13" MacBook Pro - Desktop Stand

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I recently purchased a 13" MacBook pro and subsequently upped the RAM to 4Gb, and the hard drive to 320Gb as it will now be my primary desktop machine.

I'd like to place my MacBook on a stand that would elevate it slightly in order to improve airflow. I didn't even know these things existed until I saw one at my buddy's house a few days ago.

Does anyone use one of these stands for their MacBook, and if so, do you have any in particular that you would recommend? Thanks!
 
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I have this one and love it. Awesome build quality. You get what you pay for:

mStand Laptop Stand - intro

That looks like a great stand, tell me, on their website it says that it helps with heat as it acts like a heatsink. Like the poster here, I use my MBP as my main desktop as well when I'm on the move (I too have 13" upgrade ram to 4GB and 320 HD!!) So does it help with heat? What's your experience?
 
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I just made my own based off the Griffin Elevator. Looks better, is A LOT stronger because it's steel, and has 3 fans with a bunch of blue LEDs. You can see it on my pic. I thought I liked the mStand, but then I saw it in person and right away, I hated the steep angle that the macbook was at. As for avoiding heat, you can't beat a stand that is almost completely empty on the bottom and has 2 fans blowing onto the bottom of my mbp.
 
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Just an FYI, buying a stand "to improve airflow" doesn't make any sense and you are wasting your money. "Airflow" is already fine for the internal components regardless of whether or not you have a stand.

If you want to move your machine around to different orientations while on a desk, that's a different story.
 
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^^Stands are KNOWN to help improve cooling, especially on Macbook/macbook pros!
 
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Do you guys mind me asking how these actually work to make things cooler? The only vents on these things are at the front under the screen. I cant imagine blowing air on a solid sheet of aluminum from the bottom would help the internals in any way. And if there's a fan blowing in from the vents wouldnt that defeat the purpose of how the vents are supposed to work? Im not trying to argue, but I cant imagine it would make such a dramatic difference on such a closed in machine than just setting it on a desk.
 
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well if you cool the case then you are allowing it it absorb and dissipate more heat. Getting the top and the bottom( very important) away from anything that could insulate it allows this to happen quicker there by allowing the entire unit to remain cooler.

Dont take my word for it...take a couple of quarters ( or what ever passes for a large coin where you are from) put them in the oven for a bit to get hot. leave one on the pan on the stove and hold one with tongs or such. Now wait one minute and put one in each hand. which is hotter ?

Clay
 
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idrinorbarsaku

I like the look of your stand, but I can't see it well enough from the tiny picture, any chance you could post some bigger ones?
 

chscag

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Hey guys.... one thing no one has mentioned about using a stand, and that is the protection it offers from those nasty spills that seem to occur! Unless of course someone thinks "cooling" his MBP means spilling a glass of water on
it. ;D

Regards.
 
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You know what Chscag, I have often thought of that, I use a Logitech stand at the moment, and I'm never afraid to enjoy my cup of tea or coffee on my desk, safe in knowledge that if it went over, my MacBook would be safely looking down at the flood awaiting an airlift and not trying to swim!!!

Good point!
 
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Hey guys.... one thing no one has mentioned about using a stand, and that is the protection it offers from those nasty spills that seem to occur! Unless of course someone thinks "cooling" his MBP means spilling a glass of water on
it. ;D

Regards.

that is probably the best reason of all ! I only bought mine to make it even with my monitor , but it HAS allowed a cup of coffee to pass right under it !

Clay
 
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^^Stands are KNOWN to help improve cooling, especially on Macbook/macbook pros!

Nope. A stand will improve the rate of cooling, but it will not make the machine cooler, at least not under sustained load. In any case you're missing the point; unless it's uncomfortable on your lap, there's no reason to get a cooler. "Prolonging component life" is meaningless, as components are perfectly capable of operating at CPU temps.
 
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Nope. A stand will improve the rate of cooling, but it will not make the machine cooler, at least not under sustained load. In any case you're missing the point; unless it's uncomfortable on your lap, there's no reason to get a cooler. "Prolonging component life" is meaningless, as components are perfectly capable of operating at CPU temps.

well put. But it shouldn't be sitting on your lap anyway. Apple doesn't make "laptops" they make notebooks.
 

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