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Strengths: - Great design
- Lightweight
- rollers on base for maneuverability
- extra USB ports to expand your notebook
- height adjustable
Weaknesses: -- Stand doesn't go as high as I would like it to. The base could use an extra 3 inches of height.
- Notebook isn't very securely latched into/onto the stand.
Summary: This is a very good product. I looked at MANY reviews of notebook stands for my HP dv1000 notebook computer, and this was the one with the best combination of glowing reviews, strong features, and moderate price. I don't regret the purchase.
It's a very simple idea, but one that other companies haven't yet matched. Most other notebook stands have flat backs that would probably make one's notebook heat up quickly (because air can't circulate and the internally-generated heat can't dissipate). The APC stand, though, is concave and gives your notebook some breathing space. It has some neat rollers underneath the base to allow for swiveling. And it looks quite cool, to boot.
I almost bought an HP xb2000 base, designed specifically for the dv1000, but it retails for $250 (one can get them for around $180 on the web) compared with around $65 for the APC model. The xb2000 also has built-in speakers and an ethernet jack, but little else to recommend it over the APC stand (which has 4 USB jacks of its own). The APC's holding bar-- the cross-bar on which the front of the notebook rests, close to your desktop-- has an open slot across it so you can access your notebook's audio jacks (the dv1000 has them on the front). So while my notebook is on the APC stand I can plug in external speakers that sound a lot better than the xb2000's built-in set. Also, I bought a Logitech wireless MX bluetooth keyboard & mouse, so I wouldn't have needed the much-chintzier wireless keyboard & mouse included with the xb2000. My notebook is now just like a desktop, with raised screen and fast bluetooth keyboard & mouse: great!
I also looked at the Kensington line of notebook stands but found some discouraging information. One has to fit one's notebook into an enclosed slot that can damage one's keyboard after repeated insertion and removal, and one can't access any ports or jacks that are on the front of one's laptop (plus my front-located speakers would have been muffled). Other notebook stands, like the Targus and Fellowes models, aren't anywhere near as nice as the APC.
I do wish that there were some way of securing the notebook to the stand. I'm a little bit afraid that if I knock the notebook accidentally it'll tumble off the stand. For that matter, the stand's light weight-- which in other regards is an asset-- means that the whole thing might come tumbling down. I don't think that it's very likely, but some kind of safety device would have been nice.
Overall, I would recommend this model to anyone looking for a relatively inexpensive way to use their notebook like a desktop.
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