StarTech.com Monitor Riser review: A stand with wireless charging that could use improvements

Depending on your work or play setup, you’ll likely want to pick up a monitor riser stand to elevate your monitor to a proper height. You may also have a wireless charging pad to charge your smartphone while your work. However, the more things you add to your desk, the less room you have to work.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Our StarTech.com Monitor Riser Stand with Wireless Charging Pad review looks at an adjustable monitor stand with 15W Qi charging capabilities. Read on for our full review!

Specifications

The StarTech.com Monitor Riser Stand with Wireless Charging Pad we reviewed has the following features and specifications:

• Work surface: 23.6 x 9.8 in (60 x 25 cm)
• Weight capacity of work surface: 33.2lb (15 kg)
• Adjustable height settings: 3.3 in (8.35 cm) or 4.6 in (11.55 cm)
• Open storeage width (under platform): 21 in (53 cm)
• # of displays supported: 1
• Cable management: Yes
• Power source: AC Adapter
• Input voltage: 100 – 240 AC
• Output voltage: 12V 2A
• Color: Black
• Materials: MDF and plastic
• Dimensions: 9.8 x 23.6 x 3.3-4.6 in (25 x 60 x 8.35-11.55 cm)
• Weight: 4.2 lb (1.9 kg)
• Warranty: 2 years

What’s in the box

• Stand Top with Integrated Qi Charger
• 2x Legs
• Power adapter
• Assembly instructions

Design

Once assembled, the StarTech.com Monitor Riser Stand with Wireless Charging Pad looks like your typical wide monitor stand. The main surface is manufactured from MDF and is coated with a black finish. The StarTech.com logo is in the lower right with the 15W Qi fast charge charging pad located in the upper right corner. The working surface itself is 23.6″ wide, 9.8″ deep, and 1/2″ thick. The corners and edges are nicely rounded so as not to catch on to anything.

The legs are constructed from black plastic. They consist of a rectangular piece with a hollowed-out middle and two adjustable pieces at the front and back. Two rubber-like pads sit on the bottom of each leg near the front and back to add grip and prevent scratches on your desktop. On the underside of the work surface is a short cord with a female plug that connects to the male plug of the AC adapter.

While the monitor riser doesn’t look too bad, in my opinion, there are a couple of design flaws. First, you can only adjust the height by taking the riser apart. Normally this isn’t a big issue, but there may be instances when you want to adjust the height. Second, the placement of the Qi wireless charging pad isn’t exactly optimal. I tried a number of different monitors on it and some covered the stand with the monitor legs, while others made it a bit hard to get to. Not only that, but you can’t really see your phone screen when it’s placed on the stand. Personally, I would have liked to see the charging pad centred towards the front of the working surface. Which, I admit, won’t necessarily work with monitors that have a rectangular or round stand. Perhaps two variations of the monitor riser would accommodate more monitors.

Once assembled, the stand is solid and can hold up to 32 lbs. My main test monitor was the BenQ EX3501R Ultrawidescreen Monitor, which weighs just under 23 lbs. Once placed on top of the stand, I had no concerns that it was unstable.

Assembly

Assembling the StarTech.com Monitor Riser Stand with Wireless Charging Pad is super simple. First, however, you’ll have to decide in advance if you want the lower 3.3 inches or higher 4.6 inches in additional height. To use the lower height, simply push the circle nubs on the top of the monitor legs into the corresponding holes on the bottom of the working surface.

If you want to use the higher height setting, the instructions weren’t exactly clear on how to extend the legs. At first, I found myself pulling at them, thinking they slid upwards. After a minute or so, I realized that they swivel out and up, locking into place in the higher position. Once I fumbled my way through that, I was able to finish the assembly with no issues.

After the monitor stand is assembled, place it on your desk, connect the power adapter to the cable under the stand, and plug it into a wall outlet. Put your monitor on top and you should be good to go!

Ease of Use

As far as ease of use is concerned, there’s not much to the monitor riser. As mentioned above, place your monitor on top of it for added height and better ergonomics. To charge your phone, place it on the Qi fast charging pad and it will start charging.

I know I mentioned it in the design section but will mention it again here. You cannot adjust the height without taking the legs off and swivelling the extension piece. In addition, while the charging pad is easy to use, depending on your monitor, part of your monitor leg may cover it or it may not be very visible behind your monitor.

Price/Value

With an MSRP of US$85.99, the StarTech.com Monitor Riser Stand with Wireless Charging Pad is about what I’d expect to pay for something like this. While it works just fine, a couple of design changes would definitely make this more of a “must-have” than a “nice to have.”

Photo Gallery

Wrap-up

The StarTech.com Monitor Riser Stand with Wireless Charging Pad works well enough. With a couple of design changes and improvements, it would go from being an o.k. monitor riser with wireless charging to a great one.

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