Since the laptop is a valuable object, it is only natural to want to protect it properly, especially when transporting it. Fortunately, there are solutions specifically designed for this use, in particular backpacks. But the selection criteria are more numerous than it seems; and between size, protection, comfort and storage space, you have to find the right combination of features to find the right model!
First of all, you have to choose a bag adapted to the size of the computer, the format of which can vary from 12 to 18 inches – a designation linked to the diagonal of the screen. Despite the indications of merchants and manufacturers, it is better to check that the compartment intended for the computer is well adapted to the dimensions of the PC, to the nearest centimeter. In addition, you have to make sure you can also carry various accessories: AC adapter, mouse, external hard drive, backup battery, cables, USB hub, even tablet, walkman, smartphone and headphones. So many elements that must find their place, while possibly leaving a little space for a book, files or possibly clothes.
This last point is very important for those who travel and who wish to carry many objects in the same luggage, without having to carry a backpack in addition to a suitcase, for example. The same goes for athletes, high school and college students, who want an “all-in-one” bag. For these uses, it is therefore advisable to carefully check the total capacity of a bag, all compartments combined.
Always on the practical register, convenience is essential in everyday life. In addition to the volume, the number and format of the various compartments and pockets is important, whether for storing cables and accessories, documents, clothes or shoes, a bottle of water, etc. In some cases, it can also be useful to have special holes to pass a cable – for headphones or a battery, for example. Ditto for the small additional pockets to carry keys, a wallet or tickets, for example.
This aspect is closely linked to security. Because, besides the laptop, the bag can contain other valuables. The ideal is to have locks and an opening that is difficult to access when the bag is carried on the back, to avoid theft during a trip. Some models even have one or more secret pockets at the level of the back so that personal effects (identity documents, money, bank cards, keys, etc.) are well protected. It goes without saying that the compartments for computers and tablets must be padded to properly protect the devices from shocks during transport. And Velcro strips are welcome, to keep the devices in place during transport.
Comfort is obviously not to be neglected, a laptop backpack can quickly become heavy once filled, especially when carrying accessories. It is preferable to have fairly wide straps, padded with foam to relieve the shoulders, with, if possible, a chest strap to improve support. Ditto, the back part must be padded and, ideally, reinforced, for better comfort.
The question of solidity is just as important: it depends on the materials used, but also on the quality of manufacture, for the seams as for the closures. It would be a shame to see a suspender let go… All these points can only be checked visually, in situation. The nature of the material used is also crucial, whether for solidity or impermeability, synthetic materials (polyester, nylon and others) generally being more efficient than natural ones (leather, fabric).
There remains, of course, the question of price. And in this regard, the range is wide since there are very correct models for around twenty euros, while the most luxurious sometimes exceed a hundred euros. As for the design, it is, as always, a matter of taste…