Review If your laptop is your primary work machine then you'll end up spending a fair amount of time hunched over it - which isn't exactly good for your back, let alone your posture. Logitech's Alto stand allows you to raise the screen up, so it's at a more natural height and also includes a full keyboard for, it claims, better typing.

The Alto is a very neat design - when folded up it measures just 43 x 24 x 3.5cm, which isn't that much bigger than a normal keyboard. Unfold it in the middle lengthways and it stretches back 49cm with a fold up stand at the rear and full QWERTY keyboard at the front.

The stand lifts up and clicks into place, creating a platform to hold your laptop that leans back at about 45°. There's a rubber support at the bottom to gently hold the front edge of the laptop, with the base resting on the angled platform. Push back the screen so it's vertical and you're ready to start working.

The keyboard plugs in via USB and the cable is neatly recessed under the stand when it's folded away. There are also three additional USB ports on the stand - two at the rear and one on the right-hand side at the back - so you can plug in a mouse and other peripherals. But this isn't a docking station as such, so other cables and add-ons will need to connect to the laptop as usual.

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The keyboard has full-sized keys measuring 14mm square with a good 5mm between adjacent keys so you shouldn't hit the wrong one by accident. The keys also have a good degree of travel - more than you'd find on most laptop keyboards - making for comfortable typing.

The extra space also means there's room for a numeric keyboard and dedicated keys for things like 'Home' and 'End'. Logitech has also included additional keys for handy items such as volume control and calculator.

Using the Alto does make a difference if you're working at a laptop for a prolonged period of time. The raised screen height means you're not slouched forward as much as you normally would be, and we found that the keyboard is much more comfortable to type on than a standard laptop offering.

One slight problem, however, is that the Shift key needs to be pressed quite firmly to register otherwise you don't end up with capitals. It's not a major fault, though, and it doesn't take that long to get used to.

At £70 - $100 in the US, €100 on the Continent - the Alto is a little on the pricey side, but then you are getting a keyboard and stand in one single unit so it's only slightly more than the combined cost of both. It's also a very neat design as you can fold it up and tuck it away at the end of the day.

Verdict

If a laptop is your main workhorse then the Alto will make working on it a more pleasant experience. Logitech's stand allows you to position the screen more naturally and the full-size keyboard is much more comfortable to type on for long periods of time. Yes, it's expensive, but what price a better posture and a more comfortable working environment?

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