Review: The Good and the Bad about the LaptopDesk

Posted: August 17th, 2009 | Author: Steve | Filed under: Gadgets | Tags: laptops | View Comments

After purchasing my Apple MacBook Pro 15″ over 2 years ago, it quickly became apparent that I was going to need some sort of device to keep my lap from frying, because MacBook Pros get really, really hot. It didn’t take me to long to land on the LaptopDesk from LapWorks as a possible solution which could also double as a laptop stand when I was sitting at a desk or table. While the low-priced LaptopDesk has ultimately proven itself very useful, my experience with the product and the company that makes it has been a very bumpy road.

LapWorks, located at LaptopDesk.net, is a small company that makes a variety of low-cost laptop lap desks and desktop stands. The laptop desks are designed to span the width of your lap when seated in a comfortable position, and are approximately 21 inches wide. They are lightweight, made of ABS plastic which is slotted along the length to reduce weight and provide ventilation. All of the models fold in half and have a small, hinged tab which allows them to both fold flat, for portability, or to open up into a V-shape, to act as a stand. There are rubber pads placed at strategic intervals along the surface, which are supposed to keep your laptop from slipping.

Please read on for my complete review of the LaptopDesk.

When I purchased my first LaptopDesk, I had a choice between the LaptopDesk 2.0, the Lightweight or the Futura. I chose the 2.0, because it seemed more sturdy than the Lightweight, and was rated to hold laptops up to 12 lbs. At the time, the Futura Model was more expensive and didn’t seem to offer any extra benefits, besides looking different. I even ordered the MouzPad, an extension which clips onto the desk and allows you to use a mouse.

At first, the LaptoDesk 2.0 worked pretty much as advertised. It was lightweight, portable, and kept my lap cool. It made using my laptop on the train much more enjoyable, because I no longer had to hold my knees together to keep the laptop in my lap. When I would get to a café, I simply folded up the desk and extended the riser tab, and my screen was almost four inches higher, which made for much more comfortable viewing.

It quickly became apparent, however, that I was not going to be able to use a mouse the way it was advertised on the website. The MouzPad attachment was sometimes difficult to snap on to the LaptopDesk. It clipped on in a way that was not very intuitive, and you were never quite sure if it was going to stay in place. Although it did manage to hold together pretty well, the surface of the MouzPad was very slippery, and my mouse would continuously fall off my lap unless I could somehow manage to keep my lap perfectly level. Since I usually was sitting in my easy chair or on a couch, this was nearly impossible, and became enormously frustrating. I gave up trying to use my wireless Mac mouse, and switched to a wired mouse, because the MouzPad did have a place where you could clip in the wire, but even this only managed to keep my mouse in reach. Invariably, it would fall off the platform every time I took my hands off the mouse.

Not being able to use a mouse with the LaptopDesk was not a deal-breaker for me, although it really would have been nice to have. I continued to use the LaptopDesk for several more weeks, until I encountered another problem: the plastic riser tabs were starting to crack. This was quite worrisome, given how new the product was, especially considering the company’s claims of indestructibility. Luckily for me, LapWorks customer service was quite nice, and they explained that there had been a bad batch of risers which were not molded at the correct temperature, making them brittle. They immediately sent a replacement part, and assured me that the LaptopDesk itself did not have this problem.

Unfortunately, I did not find out until almost a year later that this was not the case. Cracks began to appear in the hinges and, before long, the entire hinge on one side was cracked through! Despite repeated inquiries, the company was unwilling to provide a replacement, citing their 30-day limited warranty for defective products. I thought that this was a bad call on their part, given that I had uncovered the original problem with the riser months prior, indicating that the entire product had been defective from the beginning.

By this time, the LaptopDesk had become an indispensable part of my laptop kit. Since I didn’t like the design or price of other laptop desks that were out on the market, I decided to bite the bullet and try one of Lapworks’ other models. At only $29, the Futura model had come down in price to match the other models. The Futura is a much better design, and seems to be made of a different type of plastic. The design has much larger air spaces, beefier hinges and larger rubber anti-slide tabs. Where the 2.0 is flat, clunky and unattractive, the Futura is much more pleasing to the eye. If you feel like paying a few dollars extra, you can eve get it in a selection of colors.

My experience with the Futura, after almost a year of constant daily use has been great. It shows no signs of cracking, and the finish does not mar or scratch. It performs very well in terms of keeping my lap cool, and the much more substantial riser is also in like-new condition.

It still remains to be seen whether or not I will eventually experience any of the same problems that cropped up in the original product, but I do not think that will be the case. My feeling is that the company was still working out a lot of kinks in its supply chain at the time, and that these problems have most likely been solved. If properly molded, a product like this should be almost indestructible with ordinary use. However, If you are considering purchasing a LaptopDesk, I would recommend steering clear of the LaptopDesk 2.0, and go with the Futura model, just to be safe.