Roost V3 Laptop Stand – Adjustable and Extremely Portable Laptop Stand – PC and MacBook Stand

I recently bought the 13” Macbook Pro 2016 laptop and needed a stand that was ultra portable for my travels. Doing some research I found out about the Roost stand, which is a foldable laptop stand that became very famous through Kickstarter. However, recently a Chinese copycat stand known as the Nexstand started selling on Amazon. Surprisingly there was a big price difference between the two - the Roost cost $75 vs the Nexstand which was only $25. I tried to search for a comparison between the two to understand why the Roost was so much more expensive (3x more) than the Nexstand, and what differences did the Roost have to justify the price. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any good comparison online, so I ended up buying both the Roost and Nexstand so that I could personally compare the two. Here’s my findings, and hopefully it will help others also trying to decide. Just to clarify, I bought both at full price and have no affiliation to either company. SIZE When folded, the Nexstand is about 1” longer than the Roost, and slightly thicker. This means the Roost is more compact than the Nexstand, and for me that is a bonus - the extra inch that I save in my bag means I can stuff an extra pair of socks in that space! When expanded though, the Nexstand’s extra inch of length makes a big difference in that it appears considerably larger than the Roost. It suggests the Nextstand can hold a thicker or wider laptop than the Roost, but the Roost is still very capable despite its smaller size. The Nexstand comes with extra clips for thinner laptops. CARRY POUCH Both come with a soft carry pouch. Some may not consider this a big deal, but its good to carry the stand in a pouch to avoid it scratching other devices or getting caught on cables. I personally love the subtle logo of the Roost bag, and really dislike the blatant branding of the Nexstand bag. FRONT CLAMPS The laptop is held in place on the stand by the front clamps. It’s an ingenious design and well executed that prevents the laptop from slipping off even when you tilt the stand. However, as the front clamps are the point of contact with the laptop, I wanted to make sure that the clamp would not scratch my laptop. Here the Roost provides the better quality material, using rubber front padding whereas the Nexstand’s clamp is purely plastic. That would seem to make the Roost the more favorable option, but then I notice that the Roost’s plastic back has a middle plastic ridge sticking out (see red arrow on image 4) - perhaps the result of the manufacturing process or a quality control issue?. I don’t think it will scratch the laptop but it’s irritating, especially compared to the Nexstand’s smooth surface. Also it should be noted that the Nexstand clamp looks to be capable of holding thicker laptops than the Roost. REAR BACK RESTS The back of your laptop sits on the rear back rests. This is the secondary point of contact between the stand and the laptop. Just like the front clamps, I want to make sure nothing scratches my laptop. With the Roost, the back rest is covered with a long rubber pad that will gently support the laptop, whereas the Nexstand has skimped here with just a small pad that isn’t even the full width of the bar. You can of course stick some electrical tape there if you want reassurance but the Roost clearly wins here. FRONT LEGS The front legs of the stand touch the table/surface and holds the laptop weight. To prevent the stand slipping around, the Roost has rubber padding that works excellently to keep the stand stable. The Nexstand is just smooth plastic and whilst the stand does remain stable when pushed, it can slide more freely on the table surface. Roost wins here. CONCLUSION Both the Roost and Nexstand are excellent, solidly built stands that will hold your laptop steady. I don’t want to advocate one above the other and have personally kept both for now. The Nexstand’s price represents excellent value and there’s nothing really negative about its quality, so if price is important to you, or you have a really large thick laptop, go with the Nexstand. The Roost provides extra luxuries such as rubber paddings and a more compact frame, but for the price it’s slightly more difficult to justify - if the price point doesn’t bother you then the Roost certainly represents a more “upgraded” model.

This is the perfect laptop stand. It allows me to add some height to my laptop so I'm not staring down at my screen, it makes the screen eye level for me. It's lightweight but sturdy and folds up nicely. I like that the stand "grips" the laptop so there's no concern of it sliding or falling off. Great product, highly recommend.

