First I want to say that if you’ve never used a tablet on a stand for work, and have only used a mouse and keyboard with it on a case propped up, you’re missing out.
The added height alone makes a big difference in viewing comfort. It’s at eye level on a desk, so you aren’t crooking your neck or leaning forward to stare at the screen. But in this case with a simple yet elegantly designed stand by Anker, you get that as well as a powered USB 3 hub with a card reader and HDMI output.
No more taking up valuable desk space with a separate USB hub and cords running everywhere. Now you can take your power cable and plug it into the stand, and then use the included (and usefully short) USB cable to attach the iPad and stand together. Now your iPad has power, access to an external monitor, SD cards, and 2 other USB 3 devices.
Check this stand out on Amazon here:
The Tablet Stand’s Key Features
- Elevates the tablet about x inches from the desk
- Two-way angle adjustable – lean forward or back, as well as forward or backward on the holder portion of the stand. This way you can tweak to your ideal viewing angle.
- 2x USB-A 3.0 ports
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- TF card reader
- SD card reader
- HDMI 2.0 port capable of 4K HDR output
- 1x USB-C input power port (up to 100W)
- 1x USB-C output port (to the iPad, data and power)
All of this in a small, easy to pack up footprint. The way this stand folds down makes it convenient to put into a backpack in a pocket. If you have a pack with a dedicated tablet/laptop sleeve like the Addax 25, this folded up stand sits nicely in the tech pocket next to the laptop sleeve.
For the things an iPad Pro does well with a mouse and keyboard at a desk, this tablet stand is excellent.
The Benefits of an Ergonomic Tablet Stand
For anyone who sits at a desk in front of a screen for a good bit of the day, I’ve learned that good ergonomics are huge. A lot of the time that term is used alongside fancy desk chairs promising to alleviate back pain and support the perfect posture.
But as a lifelong tech guy who’s spent a ton of time staring at screens, I’ve come to see that what’s just as important is the height and angle of the screen.
I’ve had a lot less chronic neck and shoulder pain since doing my writing on a raised iPad or MacBook screen. And having the screen a bit closer to me, which this stand makes easy without crowding the keyboard, also stops me from leaning forward as much.
Anker’s Stand vs. the Apple Magic Keyboard
Yes, the magic keyboard does elevate the iPad up off the desk a bit. Better than a typical tablet case with a built-in stand. But in my opinion, not high enough.
It works well in a pinch for on-the-go usage in and out of a backpack for the day, but for real work at a desk I find the Anker’s height far more useful.
I use a Logitech MX Keys Mini keyboard with all of my devices, so for me that makes a better pairing than the otherwise convenient all-in-one approach of the Magic Keyboard.
When I’m on the move around the house or elsewhere I can simply pluck the iPad off the Anker stand, or set it back in and connect it to the hub to instantly turn the iPad into a workstation.
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