Road warriors now have another option when it comes to propping up their notebook computer on a desk or lap. The Cool Travel from Xbrand (not to be confused with the XT-Stand that I reviewed awhile back) is a light weight folding stand.
Made of plastic and weighing only 7 ounces, this stand folds up into a compact shape to allow for easy storage in a desk, backpack, luggage or gear bag.
Spreading open the two main ‘wings’ reveals two smaller legs which when opened fully resembles an X.
The wider back legs elevate the rear of the laptop approximately 1.5 inches, while the front of the laptop is raised 3/4th of an inch from the surface of your desktop. The X shape allows air to flow freely under and around the laptop for excellent heat dissipation. That said, there is no way to adjust the height of the back or front of the stand, so what you see is what you get.
Using a laptop while it is resting on the Cool Travel does raise it to a more comfortable typing angle. I just wish the front elevation was a bit less.
The top and bottom edges of the Cool Travel legs have non-slip rubberized pads affixed to them which keeps the laptop from scooting around on your desk and on the stand itself.
According to the Xbrand website, you can even use this stand on your lap. While this is true, I didn’t find to be as comfy as some regular flat laptop stands that I have reviewed in the past. The legs of the Cool Travel have a tendency to dig into my legs. Especially while wearing shorts.
If you’re in the market for stand that will elevate your notebook and keep it cool while not breaking the bank or your back, this one deserves consideration.
Price: $34.99
Pros:
Compact
Light weight
Easy to pack
Cons:
Height isn’t adjustable
Product Information
| Price: | 34.99 |
| Manufacturer: | Xbrand |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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XT stand is much better: If you have a very hot laptop (my Dell D800 falls into that category) and especially if you leave it running for many hours (several days at 24H/day in my case), XT is the perfect stand. Better than XBrand because it lets air flow under the laptop with minimal obstruction — but also you can add a Stinger crossflow fan … Google “Stinger fan” or go to
http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/1331967/vpcsid/0/SFV/30046
and a little 12VDC power supply (send me email if you want instructions how to do that) and keep your laptop totally cool.
APC is selling the same item.
Click here for more images.
They can be found at Compusa for about $30.
Interesting, but elevating the front of the laptop seems like a negative thing rather than a positive one. If your hands are at a higher level than your elbows a lot of the time when typing… hellooo, neck-and-shoulder pain!
Seems to me this would also cause you to angle your hands up at the wrist… this is another ergonomic suicide move, really… the proper way to place the laptop on this one is to put the stand on backwards so the front is higher than the back. 😉
:confused: Are you referring to the pictures? I believe the pictures are of the rear of the unit to showcase their logo.
No, I mean this picture:
Raising the laptop off the desk even further means you need a low desk or else you’ll have to raise your arms from the shoulders. Ideally when typing your arms should be out straight in front of you with a 90-degree bend at the elbow, to minimize strain on your shoulders and neck.
Also, the angle of the laptop (raised in the back) really isn’t good for ergonomics either. Your wrist should be as straight as possible when typing, not tilted up or sideways-and-up – that will constrain your carpal tunnel, the little hole in the center of your wrist where all the nerves to your hand and fingers pass from your lower arm to your hand.
Causing that to become irritated will lead to fun stuff like loss of sensation in your fingers at the first stage, followed by even more fun in the form of pain if it gets worse.
This stand doesn’t seem very ergonomic to me, that’s all.
PS. Is that a Dell Inspiron 8000? I used to have one of those. 🙂
Yup, it’s an antique laptop 😉 It’s still going though, just like an Energizer Bunny!
lorcro2000 you’re right about the need for the wrists to be in a neutral posture, but you are forgetting that the angle required for that neutral posture will vary from person to person depending on a number of factors including but not limited to chair height, desk height, laptop thickness, angle if any on the laptop (some are sloped) … and if you are using it in your lap you have the added varriable of the angle of your lap (most people don’t sit with their lap parallel to the floor. The lap is usually sloped downward towards the floor. As a result you might need a positive or a negative tilt on the Xbrand product to create the neutral writs posture. You can achieve both with the product, just flip it around according to your needs.