For under $200 for the whole setup, you can get an excellent laptop stand that brings your screen up to eye level + a keyboard and trackpad. (for the stand, you can also just substitute in a stack of books). Good for your back/neck as well as a more flattering video call angle.
I personally use the Nexstand because it travels so well. As far as I can tell, it's just a cheaper (in all respects) version of the Roost. It has three height settings, but I usually use it extended to its full height. Note: the K2 (which seems like their most current adjustable edition) isnāt currently available on Amazon, but it shows up on their website (even at that higher price + shipping itās probably a better deal than the roost). Wirecutter recommends this as a replacement, but it seems sorta flimsy to me.
I pair it either with a budget Logitech keyboard (thereās now a slightly nicer one) which I like because it can switch between devices like an ipad or iphone for a super-lean setup, or a (more expensive) apple magic keyboard. And I either use an apple trackpad or I just bring my hand up to the laptop to move stuff around between typing.
Alternatively, you can use the built-in trackpad and keyboard on your laptop, and get a large external monitor as your primary screen (you can choose to continue using your laptop screen for a dual setup, or semi-close your laptop and just use the external monitor).
I think this is generally a better option than the laptop stand because the extra screen space is such an upgrade, but it's not as mobile if you're a traveller (even within your own house/office). For $140 you can get a (smallish) 24in monitor ā (the best 27" or fancy 4k models are typically $350+). You may still want to put your laptop on a stack of books for video calls unless you get an external USB camera. Another benefit of this setup is that you can plug a roku into an external monitor and you instantly have another TV (though you will probably need a speaker unless you listen through your phone+headphones).
Update: a friend bought me an apple monitor and I love it (Iām not linking it just because I donāt want to find out the price and accidentally shift the value of the gift to a monetary thing). Itās beautiful and I donāt mind having it on the table in the living room fulltime just up on a couple books (thereās also a fancy adjustable stand now that has the advantage of lowering the monitorās profile when not in use, sort of like the old iMacs before they went to the integrated flat models). Unlike traditional monitors, it comes with a set of features that I didnāt even know about: it is basically outfitted with what youād need for video calls: speaker, mic, and camera that zooms in and out and tracks you as you move around. Magical. It also charges my macbook when itās connected, so I can keep things cleaner and store my actual charger at my desk or in my backpack instead. (Seems like it canāt be used as a TV with a Roku stick, but with airplay, thatās not a huge deal.)
Bonus: It seems like everything having to do with home office equipment is at a premium due to the pandemic, but I also really love having a monitor arm to adjust my monitor (even allowing it to rotate 90degrees from landscape to portrait) and take up less space on my desk.
Note on laptop stands: the ones that are in a fixed position really look like they wouldn't be able to get a sharp enough angle + lift to get your screen as high as it's supposed to be. That seems crazy, since that's literally their purpose, but I still raise an eyebrow when I see the highly rated options out there... (my best guess is that theyāre highly rated because people love having their laptop up higher and they arenāt looking a gift-horse in the mouth).
The good news is that there's been a surge in innovation in this area and I expect there to be a lot of adjustable ones worth checking out. I haven't browsed around much, but this one is the kind of thing I'd try, if I didn't need something to travel with.
Update: wirecutter now recommends this one for being sturdy enough and tall enough that you could use it while standing!
(Seems too heavy to travel with and at my home base I have a wholeSit-stand desk that extends plenty high, but if I didnāt, Iād look into it.)
See also:Stretches for back and neck de-compression .