Review: Twelve South's 'Curve Riser' iMac Stand Can Help Declutter Your Workspace, But Lack of Adjustable Height Hinders Ergonomics

[MacRumors]

This month Twelve South launched a new accessory for the iMac, iMac Pro, and external displays, called the "Curve Riser." Similar to its HiRise products, the Curve Riser elevates your iMac to a position that's supposed to be more ergonomic for most users, while also providing some storage underneath the iMac.

From a materials standpoint, the Curve Riser matches Twelve South's established standard as a premium accessory maker; it's built from a sleek metal and only comes in black. There's no front or back door, and although the accessory has a far bigger footprint than any iMac stand I've owned (coming in at 9 by 12 inches), its design is airy, sleek, and unobtrusive.

The idea behind iMac stands like the Curve Riser is that Apple's desktop computer (and most fixed-height computers) aren't naturally ergonomic. If you provide a little bit of height to your setup, ideally with the top of your display hitting your eye level, you can sit with a straight back and keep all of the display in your vision without any awkward neck tilts.

Twelve South's original (and now discontinued) HiRise for iMac was my first go-to iMac desk stand, and it provided a few different height levels, perfect for finding my favorite position. In recent years I transitioned to Satechi's Type-C Stand, which despite offering only one height option, provided a great selection of easily accessible front-facing ports.

The difference in height between Satechi's accessory and the Twelve South Curve Riser has been so drastic that I've barely gotten used to the Curve Riser over the past week, and I'm not sure that I should. The Satechi stand sits about 1.63 inches tall, which isn't a lot, but ultimately provided me with just the right eye level for my iMac.

Twelve South Curve Riser (left) and Satechi Type-C iMac Stand (right)​

At 4.2 inches tall, the Curve Riser is simply too tall for me. I frequently have to tilt my head up and down when I work and move to different parts of the iMac display, with my eyes hitting just about the middle of the display when sitting tall. I have an adjustable desk, so there is some wiggle room to knock my iMac down lower, but not much.

This height will work for some users who are taller than me, but the inability to truly customize the exact height of the accessory is a let down at this $79.99 price point. Although Satechi's Type-C Stand is also a fixed height, it feels far more universal at just over an inch off the desktop and could easily hit the ergonomic sweet spot of more individuals than the Curve Riser.

The same goes for Twelve South's previous HiRise device, and the current HiRise Pro, which offers adjustable shelving heights at a far higher price of $169.99.

I've also seen concern over iMac stability when using a stand like this, but I've never had such issues or been worried about my iMac toppling over with any iMac stand, the Curve Riser included. The accessory has such a large footprint at twelve inches wide that there's plenty of space for the iMac base to sit atop the stand.

Given the weight of the iMac and the wide footprint of the Curve Riser, everything feels nice and sturdy once it's set up. Even in spaces of frequent traffic surrounding a desk, I couldn't really see anyone needing to worry about the iMac toppling off of the Curve Riser.

The new Curve Riser is also built to match the aesthetics of Twelve South's Curve and Curve SE for the MacBook, another ergonomically-minded accessory that lifts your Apple notebook into the air by about 6 inches.

The Curve for MacBook and Curve Riser​

Another benefit of the Curve Riser is the desktop organization it offers with its small shelf, which measures 10 inches wide, 9.6 inches deep, and about 1.75 inches tall. This capacity can hold a Mac mini, various USB hubs, hard drives, your wallet, and more.

The shelf is certainly wide enough to hold quite a few items, making it a helpful tool to get a few pieces of clutter off of your desk. Still, the benefits of having a slight organization system don't quite outweigh the loss of adjustable height, which will hinder the accessory's usefulness for the majority of people.

The Curve Riser is available on Twelve South's website for $79.99.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Twelve South. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: Review: Twelve South's 'Curve Riser' iMac Stand Can Help Declutter Your Workspace, But Lack of Adjustable Height Hinders Ergonomics

 

[satchmo]

Becomes irrelevant the day the Apple Silicone iMac is announced with an adjustable height. 😄

 

[4jasontv]

Twelve South makes the most beautiful things I could never see myself using.

 

[NapoleonIV]

I just don’t see the point. I bought a black wood riser off Amazon for a fraction of this price, and it is wider so I can store my keyboard, trackpad and mouse underneath.

 

[ComRadMac]

Except, of course, raising your monitor is incredibly un-ergonomic. Ergonomics say to have the monitor lower so you're looking down into it. Tilting your head back at all is one of the worst positions you can be in while sitting and working for long periods.

No actual ergonomic expert would claim this is more ergonomic. It's actually much worse for you, in almost every situation.

 

[swm]

no way. if you have kids or pets (cats) and your iMac is not against the wall, it's in danger already. i actually manufactured clamps to secure it to the desk. placing the computer on top of a thin metal construction is just asking for trouble.

 

[Cryates]

$80...for that? There are better solutions to be found at lower prices.

