Laptop computer cases come in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps my favorite is the computer briefcase. I looked far and wide to find a case that was lightweight and strong for my computer. I found a molded resin case that weighed under two pounds. It was great because it held my laptop, power supply and other stuff and was under ten pounds. Believe me, if you commute to work like I used to, ten pounds is the absolute maximum that your wrist can comfortably support. As I said before, I used to commute to work. It was a two hour grind each way and I had plenty of down time. When I wasn’t sleeping on the train, the briefcase served double duty as a table for my notebook or very often a table for the breakfast that I bought at the station coffee shop. Yes, a briefcase can be a commuter’s best friend. If you are simply buying a case to store the computer in your house, you will have different requirements.
Manufacturers make laptop computer cases in all different shapes and sizes. For those of us who need to carry lots of things when traveling, a case with wheels may be appropriate. Wheeled cases are a super convenience because your arms are not constantly carrying the brunt of the weight. If you have a heavy briefcase your fingers will tire quickly and your shoulders will start to hurt. You will look for places to constantly put that case down as often as you can. Having wheels on the case will help tremendously. You can thank me later for this piece of advice. My case was so heavy I developed the strongest fingers on the planet carrying it around.
The weight of the computer also plays a role in all of this. Large multimedia notebooks can weigh almost ten pounds or more with their accessories. Add the weight of the bag to the equation and you might be in trouble. Even though it does not sound like much, nobody wants to carry around fifteen pounds of computer and bag all day. Trust me, your shoulders and neck will not like you very much if you go this route. Of all the things to consider when looking at laptop computer cases, weight for me will always top the list. If I can’t carry it, the case is useless to me no matter how nice it looks or how well it protects my laptop.