Laptop Sleeve or Incase Hardshell Case? [Archive]

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AGIPSY

Jul 28, 2008, 02:44 PM

Hey guys-

I'm getting a new 15" MBP before i leave for college sometime in august, and i'm debating over whether i should get a laptop sleeve (don't know which one yet) or the incase hardshell case. I know sleeves only provide protection against scratches, and I've heard that the hardshell makes the laptop heavier (i'll be carrying around frequently i think) and restricts how much the screen can tilt back. Although, the hardshell case will protect it all of the time.

Knowing this, which type of case should I get?

xxMacAttackxx

Jul 28, 2008, 02:48 PM

I have both, and if you are only going to purchase one or the other, I would go sleeve..

nanvinnie

Jul 28, 2008, 02:50 PM

i have the black 15" inclase sleeve and it's fantastic.

AGIPSY

Jul 28, 2008, 02:53 PM

I have both, and if you are only going to purchase one or the other, I would go sleeve..

Will the MBP with the hardshell case fit into a sleeve?

AGIPSY

Jul 28, 2008, 02:54 PM

i have the black 15" inclase sleeve and it's fantastic.

The reviews of this sleeve on the apple site say that there's a lot of extra room. Do you find that to be a problem?

xxMacAttackxx

Jul 28, 2008, 02:59 PM

The reviews of this sleeve on the apple site say that there's a lot of extra room. Do you find that to be a problem?

Mine fits quite snugly, either they bought the 17" sleeve, or I just got lucky..

AGIPSY

Jul 28, 2008, 03:03 PM

Mine fits quite snugly, either they bought the 17" sleeve, or I just got lucky..

does it fit snugly because you have the hardshell case on it? or it fits snugly without it?

xxMacAttackxx

Jul 28, 2008, 03:05 PM

does it fit snugly because you have the hardshell case on it? or it fits snugly without it?

It fits great with out the hardshell.. I can provide an image once I get home from work if you'd like...

durant0s

Jul 28, 2008, 03:14 PM

http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/images/braincell/braincell3.jpg

Best laptop bag I've ever owned.

http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=001&Product_Code=TB0300

xxMacAttackxx

Jul 28, 2008, 03:19 PM

http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/images/braincell/braincell3.jpg

Best laptop bag I've ever owned.

http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=001&Product_Code=TB0300

Looks protective but ugly ...

AGIPSY

Jul 28, 2008, 03:21 PM

yeah not exactly what i'm looking for. i'm going to get a sleeve or the hardshell case.

durant0s

Jul 28, 2008, 03:23 PM

A sleeve does nothing for protection, A hardshell case will scratch the hell outta your MBP. Ugly sometimes means the best.

xxMacAttackxx

Jul 28, 2008, 03:26 PM

A sleeve does nothing for protection, A hardshell case will scratch the hell outta your MBP. Ugly sometimes means the best.

The incase hard shell has a rubberish coating on it and does not scratch, neither the sleeve or hard shell will protect if from drops though :eek:

Pickoff

Jul 28, 2008, 05:48 PM

I would get a sleeve and then stick the protected computer in your backpack.

alphaod

Jul 28, 2008, 06:29 PM

Get an invisibleSHIELD and a sleeve.

tecknical

Jul 28, 2008, 06:58 PM

Get an invisibleSHIELD and a sleeve.

is that invisible shield stuff worth it? it doesnt seem that it offers the same protection as a hardshell

TheCookie

Jul 28, 2008, 08:34 PM

I would get a sleeve and then stick the protected computer in your backpack.

Totally agree--especially if you get a backpack with a padded laptop pocket.

That's what I've done, and it works fantastic. I am totally secure in the fact that my laptop is protected from pretty much any damage that could occur.

Love the Incase Sleeve, which fits very snugly for me.

alphaod

Jul 28, 2008, 08:39 PM

is that invisible shield stuff worth it? it doesnt seem that it offers the same protection as a hardshell

If you have a hardshell and you drop your computer, what happens? It breaks.

So that advantage is gone; everything else from scratch protection to durability to excellent lifetime warranty makes invisibleSHIELD a winner; this is not to mention it's thing and doesn't affect the usage of the computer.

tecknical

Jul 28, 2008, 09:21 PM

If you have a hardshell and you drop your computer, what happens? It breaks.

