One of the lasting effects of the pandemic has been a big increase in the number of people who are working from home. Even if you’ve adopted a hybrid work schedule, that still means a few days a week at home. Early on, you could get away with throwing together a working space. When there’s a sense of permanency to it, you need to put together a setup that’s more functional and ergonomic. If you’re using a laptop — which most remote workers are — that means a laptop riser. This piece of gear lifts your laptop so the display is at eye level while tilting the keyboard for a better typing experience. A laptop riser can also create a little more space on your desk. Is HumanCentric’s laptop riser the one for you?
Priced at $80, the HumanCentric laptop riser can accommodate laptops up to 16-inches.
A Minimalist and Modern Design That Gets the Job Done
If you check Amazon for laptop risers, you’ll find hundreds of options (they’re popular) with most priced at $30 or less. You’re paying more than many competitors for the HumanCentric laptop riser for two reasons: it’s much sturdier than most, and it features a premium design with high quality materials.
A laptop riser is a very functional piece of equipment. It has a straightforward job: lift the laptop up so you can look straight ahead at the display (instead of down), while angling the keyboard for a better typing experience. It’s that elevating the display part that’s the most important. You can get away with a very basic design and still deliver the required functionality.
HumanCentric’s version goes the extra with a modern, minimalist design. This laptop riser isn’t just a sheet of bent steel, it’s made of anodized aluminum and black walnut veneered plywood. The front lip is padded to keep your laptop in place without scratching it. The riser looks attractive, but it also gets the job done. The HumanCentric laptop riser elevates the back hinge of a laptop by about six inches. At the front, it’s about half that amount. That puts your laptop display at around eye level.
Stable, But Does Take Up More Desk Space Than Some Models
The space gray anodized aluminum cylinder base is a very stable, helped by the silicone base pad that keeps it from moving. That finish complements many laptops, including MacBooks.
However, with a diameter of about 5.5-inches it does have a larger footprint than some options. For example, my current laptop riser has a larger base, but it’s a bent flat “shelf” style model, so that entire base can be used for storage. There’s still plenty of space available beneath your laptop when using the HumanCentric riser (if you care about that) but it’s a little less generous in that respect than some.
Recommendation
If you’re regularly working at a desk with a laptop — whether that’s from home or at an office — you really do need a laptop riser. It’s a far more ergonomic way to work. A small investment will save you considerably in the neck pain department and clear off a bit of desk space as well.
There are thousands of laptop risers to choose from, many of which offer the same basic functionality as HumanCentric’s, at a lower price. However, if you want the combination of functionality with an attractive and modern design, the HumanCentric laptop riser is a nice option that stands out compared to cheaper versions.
One suggestion. Technically, you can still type on a laptop that’s sitting on a laptop riser. However, I would really recommend you invest in a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for a superior experience. Doing so also lets you position the laptop optimally for viewing and convenience without it having to be within typing reach.
Disclosure: HumanCentric provided a Laptop Riser for evaluation purposes but had no input into this review.
