We recently received Thought Out’s Simplex Tablet iPad Stand ($30), which is as simple as its name suggests. Simplex is a $30 steel stand with an “oven baked finish” coating. The stand comes with vinyl holding pads already attached — to prevent an iPad from rubbing on the steel — as well as four feet to protect the stand from scratching any surface. Simplex should be able to hold any iPad, and the stand also includes gaps for cable management, which makes it easier to charge an iPad while viewing in either portrait or landscape mode.

Simplex Tablet iPad Stand weighs a bit more than a pound, and though that’s not very heavy, the stand proved very sturdy in our testing. It held a cased 12.9” iPad Pro without issue, and swiping across the screen didn’t cause it to budge. The stand itself is about 7.2” x 5” x 5.5”, and it holds an iPad at a 55-degree angle. Thought Out refers to the design and shape as “artistic,” but we’ll let you be the judge of that.
Though it sounds like a drug you’d ask your doctor about, Simplex is an effective, sturdy — and yes, simple — iPad stand. Its steel design ensures it’ll last, and it reminds us of Heckler Design’s @Rest, another affordable steel stand we liked quite a bit. Simplex comes highly recommended.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Thought Out
Model: Simplex Tablet iPad Stand
MSRP: $30
Compatibility: All iPads