Twelve South Curve Riser review

Price When Reviewed

$79.99

Best Prices Today: Twelve South Curve Riser

The Twelve South Curve Riser is a good-looking monitor/PC/laptop stand that raises the screen and includes a shelf that can handily hold a hub, drive or other device.

It’s made from lightweight aluminium, and feels robust, although we did have a problem with one shelf arm coming detached. We stuck it back on, and it appears fine.

It’s in a cool black colour, which might not match your desk or laptop, but will look just fine with a standard black monitor on top.

The reason for raising a monitor is ergonomic. It’s better for your posture to have your eyes aligned with the centre of the screen, rather than looking down on it.

This should relieve long-term neck and shoulder strain, as well as promoting better back posture.

Another benefit of raising your device is airflow. This should stop overheating, especially if the device on top is sat directly on the flat surface.

The Curve Riser is not height adjustable and is quite high (10.7cm), which will suit taller people more than shorter stands such as the Satechi Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub (4.15cm).

I love the Satechi stand but for me it is a little short, and the Curve Riser is maybe a little too high, but both are better than no stand at all.

The integrated shelf allows for a device 4.45cm high, 24.5cm deep and 25.5cm wide. While you could just use it to store pens, a notepad, and some biscuits, it’s ideally suited to a hub or docking station, which would have all its back port cables nicely hidden from view, but front ports right in front of you.

That Satechi Stand Hub goes one step further, integrating its own hub within the stand, including: three built-in USB 3.0 (USB-A) ports, a USB-C data port, micro/SD card slots, and an audio jack for headphones or microphone. And all for not much more than the empty Riser.

The Curve Riser gives you the option of choosing your own dock or hub, or whatever you want to put there; a backup hard drive, for example.

Twelve South has a laptop stand, the Curve, that does a similar job but wouldn’t hold an all-in-one PC, iMac or monitor. The Curve Riser would work well as a companion to the Curve, with the laptop on the former and an external display on the Riser.

See more on the Curve in our roundup of the best laptop stands. 

Another Apple solution would be to fit a Mac mini on the shelf, with the display above.

The Curve Riser will fit monitor bases up to 25.5cm (10 inches) wide and 24.5cm (9.6in) deep.

It’s perfect for round or square-shaped monitor bases, but not for wide arc-shaped (splayed leg) stands, so check your monitor stand width first.

This is not a cheap stand, but you are paying for the solid looks and handy shelf, and it’s a lot better looking than most of the plastic stands you’ll find online. For more, check out our recommended computer and monitor stands feature.

Verdict

Raising your screen to a decent height will relieve stress on your neck and shoulders.

The Twelve South Curve Riser does the job, and looks fantastic. Its integrated shelf adds utility to the ergonomic benefits, and should help tidy up your work desk.

Best Prices Today: Twelve South Curve Riser