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Review: Satechi’s foldable aluminum MacBook stand is a perfect travel companion

There are a lot of laptop stands on the market, but the majority of them aren’t very convenient to travel with, or use on the go. That’s why Satechi’s folding Aluminum Laptop Stand caught my eye. With a solid, simple build, colors to match all MacBook and MacBook Pros and more, this useful accessory is worth checking out.

Satechi is a San Diego-based company that offers a variety of great Apple accessories with a focus on making sleek, affordable products. I wanted to test out the Aluminum Laptop Stand (space gray) as it looked like a great mix between a sturdy everyday option and a portable offering.

Specs

  • Provides up to 4-inch lift to your MacBook
  • Aluminum build in either space grey, silver, matte black, rose gold, and gold
  • Folds to lay flat with compact footprint of 9 x 9 x 0.16-inches
  • Weight: Just over 1 lb (485 g)
  • Cable management
  • Well placed non-slip rubber grips and feet

Materials & Build Quality

Satechi’s folding Laptop Stand feels great with the two solid pieces of aluminum that make up the product. There’s a small handy cutout for cable management when the stand is in use, and it is also designed with a “handle” of sorts that makes it easy to grab when the stand is folded up.

Satechi has carefully placed rubber rests and feet on the stand so your MacBook shouldn’t ever be resting with aluminum on aluminum, preventing scratches and scuffs to your Mac as well as desks and table tops.

The Aluminum Laptop Stand comes in five colors, four to match the variety of MacBook and MacBook Pro hues, and one sharp matte black option.

Satechi includes a one-year warranty with its products.

In Use

I’ve found this stand to be a great companion, especially when traveling and working remotely. I’ve gotten used to working on my MacBook Pro with a stand at my home office, but for the last couple of years I haven’t used one on the go due to the fact that my old one doesn’t travel well.

For me, the biggest benefit is being able to keep better posture, particularly not cranking my neck down while working. Depending on where you place the hinge on Satechi’s Laptop Stand, you can raise your MacBook up to 4-inches.

For shorter sessions, I don’t mind typing directly on my MacBook Pro keyboard while using the foldable stand, but for a full workday on the go or while traveling, I prefer to use my Logitech mouse and keyboard.

As you would hope with a foldable stand like this, it is really easy to throw in a backpack, briefcase, carry-on, or even a large purse. It’s almost completely flat when folded, save for the rubber edge at the bottom that holds your MacBook in place.

As for any downsides, there aren’t many to speak of. I’d like to see a little closer color match to Apple’s space gray (the stand I tested was just a shade lighter than my MacBook Pro). The only other change I’d like is Satechi offering this current size and an additional larger option for those who like to prop up their notebooks even higher.

Conclusion

At $28, Satechi’s Aluminum Laptop Stand is easy to recommend with a solid build, a variety of colors, and great functionality for MacBook use at home, the office, or while traveling. Customers on Amazon have rated the versatile stand 4.4/5 stars.

You can find the folding Aluminum Laptop Stand on Satechi’s website in addition to Amazon.


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Author

Avatar for Michael Potuck Michael Potuck

Michael is an editor for 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016 he has written more than 3,000 articles including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.


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