So that advantage is gone; everything else from scratch protection to durability to excellent lifetime warranty makes invisibleSHIELD a winner; this is not to mention it's thing and doesn't affect the usage of the computer.

thats true, but i also like the texture feeling of that soft plastic instead of the glossy thing that the shield has

war eagle

Jul 29, 2008, 04:05 AM

If you have a hardshell and you drop your computer, what happens? It breaks.

So that advantage is gone; everything else from scratch protection to durability to excellent lifetime warranty makes invisibleSHIELD a winner; this is not to mention it's thing and doesn't affect the usage of the computer.

Since when has invisibleshield protected anything from drops? If you drop your MacBook with an invisible shield on it... it will probably break the same way it would without it. Just probably without scratches.

nanvinnie

Jul 29, 2008, 11:12 AM

The reviews of this sleeve on the apple site say that there's a lot of extra room. Do you find that to be a problem?

i have the 15" mbp and it fits perfectly. there's a little room for play, but not enough for it to be moving around in there.

divinemercy

Jul 29, 2008, 11:21 AM

I have to dissagree.

The hardshell, in my opinion, is obviously going to be better protection. As far as weight goes, that's kinda silly it is just plastic and doesn't add any real weight.

Now i have to say that i have the MB, not the MBP so maybe its different... But i also own the inCase backpack AND the inCase ipod touch holder. The fact of the matter is that these people are friggen amazing and my inCase MB hardshell is my favorite mac accessory ever.

Also, if your going to have it in your backpack, a hardshell is a great thing because it reduces the pressures put onto your computer because of being shoved in between books and your back (which has been known to ruin laptops).

Its your choice, but id say go with the hardshell from inCase (which doesnt scratch like SPECK and other brands).

Ryan

wake6830

Jul 29, 2008, 12:24 PM

The hardshell does not fit very well inside the sleeve. You can fit it in there, but it doesn't exactly slide in and out easily. I wouldn't use both for my daily trips back and forth to school, but I would consider it if I was packing the notebook for a longer and/or rougher trip.

I bought both for my wife's 15" MBP last week and while I love both (the black hardshell looks great!) they don't play together as well as I hoped they would.

AGIPSY

Jul 29, 2008, 12:27 PM

papa792

Jul 29, 2008, 12:38 PM

so if you chose one, which one would it be?

I would totally go with the Black incase hardshell. It protects it from scratches and looks great. I can not even tell that the case in on my mbp. It gives it more grip!

wake6830

Jul 29, 2008, 03:41 PM

so if you chose one, which one would it be?

It depends. I'm maybe a bit more concerned about scratches and stuff than the average person, and my wife is not always gentle with her computers, so I think I'm going to have her use the hardshell.

Also, she will be riding the metro to school with a backpack full of heavy books and crap. If she were driving to school and carrying a lighter load, I might lean more toward the sleeve.

AGIPSY

Jul 29, 2008, 04:04 PM

It depends. I'm maybe a bit more concerned about scratches and stuff than the average person, and my wife is not always gentle with her computers, so I think I'm going to have her use the hardshell.

Also, she will be riding the metro to school with a backpack full of heavy books and crap. If she were driving to school and carrying a lighter load, I might lean more toward the sleeve.

I think I'll just be carrying it from my dorm to the library and other places around campus, and then bringing it with me when i fly home.

II AndyG33 II

Jul 29, 2008, 04:52 PM

U really only need the hardshell if you're planning on dropping it! :0
which i doubt will happen

BlaqkAudio

Jul 29, 2008, 06:23 PM

U really only need the hardshell if you're planning on dropping it! :0
which i doubt will happen
The hardshell won't do anything for your MBP if you drop it; since it's a solid piece of plastic, it's not going to absorb any vibrations, unlike a padded sleeve.

AGIPSY

Jul 29, 2008, 11:35 PM

The hardshell won't do anything for your MBP if you drop it; since it's a solid piece of plastic, it's not going to absorb any vibrations, unlike a padded sleeve.

