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Review: Twelve South's 'Curve Riser' iMac Stand Can Help Declutter Your Workspace, But Lack of Adjustable Height Hinders Ergonomics
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This is not an office chair. This... I don't know what this is... but it would lead to death of serious injury if I were to use it 😂
Yep the G4 sunflower iMac was the bee’s knee’s. Brilliant design, removes the need for this sort of tripe from TwelveSouth. I’ve owned a backpack for my iMac and a book arc thing for a MacBook Pro I had from TS, but this design is pointless in my opinion. I’m also not keen on their range of iPhone/iPad covers.
This thing doesn’t even look big enough to fit a keyboard under there and it looks too high for my liking - I’m 6ft 3”. As people have said, desk chair adjustment is all you need and there are better riser options.
Back to the G4... The arm was a great design with super smooth movement. To think it launched for about $1300 it’s a far cry from releasing a monitor and then charging a grand for the stand only! I’m ignorant on the new monitor and stand really, but how much better is it than the arm from the G4?
This thing doesn’t even look big enough to fit a keyboard under there and it looks too high for my liking - I’m 6ft 3”. As people have said, desk chair adjustment is all you need and there are better riser options.
Back to the G4... The arm was a great design with super smooth movement. To think it launched for about $1300 it’s a far cry from releasing a monitor and then charging a grand for the stand only! I’m ignorant on the new monitor and stand really, but how much better is it than the arm from the G4?
There is no adjustable height hinders because they plan to release new curves risers with different sizes so we have a range of choices to choose from.
Couldn't you just bounce up and down to see the screen? Just kidding. I understand your point.
Sure there are ergonomic chairs and fitness balls, but sitting for long periods of time in general, is not good thing.
That’s why we have adjustable tables today. And with so many working from home these days, their popularity has taken off.
That’s why we have adjustable tables today. And with so many working from home these days, their popularity has taken off.
Understand your point, but this is a poor example.
Need to show traditional style "office chair" with no height adjustment to better nail your point.
Incidentally my company does buy these for individuals.
I usually like their stuff. But the inverted legs seem to waste usable space. That said the legs remind me of a Queen Anne in reverse 
Hence the use of "here's just one extreme example".
How is the yoga ball a poor example of extreme? Perhaps you meant it was a poor example of something I wasn't referencing. Just messin' witcha. But a traditional office chair didn't fit my intentional example.I'll narrow it down. Why use extreme example, you started of with:Hence the use of "here's just one extreme example".
Point could have been stronger with "non" extreme example.
You see the reaction the extreme example got, the focus wasn't on your first point.
G4’s guts were in the base that provided massive counterbalance to the hinged screen. In current iMacs everything is „in the screen” so probably it’s not so easy to design a hinge that doesn’t make the whole thing fall over.
Thay does not justify the lack of some up-down adjustments like in the Dell monitors.
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
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In 2010, I designed and sold the desk accessory above... under help from Quirky at quirky.com. It was Named "Spacebar". 10s of thousands were sold until Quirky went bankrupt from overspending on bad products.
Quirky reopened but barely exists. They abandoned me and the product.
The product is now reproduced by dozens of other companies and I no longer get royalties.
Quirky reopened but barely exists. They abandoned me and the product.
The product is now reproduced by dozens of other companies and I no longer get royalties.
You can narrow it down to an infinitesimal point if you'd like. It'd be moot regardless. I used an extreme example because I wanted to do so. Personal choice. The point needed to be no stronger than it was. We're in forum on a tech site. It ain't that crucial. Bonus points cuz now @iMi knows about yoga chairs. Win/win for us. We're all good.
I can actually see myself getting one of these to add to my already tidy and overpriced desk setup! (Assuming the base of the LG 5K fits)
Perfectly sized to house my Orbitkey Nest https://www.orbitkey.com.au/collections/orbitkey-nest/products/orbitkey-nest
Perfectly sized to house my Orbitkey Nest https://www.orbitkey.com.au/collections/orbitkey-nest/products/orbitkey-nest
Attachments
In 2010, I designed and sold the desk accessory above... under help from Quirky at quirky.com. It was Named "Spacebar". 10s of thousands were sold until Quirky went bankrupt from overspending on bad products.
Quirky reopened but barely exists. They abandoned me and the product.
The product is now reproduced by dozens of other companies and I no longer get royalties.
I see they still use your name and face to advertise it.
Edit: Scrolling through the variations on Amazon is a polite way of saying most of the rip-offs look terrible.
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• Variable Height Options
• Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
• Not $80
Not since LaCie and Dr. Bott .. something so simply over priced.