We here at Pack Hacker, checked out two popular laptop stands on the market—The Roost and The Nexstand. The Roost started from a Kickstarter campaign in June of 2013, and it worked so well that it later spawned a couple of imitators. The Nexstand Laptop Stand - Portable Laptop Stand - PC and MacBook Laptop Stand is one of those. They are both great stands and will work as intended, but here at Pack Hacker, we like to dive a little deeper. Portability: Right off the bat, the Roost just looks smaller. We weighed them ourselves, and the Roost stand comes in at 6.05 ounces, while the Nexstand is a bit heavier at 8.2 ounces. A minor difference in weight, but for someone who travels a lot and is concerned with the weight of their pack or wants to travel ultralight— two ounces is nothing to sneeze at. As far as physical size, the Roost measures 1.3 x 1.3 x 13 inches (3.3 x 3.3 x 33m), while the Nexstand comes in at 1.5 x 1.5 x 14 inches (3.81 x 3.81 x 35.6 cm). Again, we’re talking about a pretty small difference here, but when you actually look at them the Roost stand definitely feels more compact. The verdict? Roost takes the win on portability. It’s smaller, lighter, and has a better case. Ultimately, that means it will pack away better in your bag or luggage. Durability & Sturdiness: With these stands, the Roost feels really robust and solid when you first pick it up. The rubber on the contact points—where the stand will be touching the laptop—is definitely of a higher quality than the Nexstand. The Nexstand feels a little looser, more wobbly—if that’s a word—and the rubber is much harder. As far as durability goes, the Roost wins again for durability and sturdiness. Although the Nexstand marketing team really likes to put gym weights on their stand to show its sturdiness, the Roost stand is built out of better materials—glass-fiber reinforced nylon vs. PVC—and feels a lot better. Versatility & Height: Both of these laptop stands will hold just about any laptop you can get your hands on, which is awesome. We have heard reports about a couple cases where thicker laptops won't fit, but the majority of laptops will work with these. The Roost stand uses a rubber sort of pivot grip, which latches onto the front of the laptop, and secures it to the stand very nicely. The Nexstand has the same type of attachment, although the harder plastic means it doesn’t grip the laptop quite as well. Ultimately, this shouldn’t be a problem—but if you bump your laptop on the Nexstand it is more likely to fall out of the stand. The Roost stand offers three different height settings that you can easily adjust between, which is very convenient. Depending on the height of the table or your chair you may need to adjust the stand a bit. But the Nexstand offers eight settings—which is amazing. The Nexstand scores major points there. It should also be noted that both stands have the same maximum height—20.5 inches to the top of the screen with a 15” Macbook Pro. For versatility and height, we just couldn’t pick a winner—it’s a tie. The Roost stand is better at holding different laptop sizes and doesn’t need the extra clips. But the Nexstand has way better options for height adjustments, making it super versatile and convenient. Price: This one is pretty clear cut. At the time of this review, the Roost stand is on sale for $79.95, while the Nexstand is listed at $29.95. We’ll let you figure out who won this category. Who won which category?: - Portability: Roost - Durability & Sturdiness: Roost - Versatility & Height: Tie - Price: Nexstand Conclusion: The Roost stand is clearly the superior laptop stand. That being said, both are capable stands, unless you’re working in some extreme environments you should be fine with either one. Ultimately, we think this decision comes down to price. If you’re the kind of person who likes to have the best gear possible (we fall into this category), go for the Roost. If you’re a little more budget conscious, the Nexstand will serve you well. After all, you can buy close to three Nexstands for the same price as one Roost stand—and it is still a perfectly capable stand. Pros: When folded, the Roost is light, compact, and easily stowed. Holds most laptops very securely. Soft rubber contact points means no damage to your laptop. Cons: You’ll need to bring along a keyboard + mouse. Price—this is one of the more expensive portable laptop stands out there. Limited height adjustments compared to other stands.

