Rain Design mStand review
A single piece of aluminium that raises your screen 5.9 inches, and why that number is the point.
A one-piece anodised aluminium laptop stand that raises the screen 5.9 inches and doubles as a heat sink.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rise | 5.9 inches, fixed |
| Construction | Single piece aluminium, which also acts as a heat sink |
| Cable management | 2 inch hole at the back with a cable organiser |
| Finish | Sand-blasted and silver anodised |
| Storage | Keyboard stashes underneath when not in use |
| Compatibility | Laptops less than 10.4 inches deep, including MacBook Pro and MacBook Air |
| Approx. price | Around $40 |
Specifications above come from Rain Design's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- It fixes the actual problem. A laptop on a desk puts the screen roughly 25cm below eye level, and looking down at that angle for four hours is the most common source of study-related neck ache. Raising it 5.9 inches puts a 13 or 14 inch laptop screen close to where it should be for most seated adults.
- One piece of aluminium, so there is nothing to loosen, adjust, wear out or rattle. Owners report using the same one for a decade.
- It conducts heat away from the laptop's base, which is a real effect on machines that throttle under load.
- The keyboard slides underneath when you are not using it, which on a 100cm desk is meaningful.
- There is no mechanism, which means there is nothing that can collapse while your laptop is on it. Cheap folding stands cannot say that.
- Forty dollars, against $190 for a monitor arm or $199 for a monitor.
Where it falls short
- It is not adjustable. 5.9 inches is the rise you get, and if you are unusually tall or short, or if you use a 16 inch laptop where the screen sits higher on the body, that fixed number may not put the screen where you need it.
- You must buy an external keyboard. Raising the laptop raises its keyboard too, and typing with your hands at chest height is worse for your shoulders than the original problem. Budget for a keyboard and a mouse alongside it, and treat the stand as part of a $120 fix rather than a $40 one.
- It is specified for laptops under 10.4 inches deep. Larger machines overhang, which is usually fine and occasionally not.
- It does not fold, so it is not a stand you carry to the library. It lives on one desk.
- For reading paper rather than a screen, this is the wrong product entirely and a book stand is what you want.
What owners report
The mStand has been sold in essentially this form for well over a decade and the owner reports reflect that: the dominant theme is that it simply does not fail. Reports of stands lasting through several laptops are common, and complaints about stability are rare, which is not true of the folding aluminium stands it competes with.
The most common criticism is the fixed height, from taller users and from people with larger laptops. The second is price relative to $18 folding stands, which is a fair point until you factor in that the folding ones flex.
The most useful pattern in the reports for a student is how many people mention buying an external keyboard afterwards, having not realised it was necessary. If you are buying a stand, buy both at once.
Who it suits
- Anyone who works on a laptop at one desk for hours and has neck or upper back ache.
- Students with a 13 or 14 inch laptop, which is the size the fixed height suits best.
- People who want one purchase that will still be working in ten years.
Who should skip it
- Anyone unwilling to add an external keyboard, where the stand makes things worse rather than better.
- Students who need to carry a stand between locations, who want a folding one.
- Anyone whose real need is holding an open textbook, which is a book stand and a different product.
Alternatives worth considering
Less than half the price and the height adjusts, which solves the mStand's one real weakness. It is a folding mechanism rather than a solid block, so expect some flex and a shorter life.
Check price on AmazonIf what you actually read is printed textbooks, this holds a book open at a readable angle with a page clip, which a laptop stand cannot do. Different problem, cheaper answer.
Check price on AmazonThe stand is only half the fix. A separate keyboard lets your hands stay at desk height while the screen goes up, which is the whole point. Any external keyboard works; this is the quiet one.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
Does a laptop stand actually help with neck pain?
It helps with the cause of one very common kind of neck ache, which is looking downward at a screen for hours. Raising the screen toward eye level removes that sustained forward head position. It only works if you add an external keyboard, otherwise you have simply moved the problem to your shoulders. Persistent pain is a question for a doctor or physiotherapist, not for a stand.
Laptop stand or book stand for studying?
They solve different problems. A laptop stand raises a screen to eye level; a book stand holds a printed book open at an angle so you are not looking straight down at a flat page. If you study from textbooks, you may want both. Our laptop stand versus book stand comparison works through which one your setup actually needs.
Is 5.9 inches the right height?
For a 13 or 14 inch laptop and an average seated adult, it puts the top of the screen close to eye level, which is the target. Taller people and users of 16 inch laptops sometimes need more or less, and for them an adjustable stand is the safer choice.
Do I really need an external keyboard with it?
Yes. Without one you are typing at chest height with your arms raised, which trades neck strain for shoulder strain. A basic wireless keyboard and mouse are enough; you do not need to spend $125 unless you want to.
mStand or a monitor?
The stand first, because it is $40 and fixes the posture problem. A monitor adds screen area, which is a different benefit. Our monitor riser versus laptop alone comparison covers when the second screen is worth the money.
Keep reading
- Laptop stand vs book stand
- Monitor riser vs laptop alone
- Logitech MX Keys S review
- ASUS ProArt PA248QV review
- Study essentials roundup
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.