Review: Twelve South HiRise Pro – The Ultimate Desk Accessory

How many of us make the promise to be more organized each year? If you’re like most people, you have a bunch of wires and gadgets scattered around your workspace. The purpose of a desk area is to make you more productive, but with so much clutter, it only succeeds in distracting you.

Enter the Twelve South HiRise Pro, one of the best desk accessories for the iMac. Gone are the days of trying to raise your iMac with a stack of books. The HiRise Pro was made for this job. It’s the sleeker, more elegant way of lifting your iMac and giving it the spotlight that it deserves.

The HiRise Pro instantly makes any desk look more put together and professional. But this steel computer stand isn’t all looks — the HiRise Pro doesn’t disappoint when it comes to function, as well.

First Impressions

The HiRise Pro comes in a sleek box and detailed instructions on how to assemble it. Inside are five pieces of high-quality steel, each with slots and grooves that make it easy to fit them together. No screwdrivers or other tools are required to put all of the pieces together.

The shelf inside of the base can be adjusted to position your monitor at a comfortable eye level. The rest of the base can be used as storage for various things like cables and pens. Although we liked how it matched the colour of the iMac, we also thought that the HiRise Pro looked too boxy for our liking.

The HiRise Pro is compatible with all current iMacs and high-end 4K/5K displays with a base width of 9.25 inches and less.

Function

The HiRise Pro is designed to lift your iMac to four heights of your choice. We found that the most ergonomic height was the second slot from the top. At that position, your eyes can be aligned at the top inch of the display. This reduces neck strain especially if you’re going to be using the iMac for hours. The minor height adjustment made a huge difference and was a significant improvement over the iMac’s standard height.

The top of the HiRise Pro, which sits right underneath the bottom edge of the iMac, features padded leather that can comfortably hold any of your devices and other trinkets. It is wide enough to fit an iPhone X and showcases an embossed Twelve South logo front and centre.

The front of the base is covered by a grille. The vented grille not only secures whatever you throw inside of the compartment, but it also ensures that your iMac gets ample air circulation. Take it off, and you’ll find the shelf where your iMac sits. The inside acts as a compartment for storing anything you might need while working, like paper clips, flash drives, AirPods, and notepads. We found it inconvenient to have to keep opening the grille, so we decided to leave it open. The absence of the grille didn’t take away any aesthetic appeal. The HiRise Pro still managed to mirror Apple’s sleek and minimalist branding.

We filled our compartment with dongles, cables, and other bits and bobs. What the HiRise Pro really does is keep your essentials at arm’s reach while keeping them out of sight. Whether you need to quickly clean up before your date comes over, or just need more space on your desk for another cup of coffee, the HiRise Pro does make a difference. It frees up space and gives you a desk that’s more conducive for working.

The backplate features a groove that’s cut out at the bottom. This is useful for feeding your cables through so that everything is tucked nicely into the back of the iMac. You can keep all of your computer cables and chargers organised, avoiding the tangled mess that all of us hate.

Design

The design of the HiRise Pro doesn’t stray too far away from Apple’s signature look and feel. Its vented front panel, or grilles, is two-sided. One side is gunmetal, which matches the rest of the HiRise Pro’s body, while the other has a luxurious faux wood inlay. The grille uses tiny magnets for easy removal so that you can quickly switch between both designs. This little detail can help you achieve your ultimate desk goals.

Though the HiRise Pro does serve its purpose of hiding your clutter, it does look boxy. Slide your iMac in and it will look like an entirely new desktop device. The good thing is that Twelve South did a fantastic job of matching the HiRise Pro’s body with the iMac’s exact color, so it still feels like you’re using one Apple product.

Is the HiRise Pro worth it?

Several companies have made similar storage solutions, but none of them can live up to the aesthetic and functional quality of the Twelve South HiRise Pro. It keeps your iMac and desk looking their best.

While there are cheaper computer stands that also have storage, we think that its steep price of US$169.99 is worth it, especially for those who want a premium-looking stand to match their tech. We’ve used boxes and books to elevate our computers at work, and trust us when we say that the HiRise Pro is a nice improvement. We even noticed a positive change in mood after installing them.

Is the HiRise Pro expensive? Yes, but if you’re looking to declutter your workspace and improve efficiency whenever you’re working on your iMac, the HiRise Pro is a solid accessory.

Conclusion

The Twelve South HiRise Pro does an excellent job of cleaning your desk, clearing it of wires, and other clutter while elevating your iMac at a comfortable and ergonomic height. It serves its purpose while looking impressively sleek and modern. Essentially, what it is is a garage for your desktop thingamabobs.

Our only problem was its boxiness, but other than that, the HiRise Pro is a solid contender among other desktop stands. Its strengths undoubtedly outweigh this minor flaw. Albeit expensive, it’s a price worth paying because it promotes comfort by reducing neck strain, and improves overall desk appeal.

The Twelve South HiRise Pro is priced at US$169.99 and can be purchased directly from Twelve South as well as on Amazon.