My laptop is a beastly nine and a half pounder that throws off a lot of heat. So much heat, in fact, that even routine use in an air conditioned room for more than an hour can cause it to overheat and shut down, unless there is adequate airflow around and underneath it. For the past year I have been using Rubbermaid’s metal mesh laptop stand to elevate my laptop so that enough cool air circulates beneath it. It has worked perfectly, but it doesn’t fold flat and so it isn’t a good candidate to take on the road with my laptop bag.
So when I saw the Targus Laptop Portable LapDesk, I was intrigued and very interested. Not only does it help provide balance and stability for when a laptop is on your lap or other soft surface, it elevates to provide air circulation AND folds flat. So… I bought it. $20 at Walmart.
Now, don’t let the photo fool you. The tray is not made of metal. It’s a heavy duty plastic. The elevation is enabled by a little kickstand (a flimsy looking piece of plastic) that flips out from one side of the tray and locks in between two rubber slots on the other side of the tray.
Using the tray in the elevated position doesn’t make me feel comfortable with walking away and leaving my laptop unattended. Unlike my Rubbermaid tray, which features two metal lips on the bottom edge to keep the laptop securely in place, there’s nothing on the Targus tray to prevent it from sliding off, except supposedly strong rubber grips.
Also, that little kickstand? After having it securely in place and typing away on my laptop (without applying much pressure to the wrist rests) for about a half hour, it gave way, causing the tray to snap down and my laptop to hit the kitchen table with a thunk. Good thing I was there, and the laptop wasn’t close to an edge, or it could have gone right off.
Bottom line: the Targus Laptop Portable LapDesk may work nicely as a tray, but forget the elevation unless your laptop weighs less than five pounds.
Rating: 
Hello, and welcome to In My Bag! My name is Jenn, and this is my product review blog. In My Bag is where I showcase my reviews of many of the products and services I buy and use, as well as the occasional trials, coupons and freebies that come my way. Interested in learning more? 
HAVE IT! I don’t like it though. I think it’s cheap and not worht 20 buck. =)
I have http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834999336
It came to about $24 after shipping. The slant is perfect. It’s sturdy and fairly quiet. And it’s aluminum, which is the best at cooling. The only problem with it is that its fans aren’t quite aligned in the right places. This will prove to be a problem with just about any cooler though because not all laptops are designed the same.
It keeps my hard drive nice and cool at around 100F (10degrees cooler) and it keeps my processor and graphics about 10 degrees cooler than they were originally running – UNLESS I play WoW lol, then it’s only about 5-0 degrees cooler depending on how long I play.
I don’t have a laptop stand for mine, although I should probably get one. That one would probably work for me since I’m pretty sure my laptop is only about 4-6 lbs. LOL How on earth did you end up with a nine and a half pound laptop?