Review: MaxUpgrades iTilt

After reviewing various laptop stands, we gave the iTilt a try. Our initial reaction was that the iTilt was very plain, a bit overpriced, and not the most Mac-like. After using it for a bit, some opinions have changed, and some have stayed the same.

The iTilt is essentially a black foam-rubber wedge. The price is a bit steep at $40, but the more we used it, the more we liked it. It’s quite useful if you use a laptop with a graphics tablet, external keyboard or mouse, or larger monitor.

iTilt + iBook G4

iTilt

MaxUpgrades claims the iTilt prevents laptop damage by being a giant shock absorber. While we haven’t been able to test this (who wants to try to damage his or her own laptop?), it’s a good idea. Besides, the hard drives in the iBook have rubber mounts to prevent shock.

While our test iBook was on the iTilt, we could move the setup around on the desk without any worries. The whole arrangement felt quite sturdy. An air channel underneath the laptop keeps various components cool.

The iTilt increases the angle of the keyboard by quite a bit, creating a more comfortable angle for most desks. The screen is raised to that of a desktop display, but the built-in keyboard and trackpad can be used.

One of our gripes is that the iTilt costs more than many other laptop stands, and doesn’t quite match the general design of Macs (it’s black, but iBooks and PowerBooks are white and grey).

Our other gripe is that the iTilt blocks the optical drive on 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks. While this is not a big deal, it should be noted.

Overall, the iTilt is an interesting new product, with a new twist on the laptop stand. We like the idea of the foam-rubber laptop stand, but found that some might be turned off by the price tag.