Griffin’s iCurve was, for quite some time, the definitive laptop stand for multi-monitor and desktop use. While it’s still for sale, its design has been superceded by the new Elevator, which matches better with Apple’s current aluminum design aesthetic.

The two stands are functionally almost identical, with the Elevator using acrylic only for the cross-piece that connects the two aluminum risers topped by sticky grey silicone rubber.

The major improvement of the Elevator over its predecessor is the Elevator’s ability to collapse into a fairly small box for portability, making it easy to move from place to place. The iCurve and similar stands (perhaps with the exception of Contour Design’s NoteRiser) had long suffered from a need for bulky packaging and awkward portability, making them difficult to toss into a backpack or messenger bag for the occasional trip to the office.

Granted, an external keyboard and mouse are a requirement with any similar stand, and keyboards and mice tend not to be especially portable either, but there are certainly times when the Elevator’s collapsibility comes in very handy. You can’t fit an iCurve into a suitcase and ship it across the country in a move, for instance.

My only small gripe with this stand is its price, officially set by Griffin at $40. The iCurve was introduced at the same price and can now be had for $10–15 less, and a quick check with Froogle—I mean, “Google Product Search”—shows similar street prices for the Elevator. I understand that R&D costs money, and attractive design has its own price, but Griffin could easily price this stand at $30 and still make a healthy profit.

That said, the Elevator does exactly what it claims, and does it very well. Griffin took an excellent product and made it even better and more attractive. I have absolutely no problem recommending this stand to anyone who uses a laptop on a desk for extended periods of time, and its portability has made it the new king of the desktop-style laptop stands.

Copyright © 2007 Chris Lawson. Reviewing in ATPM is open to anyone. If you’re interested, write to us at reviews@atpm.com.