If your work computer is a laptop, two upgrades transform your desk:
- A stand that brings the screen up to eye level, so you stop bending your neck.
- A hub or dock that connects everything (monitor, keyboard, mouse, charger, network) through one cable, so you can move between your desk and the sofa in seconds.
The stand is easy to choose. The hub or dock is where people waste money, because of compatibility traps. This guide covers both.
Part 1: Laptop stands
Why a stand needs an external keyboard
When you raise your laptop to eye level, its keyboard ends up too high to type on comfortably. So a laptop stand only works properly with an external keyboard and mouse. If you don’t have them yet, budget for both. They don’t need to be expensive.
Types of stand
| Type | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable riser | Using the laptop as your main screen | Wobble when typing on the laptop itself |
| Fixed-height riser | A permanent desk setup | Make sure the height suits you |
| Vertical (closed-lid) stand | Using only external monitors | Needs a laptop that runs well with the lid shut |
| Portable folding stand | Working from cafés or coworking spaces | Usually less sturdy |
What to look for:
- Height: the top of the laptop screen should reach roughly eye level. Check the maximum height on the listing.
- Aluminium construction: sturdier than plastic and helps the laptop stay cool.
- Open design: airflow under the laptop helps during long builds or video calls.
- Rubber pads to stop the laptop sliding and protect it from scratches.
Good options: an adjustable aluminium laptop stand for most people, or a vertical laptop stand if you always work on external monitors with the lid closed.
Part 2: USB-C hubs vs docks
Both connect several devices through one USB-C cable to your laptop. The difference is mostly power and how many displays they support.
- USB-C hubs are small, cheap and powered by your laptop. They’re good for a keyboard, mouse, one monitor and pass-through charging.
- Docks have their own power supply, more ports and often support two or three monitors. They’re better for a permanent desk with multiple displays.
The compatibility traps
Check these before you buy anything:
1. Does your laptop’s USB-C port carry video? Not every USB-C port outputs video. Look for a DisplayPort or Thunderbolt logo next to the port, or check the laptop’s specs for “DisplayPort Alt Mode” or “Thunderbolt”. Some budget laptops have data-only USB-C ports, and no hub will make them output video.
2. How many external displays does your laptop support? Some laptops, including MacBook Airs and base-model MacBook Pros with older Apple Silicon chips, support only one external display natively. A dual-monitor dock can’t change that. For those Macs, you need a dock that uses DisplayLink (which requires a driver) or a newer model that supports more displays. Check your exact model’s specifications on the manufacturer’s website.
3. Macs don’t support daisy-chaining (MST). On macOS, a cheap dual-HDMI hub will usually just show the same image on both monitors. Windows laptops generally handle these hubs properly.
4. Pass-through charging wattage. A hub sits between your charger and your laptop and keeps some power for itself. If your laptop needs 65 W, use a hub rated for 100 W pass-through and a charger that can supply it, or the laptop may charge slowly while you work.
5. Refresh rate at 4K. Many cheap hubs only output 4K at 30 Hz over HDMI, which makes mouse movement feel sluggish. If you have a 4K monitor, look for “4K@60Hz” in the specs.
Recommendations
- One monitor, simple setup: a USB-C hub with HDMI 4K@60Hz and 100 W power delivery. Covers most laptops.
- Monitor with USB-C input: you may not need a hub at all. One USB-C cable can carry video, power and the monitor’s built-in USB ports. See the monitor guide.
- Two monitors on Windows: a USB-C or Thunderbolt dock with dual display output.
- Two monitors on an older MacBook Air: a DisplayLink dock.
- Thunderbolt laptop and maximum performance: a Thunderbolt 4 dock gives the most bandwidth for multiple high-resolution displays and fast storage.
Part 3: Tidy the cables
Once everything runs through a dock, the remaining cables are easy to hide:
- An under-desk cable tray holds the dock’s power brick and spare cable lengths.
- Velcro cable ties are cheap and reusable, so changing your setup later is easy.
- A surge-protected extension board protects your gear, which matters in areas with unstable power.
The one-cable checklist
- Laptop on a stand, screen top at about eye level.
- External keyboard and mouse.
- Laptop USB-C port supports video (DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt).
- Hub or dock matches your laptop’s display limits.
- Pass-through power covers your laptop’s charger wattage.
- 4K monitors run at 60 Hz.
Get those right and your desk becomes plug-in-one-cable-and-start-working.