Smartphones have changed the way we think about entertainment. Watching a movie or TV show used to be something you did in one place. You sat down in front of your TV and watched your favorite series. Nowadays, entertainment is something you can take with you. You can stream your favorite shows while you’re sitting in the airport or riding on a train.
But phones aren’t primarily designed as monitors. They’re designed to be held in your hand. This can get awkward if you’re trying to watch a full-length movie. It’s also problematic if you’re trying to watch something while you cook or fold laundry. In all these types of scenarios, a smartphone stand can be a big help.
Today, we’re going to review four of the best gooseneck tablet and smartphone stands on today’s market. But which one is the best choice for you? Let’s dig a little deeper into each option, and see how they compare.
Primens Gooseneck Phone Holder Mount
Key features:
- Supports 3.5 to 7-inch devices.
- 33-inch total length.
- Mounts on up to a 2.3-inch surface.
The Primens Gooseneck Phone Holder Mount is a long, 33-inch gooseneck that’s made from aluminum alloy. It feels fairly stiff, which is actually a good thing. You want a gooseneck to be reasonably stiff so it won’t sag under the weight of your phone. At this length, it’s long enough to hold your phone at a considerable height. But most people will get better results by making a couple of loops in it instead. This provides more strength, and holds your phone in place more reliably.
This mount is available in three colors: black, pink, or white. No matter what your tastes, you can find an option that fits them. Our one concern was the base clamp, which is made of plastic. Compared to the gooseneck, it feels a bit flimsy, and we’d be careful about putting it under too much stress. That said, it’s well-padded, so it won’t scratch your mounting surface. The jaws will open to accommodate up to a 2.3-inch table, desk or countertop. This is sufficient for most, if not all mounting surfaces.
What makes the Primens mount so special is the phone clamp. It’s made from black plastic, and opens like a big jaw. Both ends are silicone-padded, with a silicone strap between them. This strap acts as a spring that works to pull the jaws shut. When stretched out, it also protects the back of your phone. In total, the clamp can be stretched to fit a 3.5- to 7-inch device. It can also rotate 360 degrees to hold your phone at any angle.
Overall, this is a very high quality option that comes in at an affordable price-point. Although it’s not for tablets, it’s one of the best choices for smartphone users.
What we liked:
- Well-designed phone clamp with silicone padding.
- Long, 33-inch gooseneck.
- Supports heavier phones with ease.
- Available in three colors.
What we didn’t like:
- Not suitable for tablets.
- Plastic clamp feels a bit flimsy.
Macally Gooseneck Tablet Holder & Phone Clip
Key features:
- Supports 4 to 8-inch devices.
- 11-inch total length.
- Mounts on up to a 1.75-inch surface.
Macally is a well-known manufacturer of smartphone and laptop accessories. Not too long ago, we reviewed their vertical aluminum laptop stand. It’s a great space-saving solution, so we were eager to see what they offer where smartphones and tablets are concerned.
The Macally Gooseneck Tablet Holder & Phone Clip is a compact holder that’s designed for travel. At only 11 inches long, the steel gooseneck is more like a rod. But it still has a little flex in it so you can angle your screen. At the same time, because it’s made of steel, it’s just about indestructible. You can order it in black or white to suit your own tastes.
At the bottom of the gooseneck is a padded alligator clamp. It’s made of plastic, but the plastic seems to be reasonably durable. We didn’t have any worries about it snapping. That said, the jaws only open to 1.75 inches wide. If you’re trying to clamp to a thicker surface, you won’t be able to make it fit.
The phone clamp at the other end is also made of plastic. It’s a simple spring-loaded bracket with rubber bumpers inside to protect your phone. It can fit a 4- to 8-inch phone, and locks in place when you shut it. To release your phone, just press the release button on the back.
Macally backs their phone stand with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. They also offer a 30-day no-questions-asked return window. If you decide you don’t like it, you can just send it back.
What we liked:
- Super sturdy steel gooseneck.
- Secure, well-padded phone clamp.
- Simple alligator clip mount.
- Great for travel.
What we didn’t like:
- Short gooseneck length.
- Can’t mount to fatter surfaces.
Tryone Gooseneck Tablet Holder
Key features:
- Supports 4.7 to 10.5-inch devices.
- 27.5-inch total length.
- Mounts on up to a 3-inch surface.
The Tryone Gooseneck Tablet Holder has a more moderate length, at 27.5 inches. It’s available in black or white, and the gooseneck is manufactured from an aluminum-magnesium alloy. This alloy is incredibly tough and durable, and is capable of taking a serious beating. Despite its durability, it’s also surprisingly flexible. This makes it easy to maneuver into any position you want. To get the best possible support, twist the gooseneck into a ring or loop.
