A laptop stand is a piece of portable equipment to hold your laptop or tablet. It helps position the laptop at a more comfortable angle when working. Stands often include height-adjustable settings to vary the angle of the screen and keyboard. For portability, laptop stands can fold away for transporting in your laptop bag so you can use it anywhere.
But why does the position of your laptop matter? Keep reading as you’ll learn the importance of a laptop stand, the health benefits, and other uses for your laptop stand that can help around the office.
Why Should I Invest in a Laptop Stand?
Laptops and tablets are convenient, but as a consequence, they’re not the most ergonomic. For example, if you’re used to using your laptop on your lap or flat on your desk, the screen is often too low for comfortable work, which could lead to injury down the road.
Using a laptop stand is crucial in setting up your laptop ergonomically, providing support for your posture and many other essential benefits to help you work comfortably.
More Comfortable Viewing Angle
As laptops are joined to their keyboards, the viewing angle and height of the monitor are typically lower than is naturally comfortable. Looking straight out in front of you, your eyes should be level with the top of your monitor.
A laptop stand raises the laptop so you don’t bend your neck down to view the screen. Craning your neck or squinting to see the screen clearly could lead to neck pain and eye strain, so a laptop stand could prevent these uncomfortable conditions.
Prevent Slouching
Sitting with your laptop resting on your lap promotes a rounded back and bad posture. Slouching forward can cause far more problems than you may first realize! A physical therapist at Harvard University confirms that bad posture can lead to:
- Neck and back pain
- Poor balance
- Headaches
- Digestive problems
- Breathing difficulties
Proper use of a laptop stand helps keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed, as you won’t need to lean forward as much.
Improve Airflow
This one’s more for your laptop’s health than your own, but raising your laptop off the desk’s surface can free up the intake and exhaust fans. This ensures the internal components are working at an optimal temperature which could prolong the life of your machine and help it work faster, making you more productive.
Now that you’re familiar with the key benefits of a laptop stand, we’ll explore the other uses of laptop stands to help you make the most of this versatile companion.
How Else Can You Use a Laptop Stand?
Whether you work from a laptop full-time or it gets occasional use compared to your desktop computer, there are a variety of ways you can use a laptop stand to help you work better around the home or office.
As a Tablet Stand
Some laptop stands double up as tablet stands, such as the Goldtouch Travel Laptop and Tablet Stand. When you’re not using your work laptop, it can easily hold a tablet in position so you can easily view the screen.
To Position Your Graphics Tablet
If you’re a graphic designer, you’ll know that using a graphics tablet for long periods can cause back pain and make your hand cramp up if your tablet is flat against your desk. As laptop stands are height and angle-adjustable, you can repurpose your laptop stand and position your graphics tablets at an angle for easier viewing and more comfortable drawing.
For Holding Reading Materials
If you pore over books and printed reading materials when working or studying, you can use your laptop stand as an angled stand. Doing so frees up desk space and helps you view the materials more comfortably without the need for slouching over your desk.
In Summary
A laptop stand or tablet stand raises the height and angle of the monitor to make working more comfortable. Using a laptop stand on your desk can bring the monitor up to your eye level, which in turn can help:
- Reduce neck and back pain
- Prevent slouching
- Reduce eye strain
- Improve laptop’s airflow
Although we recommend avoiding the use of your laptop on your lap if possible, a laptop stand could help prevent slumping. In addition, bad posture could contribute to repetitive strain injury, breathing problems, and digestive issues.
When you’re not working on your laptop, repurpose your laptop stand to help you around the office — use it to hold your tablet, graphics tablet, books, and printed materials.
Want to make working from your laptop or tablet more comfortable? Browse our laptop and tablet stands.