 

[tomottoe]

Except, of course, raising your monitor is incredibly un-ergonomic. Ergonomics say to have the monitor lower so you're looking down into it. Tilting your head back at all is one of the worst positions you can be in while sitting and working for long periods.

No actual ergonomic expert would claim this is more ergonomic. It's actually much worse for you, in almost every situation.

Well, assuming all humans were identically shaped, and all chairs and desks identical, your argument might hold water. My iMac actually sits **too high** on the desk I'd like to use. Someone several inches taller might find it too short. The fact that Apple has not yet incorporated an adjustable stand is poor design on their part--probably a strong holdover from Jony "form over function" Ive.

 

[MistrSynistr]

Absurd, ridiculous price..and doesn't match the color of the iMac.

 

[69Mustang]

Except, of course, raising your monitor is incredibly un-ergonomic. Ergonomics say to have the monitor lower so you're looking down into it. Tilting your head back at all is one of the worst positions you can be in while sitting and working for long periods.

No actual ergonomic expert would claim this is more ergonomic. It's actually much worse for you, in almost every situation.

As I wrote on the last post about this riser, ergonomics is user, desk, chair and riser dependent; all relative to each other. A taller or shorter person may not fit in the typical ergonomic sweet spot so adjustments to one or more elements may be required. That's what a riser is; one of the adjustments. A blanket statement of un-ergonomic lacks the nuance of real world application. Ergonomic isn't the same for 5'2", 5'11", and 6'4".

 

[4jasontv]

Lefties unite.

 

[iMi]

In nearly a decade of using iMacs, I have never found a need for a raiser or a stand. There is a reason why office chairs have height adjustment.

 

[Juicy Box]

Apple Silicone iMac is announced with an adjustable height.

The iMac G4 had that a long while ago. Apple should have built off that design.

 

[aaadktda]

It you look at it closely in the first photo, it's wobbly.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

The iMac G4 had that a long while ago. Apple should have built off that design.

They couldn’t get make the hinge for less money, which is why they moved on to the form factor Steve derided when he first unveiled the sunflower iMac G4.

 

[dogslobber]

A hardback book is a cheaper solution. I use a Windows book about 4" thick.

 

[iMi]

They couldn’t get make the hinge for less money, which is why they moved on to the form factor Steve derided when he first unveiled the sunflower iMac G4.

I loved that design. Absolutely brilliant. I wish they would go back to something similar today. Maybe like a wider version of the Mac mini with a super thin Retina display on an articulating arm. I'd buy that.

 

[fhall1]

On a light-colored surface, I would call it very obtrusive....it's blends better with the dark wood desktop, but even then it's way too expensive for what it is.

 

[Juicy Box]

I loved that design. Absolutely brilliant. I wish they would go back to something similar today. Maybe like a wider version of the Mac mini with a super thin Retina display on an articulating arm. I'd buy that.

It is my favorite Apple product design.

I would love for Apple to release an update to this, all aluminum, with a larger display.

Probably would never happen though.

 

[critter13]

will a Mac mini fit in there?

 

[SkyRom]

Love these things. My iMac is sitting on an older one as we speak. It prevents a lot of neck/back discomfort having the monitor at the correct height 🤓

 

[JimmyBanks6]

Except, of course, raising your monitor is incredibly un-ergonomic. Ergonomics say to have the monitor lower so you're looking down into it. Tilting your head back at all is one of the worst positions you can be in while sitting and working for long periods.

No actual ergonomic expert would claim this is more ergonomic. It's actually much worse for you, in almost every situation.

Your catch all assumption is painfully (literally over the long term) wrong for most people.

Proper ergonomics requires quite a few things:
- proper seat pan height, determined by having feet flat on floor with comfortable near 90 degree bend in your knee
- proper seat pan length
- proper lumbar support
- proper desk height, the standard unadjustable desk height is much too tall for the average persons height. Desk height will be determined after you have properly identified your seat pan height. And should be the height of your arms comfortably resting with a 90 degree bend in your elbow. Wrist should be straight and unbent for use with keyboard and mouse.
- seat arm rests should then be set to the same height as your desk, essentially as an extension of your desk
- Finally, now that your chair and table are set properly, any regularly used screens should be at a height where the top of the screen is in the level with your eye height, allowing you to scan lower on the screen but not requiring you to raise your head. You got that part right, but you failed to realize that this height is different for many people. With a properly set table height, it is commonly higher than the default height of a monitor stand.


Tldr/ Your assumption is likely wrong for most people.

 

[69Mustang]

In nearly a decade of using iMacs, I have never found a need for a raiser or a stand. There is a reason why some office chairs have height adjustment.

Some office chairs have height adjustments. Plenty don't. Here's just one extreme example.

Even having a height adjustment function in a chair isn't a cure-all. There's no one-size-fits-all solution. Hence the riser.

 

[WWPD]

It's useless without a video narrated by Jony Ive.

 

[Unity451]

That's a lot of money to pay for neck problems.