How to Make Your Laptop Setup More Ergonomic

The ergonomics behind your laptop setup are important to ensure the most comfortable experience. Our bodies are not designed to remain in one position for too long. If we use our laptops in a poorly optimized position for extended periods, we may become susceptible to bodily fatigue and strains.


Optimizing the ergonomics of your laptop setup will do wonders for your chiropractic health in the long term. The best ergonomic arrangement depends on the type of laptop that you have. Many best laptops come with intuitive features aimed to improve comfort for the user, such as a detachable screens or tilted keyboards. These features may have a higher priority based on how you want to improve your laptop setup.

Once you've found a comfortable position for your laptop use, you'll be able to work as efficiently and productively as possible. Check out these seven tips on how to make your laptop setup more ergonomic:

1. Wrist Position

If you do a lot of typing on your laptop, then you need to find a comfortable position for your wrists. The trick is to keep your wrists in a natural position without elevation. This is easier said than done, since it can be quite challenging to hold your hands and wrists in a stationary position. However, you should avoid letting your hands move around too much while typing, since this isn't a good ergonomic best practice.

Maintaining an optimized wrist position is important for both comfort and productivity. The tension will be alleviated when your wrists are in a comfortable position, allowing you to type at a faster rate of speed. Just be sure to rest your hands from time to time, especially during long typing sessions.

If your wrists need long-term relief, consider getting a wrist rest with an ergonomic design, like the ROG Gaming Wrist Rest. Made by ASUS, this wrist rest is produced with a premium soft foam and a fine leatherette surface. It keeps your wrists elevated in an ergonomic position, while offering cushioned support that feels smooth and comfortable. This accessory also features non-slip rubber feet, ensuring the wrist pad will stay in place.

2. Leg Position

It can be physically fatiguing to keep your body stationary in one position for an extended time. The same sentiment is applied to your legs. While working on your laptop, try to find a piece of furniture that allows you to both raise and rest your legs. When you have something to rest your feet while you work, this will increase the ergonomic comfort of your laptop setup. Kick your feet up and relax!

In addition, the ideal leg position will allow the main portion of your spine to remain as snug as possible. It allows for a decreased amount of stress to be placed on your lower back, which is a huge source of discomfort as we age.

3. Seating Position

The chair you choose for your laptop setup needs careful consideration in terms of its ergonomic viability. Your seating arrangement should be on an even level with your laptop desk, neither too high nor too low. Thankfully, there are many ergonomically designed chairs in the market, which can be adjusted as you see fit. Move your chair up or down until you find that perfect sweet spot for ergonomic optimization.

4. Laptop Position

Contrary to its namesake, placing your laptop on your lap is counterproductive. Not only is this a physically uncomfortable position, but it might also stimulate damage to your device. The laptop is more susceptible to warmth when it is placed on your lap, which can potentially overheat your device.

Try your best to avoid this working position for long stretches of time. Instead, find a seating arrangement where you can sit on a proper chair and work on a regular desk in the long term. This will prevent tension on your neck and inhibits the possibility of slouching.

Many of the best laptops are designed with ergonomics in mind, giving users the flexibility to make sensible adjustments. The ASUS ZenBook Duo is built with an exclusive ErgoLift hinge, which automatically tilts the keyboard to the perfect typing position for your wrists. In addition, the ErgoLift improves airflow from under the chassis, boosting the effectiveness of the cooling processes. The tilted position also helps the laptop's downward speakers produce a better audio performance.

5. Screen Size

Sometimes, the actual size of the laptops may influence the amount of strain your eyes have while working. When the laptop screen is too small, it may cause you to hunch forward just to read the information properly. To avoid this from happening, you should invest in a laptop with a bigger screen.

A larger screen size doesn't necessarily mean you have to get a bulkier laptop. There are compact laptops that use narrow bezels to fit a large screen into a small chassis. One such example is the ASUS ZenBook Flip S, an intricately designed laptop that maximizes the screen area thanks to its ultra-thin NanoEdge display. You'll get a large and comfortable screen display for your eyes, but also retain the small and functional portability of the laptop.

The ASUS ZenBook Flip S uses an OLED touchscreen to display vivid colors with high-definition realistic details. The sharp resolution in this 4K UHD display will make the viewing experience very immersive. The ZenBook Flip S also comes with a flexible 360-degree ErgoLift hinge, which allows you to adjust the screen at any angle. This versatile device can be folded for tent mode, converted into tablet mode, or switched back to standard laptop mode.

6. Separate Accessories

With prolonged use of your laptop, you may begin to feel discomfort in various parts of your body. When this problem occurs, you should adjust certain parts of your laptop setup to improve the ergonomics. This is often achievable with the help of computer-related accessories and peripherals.

For example, having a separate keyboard and mouse provides more space for your hands to work. These external devices may be better for you ergonomically than using the laptop's standard touchpad. The general idea is to invest in external tools that help your shoulders and arms to relax in the long term.

When buying laptop accessories, try choosing products with lots of physical customization available. The more choices you have, the more likely you can adapt the accessory to suit your ergonomic setup. For instance, the ROG Chakram Core is a gaming mouse with numerous design options, including magnetic buttons, detachable joystick, and adjustable weight. This lets you customize the mouse to find the most comfortable grip.

7. Stand Up & Decompress

Stretching is at the core of ergonomics, especially as it pertains to your laptop setup. Try to not go longer than one hour at the laptop without standing up and stretching your body. If you've been using the laptop for a while, the best way to stay ergonomically healthy is to unplug yourself away from the machine.

After you have finished work for the day, try to resist the urge to continue working in your downtime. Instead, step away from the laptop, do some stretches, and maybe even take a walk. Your body will benefit from this much needed period of rest away from the laptop.
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