solid laptop stand that has performed as advertised for me. It will help with your work posture, especially if you are a taller person. It will also in most cases help with your desktop clutter.