Notebook case recommendations?

[bigkingfun]

I'm getting a new Sony notebook in the next few days and I'm looking for a good case for it. Are there any companies like Vaja or Sena that make fitted cases for notebooks? I'm getting the Vaio VGNS150 which is a fairly small machine and I want to get a case that provides protection but adds as little bulk to the machine as possible.

I've looked at Targus, Kensington, etc. but I can't seem to find any higher-end custom cases.

[Jereboam]

I really like Crumpler (http://www.crumplerusa.com/) bags for between home and office (short trips) and Techair (http://www.consumables.co.uk/techair_tecair.php?osCsid=00a3552a118dbd623d76d78ec766a8a0) or Airbag (http://www.consumables.co.uk/techair_airbag.php) (same maker) for trips abroad...for the extra protection and for swallowing all my bits and gadgets. I have a back-pack style Airbag which has been lugged around the world on planes and road trips stuffed to the gills and it's like new. It has some neat features like a top pocket with a rubber slot for headphones...many an hour spent with my iPod safely in the top pocket with the 'phones unobtrusively running out the top.

I've had a few laptop bags in my time and these are the most solidly made I have found so far.

Of course if you are feeling rich today you could go for Tumi (http://www.tumi.com/), which are made from ballistic nylon and could be said to be the ultimate in bags.

J'bm

[Nikhil]

I bought the S150 about 2 weeks ago and I am absolutely loving it...it's the 5th notebook I've had in the last two years and it is by far the best.

As far as cases, for a small case that can hold the laptop and some other smaller items, check out the Mamba.XS from BooqBags.com. The laptop compartment is very padded and there is an extra pocket for other stuff (I can fit 1 textbook), plus a smaller pocket for accessories. It can be worn as a messenger bag or as a backpack. BooqBags' other bags are all excellent options as well.

The Mamba.XS specs are for a 12" screen but the 13.3" S150 fits fine, even with the extended battery (which is a waste of money since it extends battery life by an hour...with the standard, I get 3 1/2 hrs of DVD playback with WiFi on, or about 5 hours of regular use over WiFi with the backlight at 5/8).

[foldedspace]

http://www.extreme-limit.co.jp/english/

Just about as minimalistic as possible.

[JustinGTP]

http://www.extreme-limit.co.jp/english/

Just about as minimalistic as possible.


Minimalistic case; Extravagant Price.

[foldedspace]

Yup....but it sure is purty...

[Janak Parekh]

Another brand to look at is Tom Bihn (www.tombihn.com). They have a wide variety of bags. Interestingly, a number of them are just padded "envelopes" (soft or hard) that allow you to safely carry your laptop in another bag. I got one for my Portege 3505 (the Mitre) and am very happy -- it's well-padded yet lightweight -- and it fits in my backpack perfectly.

--janak

[Jereboam]

I always carry my laptop in a foam sleeve, made from so called "impact foam" that deforms and soaks up knocks without transferring the energy to whatever is inside. The sleeve then goes in whichever bag I am using at the time.

J'bm

[ctmagnus]

I use a MEC Gigabyte (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442545303&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302699713&bmUID=1127013931268) (this thing holds a ton of stuff!). The only problem is that my tablet is bigger than the notebook holder in this pack so I'm currently looking for a solution similar to Jereboam's.

Update: I just wasn't satisfied with the level of protection that the Gigabyte offered, so I returned it. I now have a Targus backpack that holds the Tablet and literally all the accessories I have for it nicely, that I intend to use on long trips, and I have an older Timbuk2 Commute for lighter-weight days.