Twelve South’s existing Curve stand is a near-perfect laptop desk stand. It holds a Mac with minimal material but great elegance. Its singular issue, or criticism, is its one fixed position. The company is addressing that concern with a new sibling product, the Twelve South Curve Flex.
I call it a sibling because this new laptop stand looks very similar to its other model, but gains two flex points that allow for a host of adjustments. The Curve Flex can also fold nearly flat to fit inside its included carrying case to be travel-friendly. So, whether you need a laptop stand for your desk or one to take on the road, this is one that can be both.
With more people working from home or, rather, working away from an office, this is a great portable solution to tilt and raise a laptop. It can be a more ergonomic way to use a laptop. The Curve Flex mostly improves on the company’s previous, classic design. Since I’ve loved using the original Curve stand, I was curious to see if this new one would completely replace it or supplement it for times I was away from my desk.
TL;DR
Pros:
- Firm, rigid hinges don’t feel loose (but can be tightened if needed)
- Included carrying case
Cons:
- Mostly compact, but not the smallest laptop stand
- Premium price
Buy at Twelve South.
Twelve South Curve Flex Features
TYLER HAYES
Twelve South advertises that the Curve Flex is made for MacBooks—whether that’s an Air or Pro. I suspect, however, that plenty of Chromebooks and modern, sleek Windows PCs could work well too. It could serve most notebook computers, but people might not be interested in an $80 stand for their $250 Chromebook.
In terms of the computer stand’s features, it can raise the screen up to 22 inches. Beyond ergonomics, this also has the benefit of raising the front camera up for a better viewing angle. The stand can angle the keyboard between 0 and 45 degrees. Getting the parts to move how you want them can be slightly tricky so out of the box, there are plenty of visual indicators. There were stickers on several parts of the product to show where my hands would go to raise and lower it, as well as how to angle it. It was tricky the first several times, but not complicated.
A key element of a moveable stand is that it only moves when you want it to. After a few days of bending it and adjusting it into place, I felt confident that it was sturdy. There’s an included hex key (inside the case in a tiny pocket) to tighten or loosen the hinges, but I didn’t need to use it.
The Curve Flex fits my MacBook Air M2 very nicely. Because of the rubber across the top and the base of the unit, I wasn’t worried about the computer slipping in any fashion. There are also bits of rubber where the stand may fold into itself to keep it from hitting metal on metal.
The stand is available in matte black or white. It’s slightly more complex looking than the regular Curve stand, but overall it keeps most of the simplicity that you would expect. I was a bit surprised that the Curve Flex came with a neoprene travel case as few products seem to come with their own accessories. It’s not the most luxurious case, but it kept the metal stand from dinging up any devices inside my computer bag.
TYLER HAYES
Adjustable, Travel Computer Stand
As great as the original Twelve South Curve stand is, it’s not portable. Even moving it from my office to the kitchen table could be a chore at times. The Curve Flex stand, on the other hand, is reasonable to toss into a bag or carry from room to room regularly. When it’s flat, the curved base acts as a handle to hold while you also carry other items.
There is no easy way to get the stand back to the exact angles and height it was before folding it up. I did notice myself fiddling with the adjustments for several minutes each time after setting it up. If you have an obsessive tendency and don’t need the flexible feature you may want to stick with the Curve stand instead.
TYLER HAYES
Folded up, the Curve Flex is about the width and length of an iPad. It’s thicker than the tablet, but it should fit in most laptop bags or backpacks. It may even fit in those pockets made to hold tablets.
Should You Buy Twelve South Curve Flex?
TYLER HAYES
This stand extends the elegance of the Curve line from Twelve South. It functions as advertised and can be used at home on a desk or wherever you need it. The biggest concern isn’t its function, but its $80 price. You can find a minimal laptop stands for about half the cost if your budget is a factor.
The thing that makes the Curve Flex a better value than it might seem initially is how well it performs as a permanent desk fixture and as a travel companion. It does both without needing to disconnect any parts or clip anything together. There are no pieces to lose or flimsy elements to break. This could be the only laptop stand you need and, based on my hands-on time, it felt strong enough to last as long as you need it.
Buy at Twelve South for $79.99.
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