I’ve been working remotely ever since… forever, I guess, but in the recent year, I had to make some unfortunate adjustments and ditch my sizable monitor. As a result, I was left with my MacBook Pro 14’ with its excellent but quite compact screen. And since then, I’ve been looking for a perfect stand to make my work more enjoyable. The Roost V3 came close but felt inelegant. Mountie+ allowed me to use iPad as a second monitor but it felt too gimmicky after a while. And then I found what I was looking for.
Twelve South is a company that deserves some recognition: Apple chose Forté for their keynote for a reason. It’s a company that has again and again proven its merit. So, let’s talk about the Curve Flex and the HoverBar Duo.
Curve Flex
I prefer minimalist work setups: minimum wires, elegance, and Apple-esque esthetic. In that sense, Twelve South delivers: their products mostly look like they were developed by Apple itself. Let’s start with its MacBook stand.
There are a lot of laptop stands out there — and I mean it. From cheap Amazon knockoffs to $100+ products from previously unheard-of startups, the market is pretty oversaturated. For myself, I was looking for something sleek and light. The Roost V3 is great for portable use, but I mostly stay home and require something less unwieldy. Also, unlike the Roost V3, the Curve Flex allows you to close the lid of a MacBook.
Read also: Mountie+ review: Your laptop monitor needs a buddy
The Curve Flex looks like pretty much every other $70 stand. It’s elegant, lightweight, and as sturdy as they come. What makes it different is flexibility (hence the name). It’s not fixed in place and allows you to adjust the angle up to 22 inches, which is… a lot. That meant no more sore neck for me. And if you need it, it can fold completely flat. It is possible to modify the height and angle of your keyboard. The name is very apt indeed.
The stand can also be portable because it is relatively thin when folded. The issue here are the stiff hinges that require real force to change the angle. On the other hand, that’s what gives the stand its sturdiness. Just don’t try to adjust it with the laptop on — it is a recipe for disaster.
I like how it looks and feels. It’s not wobbly and looks very good in every interior. The only issue is the price: the $79.99 price tag makes it pricier than most, but honestly, it’s worth it in my eyes.
HoverBar Duo
I’ve seen many MacBook stands, but even more iPad ones. The HoverBar Duo, though, has a few tricks up its sleeve — something I haven’t seen before.
The HoverBar Duo is basically a versatile arm that comes with a weighted base for a desk and an adjustable clamp for a shelf (or anything, really).
Read also: The Roost V3 laptop stand review: Elevating experience
The idea is to have two “bases” for your iPad or maybe even an iPhone to allow you to move it easily. As you can see in the photos, I mainly used my iPad Air as a second screen via either Universal Control or SideCar. And it worked perfectly: the HoverBar Duo is sturdy and convenient to use, although it does look bulky without the tablet and requires some effort to take it out; in that regard, nothing can beat magnetic stands. But unlike them, the HoverBar Duo can work with any tablet.
So, the gimmick here is that you can “unbuckle” the arm and fix it onto another base. So, after finishing my work, I took my iPad to the kitchen, attached it to the clamp, and… that’s it! Never knew that I needed that, but I am already very used to it. The arm is highly adjustable, too, and can go real high if you need it.
Verdict
Twelve South is one of the best companies that make MacBook and iPad accessories. Their products are sturdy, well-made, and thought out. After about three weeks of use, I haven’t encountered any issues. Both Curve Flex and HoverBar Duo are highly recommended.