The mStand by Rain Design Inc. is a laptop stand that works with 13, 15, and 17-inch Mac laptops. It’s made from a single piece of aluminum and weighs approximately 2.5 pounds which provides excellent stability. It is 5.9-in. at the highest point, 7.5-in, deep, and 10-in wide. There is a large hole on the back side of the stand to allow cables to flow through neatly.
The mStand
As is clear from the image, the top is tilted up which increases the screen height by 6-in. This design is intended to bring the screen closer, improve airflow around the laptop, and provide better ergonomics.
The mStand in use
Those who use external keyboards will find that they can easily be stashed in the open space under the laptop when not in use.
The MSRP for the mStand is US$49.90. I found it on several locations on the web, but prices only varied by two to three US dollars. However, some places offered free shipping which should be a consideration considering the weight of the product.
Using the product
Obviously the only set up needed is to run any necessary cables through the hole provided. Well, unless you are a neat freak like me, then you first have to dust and clean your whole desk, but lets not go there, okay? The stand has rubberized feet on the bottom and the top so it stays put on my desk and my 15-in. laptop stays put on the stand.
The extra height provided by the design does make a difference and I was able to sit up straighter when using this stand. The finish on the mStand almost exactly matches that of my MacBook Pro and the two products look very nice together. I use an external keyboard with my laptop, but I tested the stand using just my laptop keyboard and had no problems with shakiness, or movement while working. I do like the feature that allows me to slide my keyboard underneath the laptop when not in use. It just gives me extra room for small tasks like writing checks.
Do I recommend it?
I do. I think this is a very fine product. It’s sleek, well designed, goes well with any Mac, is ergonomically beneficial, reasonably priced, and most important, it makes a good stand.