With the ripe combination of portability and power, today’s notebooks are becoming increasingly popular and replacing desktops as primary computers. And one notebook accessory that many consumers seem to be keeping their eye on is notebook stands. These angled risers that sit on your desk provide ergonomic and organizational solutions to transform a notebook into a makeshift desktop station. But which stand is right for you? Looking for a stand with passive or fan cooling? Or is a stand with comfortable ergonomics and stylish aesthetics more important? What if you want one with a little bit of everything? With these various factors in mind, we tested 11 different notebook stands to see if they’re any better than just putting a notebook on top of a few stacked phonebooks (which in many cases, they weren’t).

LapWorks Laptop Desk Futura

Price: $29.95
http://www.laptopdesk.net

Finding a use for this tray was a little difficult. The "desk" is supposed to act as a heat barrier between your notebook and legs when sitting down. After about 30 minutes of intense usage it became apparent that although the heat our thighs experienced was not quite as hot as direct contact, there was no measurable dissipation taking place. We tested the tray with the included MouzPads, which attach to either side of the desk to add just over 4&1\2 inches for you to move your mouse. These snap-on pads were designed to allow "avid FPS gamer(s)" to play PC games on their HDTV using their laptop. Not a bad idea provided your laptop cost $4K and can game on HD resolutions; now only if we had room enough to move our mouse more then two inches, it might have been practical. Futura contacted us to say they were aware of the problem and will be releasing new MouzPads this October. Until then, the only reason to use the Laptop Desk as opposed to any smooth slab are its portability and grip pads.

Update: It seems Targus is selling the Laptop Desk Futura as well; rebranded as the "PA243U | Targus Laptop Portable LapDesk". LapWorks representatives have confirmed that the Targus model is indeed their Laptop Desk Futura rebranded and distributed through the Targus retail channel. Keep in mind both products are exactly the same (including price) despite their separate brand and model numbers.

Verdict: 3

 Coolmax NB-400

Price: $31.99
http://www.coolmaxusa.com

This Aluminum stand was one of only two stands in our roundup to include active cooling. The two 70mm fans can spin at 1,800 or 2,500rpms, with a scroll wheel to adjust their speed. When testing the cooling power of the fans on max settings, we found they did a poor job cooling the entire bottom of our laptop. Yes, they lowered temperatures, but only for two small areas lying in immediate vicinity to the fans. We attribute this to the fact that the fans suck air out from under your laptop, blowing it under the stand, instead of blowing air directly onto the bottom of your notebook. Since the tray measures 12 and a half inches wide, any medium-large laptop sticks out off its edge; luckily the NB-400's Aluminum alloy construction is sturdy enough that the limited size doesn't affect the unit's support. The included USB ports are a plus and we applaud this stand for its sturdy frame, but with the poor cooling performance and a $30 price tag, we would hesitate to buy this unit over simply employing a stack of textbooks.

Verdict: 6

Logitech Alto Wireless

Price: $99
http://www.logitech.com

Easily one of the most stylish docks in this roundup, we were eager to see if the Alto performed as well as it looked. Aesthetics aside, this was also the only dock to include a keyboard. Not quite your standard QWERT keyboard, this puppy dished up a surplus of function keys. During intense FPS frag sessions, we found the key registry to be a bit off, but outside of gaming this flaw was never noticed. With convenience in mind, the Alto includes well-placed USB ports and a discrete wire management system. Although we liked to have seen a more advanced wire management similar to that of the Targus Ergo-D Pro, the inclusion of one at all is better than nothing. One feature we found lacking was the ability to adjust the stand's height, which is only either completely propped up or down. When propped up, the stand appears a bit flimsy upon first glance, but was surprisingly strong enough to hold up to our most punishing weight tests. The Alto has near everything you could want in a laptop dock, including a keen panache that may even have Apple fans feeling a tinge of jealousy. Form and function comes at a price though, as the Alto was one of the more expensive setups we reviewed.

Verdict: 8

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