I used the original roost stand from way back when it launched on Kickstarter many years ago. I have also used the v2 stand for many years as my primary stand for work at my desk and while traveling. I was curious about this latest iteration and bought it to compare. I also did a comparison against the Nexstand. In my opinion, this latest Roost stand is the best version yet. The Nexstand doesn't compare to any of the Roost stands, being larger to pack, flimsier, and less adjustable. This latest version of the Roost has the most height settings of any of the iterations and folds up slightly more compactly to boot. The only disadvantage compared to the v2 is that you can't adjust the height on the fly, you need to remove the laptop and adjust the height before adding the laptop again. That said, the slight additional compactness, sturdiness and height adjustments (3 vs 7) make this iteration the best. If you can afford the cost, this is the best portable laptop stand to use with a keyboard and trackpad (or mouse) by quite a bit. Worth every penny in my book.

A great and sturdy design. Solid build and surprisingly light weight and portability. A bit steep cost of entry but worth it if you plan on using daily as an EDC for your laptop. This coming from an audio pro...I use along with a full-sized keyboard and mouse and it makes the setup work ergonomically like a charm! Worthwhile purchase. Very packable and the included pouch does the trick perfectly.

For me, the jury is still out on this product. I decided to buy it after reading a review on The Wirecutter. I have a MacBook Pro that I use in the kitchen, and my wife was commenting on how I can sit for hours, hunched over, using it. After reading the review, I decided to give this device a try. I've used it now for about a week, so here are my initial reactions. First, it's a beautifully made device. While it is mostly plastic, it is very sturdy and the design is well thought out. The basic idea is to raise the laptop to eye level in order to keep the user from slouching or hunching over. It does a fine job by lifting and tilting the laptop while holding it securely. Once the stand is open, the laptop is inserted into the two front grips by tilting the computer forward, inserting the edge into the grips, then tilting it back onto the stand. It's pretty ingenious and holds the laptop very securely. After the laptop is properly inserted in the stand, you can adjust the level of the screen to one of three levels. From trial and error, I chose the middle level. One "gottcha" is that to raise the laptop level after lowering it, you need to remove the computer from the stand and lightly push the legs together to reset the height to the top-most setting. It would be more elegant if you could adjust the level without having to remove it. The good news is that once you've arrived at what the right height for you is, you probably won't need to adjust it again. The stand is very light and compact. It weighs only 3.2 ounces and folds into a very compact form factor. It would be trivial to throw this into your backpack or suitcase for travel. It comes with a nylon case, although for me it would just be another thing to lose. If I take it with me, I just toss it in my suitcase between a couple shirts and I'm off. The bigger issue is the true expense of the item. The Roost costs $75, not inexpensive for a laptop stand by any standard. I get that you pay for design and functionality, but $75 is still a pretty hefty price to pay for a plastic stand, although I concede it is very well designed and manufactured. The true expense is ultimately determined by adding a keyboard and mouse/trackpad, neither of which are included. If you work for a corporation that can supply you with these items, then this is irrelevant. On the other hand, if you're self-employed like me, and don't have spare keyboards hanging around, you'll need to purchase one. I chose to buy a reconditioned Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and trackpad, adding an additional $80 to the cost of this system. So the total cost is really $155 for it to be functional. Unfortunately, unlike the Executive Office Solutions Portable Adjustable Aluminum Laptop Desk/Stand/Table Vented Notebook-Macbook-Ergonomic Extra Wide Tray TV Bed Lap Tray Stand Up/Sitting-Black , the Roost isn't designed for using the built-in keyboard and trackpad. The expense is also a bit of a problem when you consider that an AmazonBasics Adjustable Tablet Stand is also well designed and manufactured and sells for under $10. That stand is every bit as durable and every bit as clever and well designed for its purpose as is the Roost. Unlike the Roost, you can continue to use an iPad and the table stand with or without external accessories. My point is that if you're ordering this device without considering that you'll need a keyboard and mouse/trackpad, you haven't arrived at the true cost of this device. (As a sidebar, I find it incredible that there isn't a combination keyboard and trackpad designed for Mac users. What's up with that?) I'm going to use the Roost for awhile and see if I can justify its initial expense plus the cost of a keyboard and trackpad. I definitely like the ability to have the screen at eye level, and hopefully my good posture will justify the expense. More to come! Monday, September 26, 2016 update: I've been using this stand for a few months now, and can testify to both it's functionality and durability. My original concern of cost still holds, but I can definitely say I've been sitting up straighter which hopefully translates to my well-being. I have uncovered one other advantage of the Roost Stand, although it isn't a biggee. I always have something to drink next to my laptop. Whether I'm having my morning coffee or drinking ice water from my Tervis, liquid is always present. With the laptop elevated, the only items at risk are the trackpad and keyboard. That would be nowhere near the disaster of spilling a glass of water on my 15" MacBook Pro. Sunday, December 4, 2016 update: I just upgraded my early 2010 MacBook Pro to the new 15" with Touchbar. It fits perfectly in the Roost and continues to offer the same advantages as I've outlined above. The new computer fits just as well as the older MacBook Pro, and in fact, just about any 13" or 15" laptop will fit nicely into this stand. BTW, I received a note that corrected me on my use of the word "plastic" to describe this stand. I stand corrected. It is actually made of "…glass filled nylon and deltan." My apologies to the manufacturer.