The phone mount itself is also easy to maneuver, and can rotate 360 degrees on its base. It’s made from a durable black plastic with soft composite padding on the inside. The clamps are skeletonized, which allows charging cables to easily pass through. That’s great news if you want to leave your phone on the charger while you’re using it. In total, the frame can accommodate phones ranging from 4.7 to 10.5 inches in size. That’s not just big enough for your smartphone. It’s accommodating enough for small tablets, and even for a Nintendo Switch.
The bottom clamp is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s very wide, and can open up to three inches. That’s more than enough for almost any mounting surface. It’s also well-padded so it won’t scratch your table or counter. Then again, it’s made of lightweight plastic, and could easily break if it were overtightened.
What we liked:
- Tough magnesium-aluminum gooseneck.
- Large enough for smaller tablets.
- Full access to charging ports.
- Clamps onto thick surfaces.
What we didn’t like:
- Plastic base.
- Stiff arm can be tough to position.
JOYROOM 360° Adjustable Gooseneck Phone & Tablet Holder
Key features:
- Supports 4.7 to 12.9-inch devices.
- 33-inch total length.
- Mounts on up to a 3-inch surface.
JOYROOM is famous for their high-quality smartphone and tablet accessories. We recently reviewed their 72W Super Fast Car Charger, and it impressed us with its performance. So it made sense to give their gooseneck stand a look.
The JOYROOM 360° Adjustable Gooseneck Phone & Tablet Holder has a hybrid design. The bottom portion of the stand is a 16-inch aluminum rod. It sticks straight up, but it can rotate 360 degrees to face any direction. At the top is a hinge, which attaches to a second aluminum rod with a gooseneck on the end. The total length is 33 inches, assuming the gooseneck is held straight. Not only can you adjust the gooseneck, but the hinge is also adjustable. It has stops every 45 degrees at 45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees.
The base clamp is plastic, which is always a little concerning. But it’s also nice and wide, and can open to as wide as three inches. It’s also easy to adjust, with a collar on top that you twist to tighten and loosen it.
The phone bracket is exceptionally large. It can support phones from 4.7 to 12.9 inches in size, with a weight of up to four pounds. Even a mid-sized tablet will fit just fine. The bracket is spring-loaded, with plenty of padding on the inside. The only downside is that it will block smartphone charging ports.
What we liked:
- Large enough for mid-sized tablets.
- Can mount to thick surfaces.
- Extremely versatile.
- Supports up to 4 pounds.
What we didn’t like:
- A lot of plastic components.
- Will block ports on smartphones.
Final Verdict
These are all well-engineered gooseneck phone and tablet stands. But which one is the best fit for you? Here’s what we’ve learned about each one, starting with the Primens Gooseneck Phone Holder Mount. The Primens mount is fairly long, which makes it more versatile. You can stretch it out for a tall mount, or coil it for a shorter, more secure mount. We weren’t as enamored of the base clamp, but the phone clamp is very well-designed. The silicone spring is a unique innovation, and it’s a great choice as long as you don’t need to hold a tablet.
Next on our list was the Macally Gooseneck Tablet Holder & Phone Clip. This is a more compact gooseneck that measures only 11 inches long. As a result, it’s not quite as versatile as the others. But the mounting clamp is well-designed, and the phone clip has a secure locking system. And at such a small size, it’s a great travel stand.
After that, we reviewed the Tryone Gooseneck Tablet Holder. This 27.5-inch gooseneck sits in the Goldilocks zone – not too long, not too short. We had some minor concerns about the base. But the gooseneck itself is as tough as they come. It also doesn’t hurt that the large clamp supports both tablets and charging while in use.
Last but not least, we looked at the JOYROOM 360° Adjustable Gooseneck Phone & Tablet Holder. This is the biggest of the bunch, both in terms of size and in terms of capacity. It’s probably a bit bulky for most applications. But if you need a stand with lot of reach or you need to hold a mid-sized tablet, it’s a great choice.
It should be mentioned that the ad on Amazon says the tablet case should be removed to use the FutesJ stand is used. That’s a big nope for me. Sounds like a PITA for my tablet, which is slippery as a fish without its case. Too bad, as the other features look very handy.
Thanks for fine Reviews. Will be a great use for my music students.
I make videos for my youtube cooking channel using a couple of phones. I bought a couple of gooseneck clamps similar to these, with a long gooseneck. II thought the long gooseneck would make positioning the phones for filming. The unexpected and major downside is that when the neck is extended, its springy stiffness means that the phone will oscillate for quite a long time (minutes) if they’re disturbed e.g. when the phone need to be repositioned or when starting the the video.