Review on 💻 Roost V3 Laptop Stand: Versatile, Portable Stand for PCs and MacBooks by Robert Correa

I recently bought a 2016 Macbook Pro 13" laptop and needed an ultra-portable travel stand. After doing a little research , I came across the Roost stand, a foldable laptop stand that became very popular on Kickstarter.However, a Chinese copycat stand called the Nexstand has recently started selling on Revain.Surprisingly, there was a big price difference between the two - the Roost was $75 and the Nextstand was only $25 I was trying to find a comparison between the two to understand why the Roost was so much more expensive (3x more expensive) than the Nextstand and the differences between the Roost and the Price justifiable Unfortunately I couldn't find a good comparison online so I bought both Roost and Nextstand to compare in person. Here are my findings and hopefully they will help others who are also trying to make a decision. Just to clarify, I bought both at full price and am not affiliated with any company. SIZE When folded, the Nextstand is approximately 1" longer than the Roost and slightly thicker. This means the Roost is more compact than the Nexstand, which is a bonus for me - the extra inch I saved in my pocket means I can fit an extra pair of socks in that space! Length is of great importance as it appears to be significantly larger than the roost. This suggests that the Nextstand can accommodate a thicker or wider laptop than the Roost, but the Roost is still very roomy despite its smaller size. Nextstand comes with additional clips for thinner laptops. CARRYING CASE Both units come with a soft carrying case. Some might not see this as a big deal, but it's helpful to carry the stand in your bag so you don't scratch other devices or snag cables. Personally, I love the understated logo on the Roost bag, and I really don't like the obvious branding on the Nextstand bag. FRONT CLAMPS The laptop is held onto the stand by the front clamps. It's an ingenious and well-executed design that prevents the laptop from sliding down even when the stand is tilted. However, since the front clips are the point of contact with the laptop, I wanted to make sure the clip wouldn't scratch my laptop. Here Roost offers the best quality material with a rubber front seal, while the Nextstand clip is made entirely of plastic. This seems to make the Roost a better option, but then I notice that the Roost's plastic back has a center plastic protrusion (see red arrow in pic 4) - is this the result of a manufacturing process or a quality control issue? . I don't think it will scratch the laptop, but it's annoying, especially compared to the Nexstand's slick finish. Also of note is that the Nexstand's clip appears to be able to hold thicker laptops than the Roost. BACK The back of your notebook is on the back. This is the secondary point of contact between the stand and the laptop. As with the front clips, I want to make sure nothing scratches my laptop. The Roost has a long rubber pad on the back that gently supports the laptop, while the Nexstand skimped on this with a small pad that doesn't even fit the full width of the bar. You can of course stick some tape in there if you want to be sure, but Roost clearly wins here. FRONT LEGS The front legs of the stand make contact with the table/surface and support the weight of the notebook. To prevent the stand from slipping, Roost has a rubber pad that keeps the stand perfectly stable. The Nextstand stand is made of smooth plastic, and while the stand stays firm when you squeeze it, it's freer to slide across the tabletop. Roost wins here. CONCLUSION Both Roost and Nextstand are great sturdy stands that will hold your laptop securely. I don't want to defend myself over each other and have left both personally for the time being. The price of Nexstand represents excellent value for money and there is nothing wrong with the quality. So if price is important to you or you have a really big fat laptop, go for the Nextstand. The Roost offers added luxuries like rubber grips and a more compact frame, but for the price it's a little harder to justify - if the price doesn't put you off then the Roost is certainly a more 'upgraded' model.