Hardware

Twelve South’s HiRise Stand For MacBook Provides Height-Adjustable Notebook Elevation

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If you have a notebook Mac and you use it both in an office and on the road, you probably know by now that having it at a comfortable viewing angle when in the office is key to the long-term health of your spine and posture. There are many stands out there to help you get those MacBooks up off the desk, but a new one from Twelve South seems to offer a much more flexible solution compared to most, thanks to fully adjustable height.

The Twelve South HiRise offers a spring-loaded central post that can lift your MacBook between 2-6 inches above your desktop surface, with height you can dial in to match the level of additional secondary monitors, or to make sure that if you’re taller or shorter you can find the right level for your own neck and back comfort. With my setup, I’ve got adjustable mount arms for external displays so I end up moving those down to match my MacBook Pro on the mStand by Rain Design (another very capable notebook stand), but being able to also change the height of the MacBook would be a very welcome addition, especially since it sits at the center of my desk and commands the majority of my attention.

The HiRise is priced at $70, and can be ordered from Apple’s online store and Twelve South directly. Like other notebook stands, it also provides good ventilation for the underside of your notebook Mac, and it’s designed to be easily spun side-to-side to allow for changing the horizontal viewing angle. The only potential downside I can see is that it uses grippy pads exclusively to hold your MacBook in place (the mStand has feet at the front to prevent the computer from ever sliding forward), but I’ll reserve judgement on whether that actually constitutes a weakness until I get some hands-on quality time. Even with that caveat, the HiRise looks like a great option overall, especially for office or home office workers looking for a way to better address chronic back and neck pain.

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