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Mac Accessories |
Review: Macessity SlimKey V2 
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 2:36 PM EST
Macessity was kind enough to send us their new SlimKey V2 monitor stand to take a look at. It's an updated version of their popular SlimKey Stand, which they still make. Both of these monitor stands are designed specifically with the Mac user in mind. Not only are they aluminum-colored, but they also provide the perfect place to stow away your Apple aluminum keyboard. So how does the SlimKey V2 differ from the original? It offers a side USB 2.0 hub that allows you to connect more devices to your Mac. Now, who doesn't like that?
Our SlimKey V2 came packaged neatly in a white box from Macessity. Inside was the SlimKey V2 stand itself, a 30" long type A to mini-B USB cable for connecting the built-in USB hub to a computer, and a mini plug-type power adapter for powering the built-in USB hub. The power adapter itself is rated at 5V, 1A output.
The SlimKey V2 stand measures 18.5" wide x 9" deep x 1.1" high. That means the top is large enough to accommodate most monitors on the market these days. Of course, this includes the Apple Cinema Display and all-in-one iMac for which it was designed. The SlimKey V2 is sturdy as well. It's constructed out of a solid piece of 0.1085" thick steel. This allows the stand to support monitors weighing up to 35 pounds.
The SlimKey V2 also has a metal post welded to the bottom in the center. This gives the stand extra strength, and prevents the Apple aluminum keyboard from sliding too far back within the stand. But don't worry about the post scratching your beloved Apple keyboard or desk. It's completely covered with a little black rubber cover.
We also found the SlimKey V2's powered coated aluminum finish to match all of our Apple gear. This included the Apple aluminum keyboard, Cinema display, aluminum iMac, Mac mini and everything else in between. The stand also moved the Cinema display and iMac up to a slightly better ergonomic height without going overboard.
The SlimKey V2 won't move around on your desk either. It has 2" plastic pads on each side of the stand that prevent it from sliding. They should also protect the finish of your desk over the long term.
As mentioned before, the SlimKey V2 also features a 4-port powered USB 2.0 hub on the right side. We tested it out with an iPod touch, Nikon S550 digital camera, NewerTech miniStack v2, Apple Mighty Mouse, and Canon all-in-one printer. These devices were able to connect to our computer without issue.
It was also nice having the USB hub on the side. This allowed easy access to the ports, while keeping a good bit of the cable clutter out of sight.
Overall, we can recommend this product to our readers and give it a score of 4 out of 4 stars. The Macessity SlimKey V2 is probably the best looking monitor stand we've run across. Plus, it's functional and built like a rock. The SlimKey V2 is available now and priced at $64.99.
Pros:
 Sturdy steel design
Aluminum finish matches Apple gear
Provides place to stow away Apple aluminum keyboard
Allows users to recapture desktop space
Side 4-port USB 2.0 hub works great
USB hub uses a small plug-type power adapter
Cons:
A tad pricey
More Pictures:  Click to enlarge
 
 
 
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Accessories 
