Should you buy a laptop stand or not? There's more to it than you might think—but we've got you covered.

Laptop stands are trending nowadays. With all the aesthetic Reels, Shorts, and TikToks out there, it seems like they're a must for all laptop-based desk setups. And so, you must also wonder whether you should get one—or, more importantly, if these stands are as useful as they look.

Sure, they beautify your setup and make it more ergonomic. But, at the same time, they're not easy to carry around, and it can be hard to find a stand that fits your laptop perfectly.

They have their upside and downsides, and this is what this guide is about. From four solid reasons why you should get a laptop stand to four solid reasons why you shouldn't, this article will help you make the decision quickly.

First, we'll review some benefits of purchasing a stand for your laptop.

The best thing about using a laptop stand is that it prevents your laptop from scratches and accidental spillages. When your laptop is placed on your desk, it can get scratched (and scuffed) by sharp-edged objects (like open pens and USB cable shields), but not when placed on a stand.

Most importantly, a laptop stand may prevent spill damage. Who doesn't keep an open container (water, coffee, or other drinks) on the desk while working? Well, it may spill and damage your laptop.

However, this benefit is only there if you buy a sturdy, stable stand with rubber padding. If it's shaky, it may contribute to damaging your laptop. With an accidental push, it may drop on or off your desk. And, if it's all-metal (without rubber padding), it will end up scratching your laptop (especially metal-chassis ones like MacBooks and Surface laptops) all the same.

Be sure to look out for sturdiness and rubber padding when you're buying your laptop stand.

If you're interested in learning about laptop stands, it's clear that you spend most of your day on your desk. It must not come to you as news that most people nowadays have bad postures because of bad working habits. Most setups are not ergonomic, and when people sit through them for long work sessions, they damage their posture (often developing serious injuries, too).

The laptop stand makes your setup more ergonomic in two ways. First, it elevates your laptop to a comfortable viewing height, where you no longer have to look down to use it. Second, depending on the type of stand you get, you can prevent RSI (a wrist injury) and change your typing angle (some stands let you use your laptop's keyboard as is, while some require you to purchase an external one).

Another top reason to purchase a laptop stand is that it allows ventilation for your laptop. Most laptops have air vents at the bottom, and when they remain in contact with a surface for too long, their ventilation and heat dissipation are affected. This often causes laptops to heat up even more.

When a laptop stand elevates your laptop, it doesn't stop airflow. Instead, it complements it, ensuring that your laptop remains cool throughout. This feature of laptop stands is super-useful for users who use their computers for resource-intensive tasks.

However, it's important to purchase a stand with less surface area interacting with your laptop's bottom to benefit from ventilation. An example of such a stand is the one by SOUNDANCE. There are other stands, like the one by PCCOOLER with a built-in cooling system that further ups the heat dissipation game.

All other benefits aside, the fact that a laptop stand adds a modern aesthetic to your setup stands alone. You can pick the stand that suits your setup and mood from the wide variety of designs and styles available.

Plus, laptop stands make your setup look good when you're using your laptop and give you a pedestal to place your laptop when you're not using it. A setup with a closed-lid laptop on a stand looks just as good.

Now, onto some cons of purchasing laptop stands.

The biggest catch, in most cases, is their price. While you can find a stand for as low as $10, good ones don't start coming in unless you've pumped up the budget to at least $30—which can also be considered their average price. Then, depending on the type and quality of stand you're looking for, the price can go up to $150 (or a little above, too, in some cases).

If that doesn't sound as expensive, this will: the purchase doesn't end with buying a laptop stand. You also then have to add an external mouse and an external keyboard to your setup. That's when things start getting really expensive.

If you're not moving around with your setup a lot, then it's fine. Otherwise, once you purchase a stand and get the hang of it, it can get difficult to work without it. As a result, you may have to carry it with you wherever you go. If it's within your house, then, again, this might not be a problem. But, when you go outside, its weight (since most stands are metallic) can bother you.

Sure, some stands aren't as bulky and can be folded into compact metallic rods—like this one by Leeboom—but they're always an extra piece of equipment to carry. Stands mostly suit users who don't have to move their setup around.

Not many people talk about this problem, though almost everyone faces it. It's easy to ask users to measure the bottom of their laptop and its weight to decide which stand to buy, but it's not that practical.

The surface of a stand where the laptop is to be placed often has curved edges, which, even though they may be as long as your laptop's bottom, may still fall a little short—due to their curve. This renders the whole stand useless, and you have to replace it.

Plus, there can be balance issues as well. For example, even if your laptop sits well on top of the stand, depending on the build quality (which can often be misleading when you're purchasing the stand online), sometimes it may not balance properly and put your laptop at risk of falling.

Again, both of these issues only and mostly occur if you buy the stand online. If you have a local store you can go to with your laptop and find the best fit, these factors shouldn't be much of a problem.

As we mentioned, there are pros and cons to buying a laptop stand. It simply breaks down to your personal preference and use case. A new laptop stand will suit you if:

Otherwise, buying a laptop stand won't be of much use.

If it suits you and you have decided to buy a laptop stand, the next challenge is to pick the right one. There are tons of options out there, and honestly, a lot of them are great—it can be hard to come to a decision.

With over two years of in-depth experience working in technical fields, Hashir is a master content creator who loves writing about Mac and iOS at MakeUseOf. Hashir spends his free time building content marketing systems.

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