Just be aware of two issues: Henge ships its docks with Mini DisplayPort cables rather than Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 connectors, and all of the connections can be difficult to make correctly unless you do a little fiddling with the plugs to make sure they’re being held in the right places.
One really nice thing about these solutions is that they manage all of the cables that go into a MacBook’s left side - power, USB, audio, and Thunderbolt - so all you need to do is (carefully) insert your MacBook Pro inside for connection to your monitor, speakers, and other peripherals. I’d call this best-suited to Pro models, and not as great for Airs (or the upcoming 12″ MacBook).Īnother set of options comes from Henge Docks, which makes the Vertical Docking Station for MacBook Pro with Retina display ($94) and a Metal Edition version. While L-Stand is large enough to accommodate every MacBook from the 11″ Air to the 17″ Pro, it doesn’t have any special inserts for the thinner models, which will consequently lean inside the frame. Mirrored accents on the box give it a really nice touch of added style in person.
Viewed from the long side, it looks like a metal L, with a boxy (rubber-lined) hole for the MacBook. My personal MacBook Pro sits inside a Cooler Master L-Stand ($39). It has the least conspicuous use of non-metal materials, if that matters to you. Made from a single piece of sandblasted aluminum, it can accommodate any MacBook model from the 11″ Air to the discontinued 17″ Pro thanks to rubber inserts hidden inside. The passive MacBook stand options continue with Rain Design’s mTower ($50), a futuristic cradle that manages to riff on Apple’s design themes without looking derivative.
That’s a rarity, as most Mac and iPad stands are designed to match Apple’s products, as you’ll see inside… Twelve South also sells a smaller version of BookArc for the MacBook Air, a bigger BookArc for the Mac Pro, and an earthy version called BookArc modfor fans of wood. Made from Mac-matching aluminum with gray rubber inserts, BookArc is designed to safely hold a MacBook Pro upright so that its ports and SD card reader are easily accessible.
Since I’ve spent a lot of time testing Apple device stands and mounts, I wanted to share what I’ve learned with you, so you can choose the solution that best suits your Mac, iPad, or both at the same time.īelow, I’ve hand-picked options for different types of users, starting with passive MacBook stands such as Twelve South’s BookArc for MacBook Pro ($50). iPads are more lap-friendly, but also tend to get used upright, particularly for watching videos and access in the kitchen. Apple currently sells more “laptop” than “desktop” Macs, but in reality, most Macs will be used substantially on flat surfaces - desks, tables, and sometimes nightstands.