Choose an adjustable laptop stand if you need to raise the screen and built-in camera for video calls, particularly when desk or chair height changes. For prolonged laptop work, plan space for a separate keyboard and mouse rather than raising the built-in keyboard with the screen. Check the stand’s height adjustment, your laptop’s size and weight, and whether you need to carry the stand between desks.
If you regularly use your laptop’s built-in camera, raising the screen can help you position it for calls. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the top of the screen at eye level and using a separate keyboard and mouse when raising a laptop screen for prolonged work.
If you move between work locations, a stand that packs away and offers repeatable height settings may be easier to use at each desk. Fellowes describes its Breyta laptop stand as fold-flat with twelve height settings.
If you use a larger or heavier laptop, check the exact stand’s size and load limits before prioritising how small it folds. A stand that stays on one desk also needs to fit the available workspace.
Start with the screen position you need for calls, then consider how you will type and point during longer sessions. Check laptop compatibility before choosing between a portable riser and a stand that stays on your desk.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Screen and camera height | Check the usable height range and whether the laptop stays in position at your chosen angle. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the top of the screen at eye level, about an arm’s length away. | If calls drive my choice, I want the built-in camera and screen at a workable height rather than accepting one fixed position. Around 29% of consumers put screen and camera height first. |
| Typing and pointing | Allow room for a separate keyboard and mouse in front of a raised laptop, especially for prolonged work. This follows Health and Safety Executive guidance on laptop risers. | When calls are part of a longer working day, I need a raised screen without making the built-in keyboard my main typing position. Comfortable input is the first concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Laptop fit and stability | Compare your laptop’s width and weight with the exact model’s limits; check its retention points and clearance for cables and vents. | With a larger or heavier laptop, I need to know it fits and stays in place before considering extra adjustment. Roughly 24% of consumers prioritise fit and stability. |
| Portability | Check the folded size, carrying weight and set-up steps without overlooking the laptop’s size and weight limits. | If I change desks regularly, I want to pack the stand away and set it up again without much effort. Portability comes first for around 18% of consumers. |
Raising a laptop also raises its built-in keyboard and trackpad. For prolonged work, the Health and Safety Executive advises using a separate keyboard and mouse so the screen can be elevated.
Check that your desk has enough depth to place those input devices comfortably in front of the stand.
A prolonged raised-screen setup may require a separate keyboard and mouse.
Limits differ by model. Twelve South specifies a minimum laptop width of 8.66 inches and a maximum weight of 7 lb for Curve Flex; the listing for Fellowes Hylyft specifies laptops up to 18 inches and 4 kg.
Compare your laptop’s measurements with the exact stand model, particularly if it is large or heavy.
The useful height depends on your chair, desk and laptop. The Health and Safety Executive’s screen-position guidance is a target for your setup, not a universal stand measurement.
Try the position you need for calls; if the desk is shared or your working height changes, look for a stated adjustment range.
A raised screen does not settle keyboard position, chair adjustment or other workstation needs. The Health and Safety Executive says that, where display screen equipment rules apply, the individual worker’s setup should be assessed.
For sustained home or hybrid work, consider the stand alongside the rest of the workstation and raise any discomfort through workplace support.
Its Breyta and Hylyft models illustrate why laptop fit and portability need checking model by model.
Curve Flex is a fold-flat, height- and angle-adjustable option for positioning a laptop screen and built-in camera.
Neo-Flex is a lift-and-tilt option to consider for a stand that stays at a workstation.
Choose a height that puts the top of your laptop screen approximately at eye level and about an arm’s length away, following Health and Safety Executive guidance. The stand height that achieves this depends on your chair, desk and laptop, so check its adjustment range rather than relying on a fixed height claim.
You can decide what works for a brief session, but plan for a separate keyboard and mouse if you will work at the raised laptop for prolonged periods. The Health and Safety Executive advises separating the input devices so the screen can be elevated without tying its height to the typing position.
Check your laptop’s width and weight against the exact stand model’s stated limits. Also measure the desk space available for the stand and any separate keyboard and mouse, and check clearance for connected cables or vents.
A stand addresses screen position, but it does not determine whether the rest of the workstation suits you. Consider your keyboard, mouse, chair and desk together; where a workplace display screen equipment assessment applies, the Health and Safety Executive says it should consider the individual worker’s setup.