I’ve used my MacBook Pro together with an external monitor for years. Until recently, I had the MacBook propped up on a Twelve South Curve laptop stand, so I could use it as a secondary monitor and have it at a comfortable eye level while I was working. A few months ago, I decided that I wanted some more real estate on my secondary monitor, so I brought my BenQ PD2720U 4K out of retirement and put it next to the display that replaced it: the Apple Studio Display XDR. Having two 27” displays on my desk meant there was no longer room for my old Twelve South Curve laptop stand. Instead, I bought the Twelve South BookArc Flex.
Whereas the Curve allows you to use the laptop display with an external mouse and keyboard, the BookArc is a vertical laptop stand designed to keep the laptop out of the way while its connected to an external monitor and mouse and keyboard. It basically turns it into a tiny desktop tower. The stand is built out of two curved metal rods that are connected at the bottom with elastic bands. When you insert the laptop and put weight on the elastic bands, the upper ends of the metal rods are angled inwards and hold the laptop in place. It’s clever in its simplicity, since the design doesn’t limit it to laptops of a specific thickness.
The BookArc is pretty affordable at $35, and the matte black version that I have looks great. I keep it at the back of my desk, partially obscured by the Studio Display XDR, and connect it to the rest of my setup with a single cable leading to my Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 Pro dock. It also looks a bit precarious at first, having a $3,000 laptop secured by a 5.5 cm laptop stand that only weighs 240 grams. I had one close call where I inserted the MacBook at an angle instead of straight down, and the stand and the laptop almost fell backwards. That woke me up.
All things considered, the BookArc is a great product at a reasonable price, as long as you’re careful with it.
