The report highlights that you can pay $50 or more for a good one, but a cheap model can be yours for less than the cost of a fancy coffee. One of my favorite PC accessories is small enough to toss in any backpack yet makes using your laptop cooler, quieter and more comfortable.
Industry observers note that you can get one in all sorts of colors and shapes at retailers like Amazon (here’s their vast collection of laptop stands), so it’s fairly easy to find a model that fits your notebook and sense of style. I’m talking about the laptop stand, a humble little gadget that I never really appreciated until I started working remotely a decade ago.
As part of the ongoing story, if I’m not using my laptop in my controlled home environment, the easiest way to make it more comfortable is by elevating it a few inches above the table — critical for unpredictable environments on the road. And if I’m really worried about comfort while working mobile, I’ll toss in a small ergonomic keyboard like the ZSA Voyager (which comes with a little traveling case). But just having the laptop on a stand can be a system update-changer when working in a hotel room. I prefer something sturdy and foldable, like the Roost V3.
Industry observers note that missed the surprising topics on our YouTube show or the most recent news from across the web? You’re in the right place. Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of devices talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld.
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According to the latest update, laptops offer a lot of upsides, but they’re also compromised computers of convenience. We accept the fact they’re more expensive and limited than a desktop because they’re more convenient to use than a big ol’ PC plugged into a bunch of peripherals. I’ve been thinking about laptops a lot after we got into a laptop versus desktop debate on The Full Nerd podcast.
As part of the ongoing story, that’s no biggie during the occasional commute, or a work session in the garden, but years of doing this over and over can cause real stress and pain. But one big problem is they usually force you to hunch over and cramp yourself up.
Industry observers note that but once I started regularly using a cheap laptop stand, I found my neck, back and shoulders felt a lot better while working on the go. I know, because I stand roughly 6’4″ and I swear I’ve shrunk nearly an inch after decades of hunching over laptops, writing up articles at home and abroad.
As part of the ongoing story, that can help you eke out a few more frames per second when tech industry, or a little extra battery life when you’re jamming on a work project. Plus, your laptop runs cooler and quieter than it would if it was suffocating on your lap. What’s more, I found having my laptop elevated a few inches above the table helped improve performance because you get much better airflow behind and beneath the machine.
According to the latest update, by necessity, I went with a portable, adjustable stand that’s big and sturdy enough to support 16-inch tech industry laptops. Most folks own laptops that don’t need that kind of support, so you can probably get a lot of the same benefits in a cheap laptop stand that costs between $20 to $30. While the Roost stand I prefer does cost nearly $100, that’s partly because I like to use big, hefty laptops like the Framework Laptop 16.
Industry observers note that you may find elevating your screen a few inches pays big dividends in terms of comfort. So, consider buying a laptop stand.
The report highlights that this week on The Full Nerd I joined regular cohosts Adam Patrick Murray and Alaina Yee to catch up on the state of computing news and dig deeper into the eternal debate: laptop or desktop?
In a fresh development, also, cat pics! Between the wild state of the PC market and Adam’s experience glimpsing what the future may look like at Computex, we had a lot of fresh data to discuss, and we wrapped up by taking a few questions from the audience.
As part of the ongoing story, we’re deep in the dog days of summer, but there arestill a few hot stories in tech that you should check out!
According to the latest update, that’s all from me this week, but make sure to bookmark PCWorld and check back regularly for more nerd news you can (hopefully) use.
As part of the ongoing story, this newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of devices at PCWorld.
In a fresh development, as part of PCWorld's video team, you can see him going hands-on with the most recent and greatest tech on YouTube, TikTok, and Reels, and his writing will appear on PCWorld.com. Alex has also written for Tom's Guide and Platform release Developer. Alex Wawro has more than 15 years experience as a tech journalist, and has covered everything from laptops and CPUs to PC tech industry and handhelds.