I thought it was cheap plastic material, BUT it is really good quality and strong plastic structure. It very lightweight and easily open it up. I love it. It’s quite expensive but it’s worth it.

I have been using this laptop stand as part of my portable workspace for just over a year now. I was skeptical at first because of the price, but after looking around I didn't really see anything comparable, and I bought the Roost. I was a bit disappointed at first because it came in some cardboard packaging (albeit, high-quality) and seemed to just be a simple plastic construction. However, I now think these are features rather than bugs. The Roost is lightweight, so it won't be adding a lot to your bag weight. It has a cleverly designed rubber mounting system for your laptop, so it is held securely and won't fall off. The height is adjustable, and doesn't get so high that you're worried the whole contraption will fall over. I've never worried about tipping. Pros - Sturdy construction, high-quality plastic - Lightweight - Brings laptop to eye-level for good ergonomics while traveling - Collapses to a small footprint for easy transportation - Has the same footprint as a laptop Cons - Price - Elastic rubber part of the design makes me worried it will wear out over time - Requires use of external keyboard and mouse/trackpad.

With the current conditions, WFH, a laptop stand became a must have. Took me almost a month to make the decision, after many website reviews and YouTube videos, I decided on Roost, was a bit expensive still thought of giving it a go. After about 2.5 months of daily (workday) use, I must admit, its really sturdy (I uses it for my 14' Thinkpad and also for my 13' MacBook Pro) and fold it on a daily basis. It's easy to operate... 3 stage adjustable height works perfectly for me and is very portable. Once Laptop is mounted on it, its firm on the table (rubber grips) and laptop would not fall off (with normal use... ) as it has got an elasticated grip to hold laptop in place. Highly recommended.

i did a lot of research before I bought this. It delivered what is promised. Will buy for my husband too.

More expensive than competitors but couldn't find an alternative yet with the same function. Would buy it again. There are some rubber bands that might be the weak point after long use. These bands stretch and contract every time the laptop is put and removed from the stand. Been using it for several months almost daily, no problem so far.

Excelente oprción. Cumple su función, es estable, firme, sostiene muy bien la computadora y es facil de guardar y transportar. Pense que no iba a poder aguatar mi laptop. pero cuando la puse y empecé a usar el teclado de la compu sobre la base no se movió ni se deformó o se sintió inestable. Lo recomiendo mucho para viaje o para el uso diario. Muy practico en verdad.

Received the package nicely wrapped up and protected. The laptop stand works as it should and everything is like how the YouTube video reviews describes and talks about. However, the mechanism of adjusting the height of the laptop stand after you have mounted the laptop tend to be clumsy, and you have to remove the laptop in order to increase the laptop. Therefore, minus 1 star. Otherwise, I do feel like this is okay for its premium over the NexStand if you can afford the premium price.