I picked up the new 11-inch M4 iPad on my travels earlier this year and I adore it. Within a few weeks, I was being lambasted by Instagram ads for the KUXIU X36 Pro MAX desk stand for my iPad. I was looking into buying one when the folks over a Kuxiu got in touch and actually sent one over to me for testing.
Is around the €100 mark for an iPad stand a bit much? I’ve been using this for a few weeks now and I love it. I was going to buy it, and if I had to go back, I would buy it.
Why Do You Need an iPad Stand?
Need is a strong word. But I like my desk to be clean. Despite how it often looks, I do honestly like it being clean. My iPad Pro was going to be a core part of my set up, but positioning it perfectly in the folio case was next to impossible. It would be too low and blocked by a keyboard or just at an awkward angle.
Having an adjustable arm like the Kuxiu X36 means total flexibility. Even when using the Apple Pencil. I can just swing the arm over from the left side where I watch stuff to the right side for writing or drawing. It also has charging bits and pieces built in, but more on that later.
Ultimately, the main reason you should be considering buying this stand is for full flexible positioning for your iPad on your desk.
Key Features of the Kuxiu iPad Stand
Let’s get into the key design and features of this stand. The KUXIU magnetic stand’s smart dock charging feature is worth the admission fee alone.
Kuxiu’s system means when I get in in the evening, I can easily clip my iPad to the stand and then grab it to head out without worrying about complicated systems. It’s just magnetic. Quick and simple. Those three dots to the right are charging connectors on my specific model. This means I even get an iPad Pro that’s always charged and ready to go.
In the box came a really high quality braided cable which runs to the back of the stand. There are some extra clips for cable management to keep things neat and tidy.
Not having to worry about charging or complicated docking makes such a difference to my workflow. This might seem like overkill, but for me, workflows are so important. I like efficiencies and the Kuxiu stand nails that.
The only issue I’ve see is that sometimes the charge points don’t align perfectly. I need to nudge the iPad left on the stand to initiate charging. It’s a little annoying, but not a deal breaker. Another small annoyance is that sometimes the stand registers as a hardware keyboard, disabling the software keyboard on the iPad. This can be frustrating, especially if you rely on the on-screen keyboard for typing, but is also easily fixed.
Build Quality and Design
The Kuxiu magnetic stand is well-built and sturdy, with a weighty design that inspires confidence. The magnets are strong, ensuring that your iPad is securely held in place. The stand’s hinges, both for tilting and rotating, are stiff, which can make it difficult to adjust the stand with one hand. However, this stiffness also provides stability, preventing the stand from toppling over. It’s a double-edged sword.
Aside from that little nudge issue, this product is perfectly designed. It’s machined from really high quality materials and suits the aesthetic of any setup that contains an Apple product.
The design lets you fully flex and pivot your iPad from viewing positions into writing and drawing, while it remains very firm thanks to those hinges. The desk mount is solid and hasn’t given me any issues.
The arm which comes out of the desk mount doesn’t have as much range as I expected, but that does make sense given if the arm goes too low it’ll make the positioning less solid.
Goosed Verdict
The Kuxiu magnetic stand is a well-built product that offers convenient smart dock charging and a sturdy design. However, it’s not without its flaws, as I’ve mentioned. But none of these are deal-breakers. I find this to be an essential part of my setup now that I would really miss.
It’s available for a wide range of iPads and will also be reduced for Black Friday this year. You can buy it directly from Kuxiu or from Amazon.co.uk.