I know that neither one will provide much protection when dropped. I'm just trying to protect against scratches and minor dings with either of these two products. I just don't know which one yet! :confused:

Warbrain

Jul 29, 2008, 11:40 PM

Friend of mine bought the Incase hardcover for his MBP when he saw how nice it looked on my MB. He also keeps it in a sleeve for safekeeping.

AGIPSY

Jul 29, 2008, 11:46 PM

Friend of mine bought the Incase hardcover for his MBP when he saw how nice it looked on my MB. He also keeps it in a sleeve for safekeeping.

Do you find the restriction of the screen angle to be annoying? Also, what color do you have that looks so good?

Warbrain

Jul 30, 2008, 12:01 AM

Do you find the restriction of the screen angle to be annoying? Also, what color do you have that looks so good?

The restriction isn't a headache. And as the rubber wears down it's a non-issue...

I have the black Incase.

AGIPSY

Jul 31, 2008, 04:47 PM

do you guys leave it in the hardshell all the time, or just put it on when you're taking the mbp somewhere?

divinemercy

Jul 31, 2008, 04:49 PM

the hardshell is left on at all times...

That's kinda the point lol. Constant protection ^^

peapody

Aug 2, 2008, 07:37 PM

I'd say invisible skin or best skins ever to protect against scratches, and sleeve for the backpack. hardshell adds bulk and can potentially cause scratches with dust or removal. Depending on your sleeve (if you use a thicker one such as a tom binh) you may protect against light drops.

divinemercy

Aug 2, 2008, 07:59 PM

The amount of "bulk" added by the incase hardshell is negligible. And certainly worth the trade off.

The scratches you are refering too were primarily experienced by those purchasing the Apple-promoted SPECK cases. The InCase hardshells do NOT scratch.

Just look at the reviews, everyone loves these cases. And besides, for a backpack it is much easier. I hate having to take a laptop out of a bag, and then out of another bag. This makes the case integral and you never have to worry about it again...

rubberball

Aug 2, 2008, 08:07 PM

Get an invisibleSHIELD and a sleeve.

SPOT ON! Thats what I have for my MB, as others have said you might want to get the Incase hard shell and a sleeve.

I'd HIGHLY recommend the invisibleSHIELD wrist and trackpad covers regardless!

noodle654

Aug 2, 2008, 08:33 PM

Buy a sleeve...I got an Incase and a few other sleeves, much better than hard cases.

Coldwater

Aug 2, 2008, 10:10 PM

Exactly what type of Incase sleeve did you guys get? The Nylon or the Neoprene? I just bought a Wenger SwissGear Pegasus backpack (Best backpack in terms of durability and space, it's a monster that can hold 25 lbs of books and stuff and still have room for a 17" laptop) and I was thinking about getting the 15" Incase Neoprene Plus case so I could carry it around without the backpack if I don't need the books, and I was wondering if it really is worth $50.

Also, if you know anyplace cheaper to pick it up, please tell me.

peapody

Aug 2, 2008, 10:28 PM

... The scratches you are refering too were primarily experienced by those purchasing the Apple-promoted SPECK cases. The InCase hardshells do NOT scratch.

As quoted from another thread (the INCASE thread):

So I noticed that there was some cat hair beneath my case (that stuff gets everywhere). Being how I am, I wanted to get it out.... In the near hour long process it took me to get the top cover off, I inadvertently scratched my MBP. This thing is not going back on now.... It sure did look nice though.

Sure the case did not scratch the mbp itself, but a scratch is a scratch, and was the result of taking off the case. The Speck line is notorious for this same issue, so even though incase may not scratch in the same sense...still is not the end of all scratches unless you leave your mbp in there - with all the other possible dust, and hairs in there.

Just look at the reviews, everyone loves these cases. And besides, for a backpack it is much easier. I hate having to take a laptop out of a bag, and then out of another bag. This makes the case integral and you never have to worry about it again...

You would have to be smart about which sleeve to get. I like being able to choose my own backpack, and getting a vertical stm sleeve lets me just slip my mbp in and out of my backpack. Gives me a little more peace of mind if I drop my backpack down a little to harshly. Why spend ~$70+ on the incase, and then purchase another laptop backpack? The right sleeve can absorb a little more shock than a hardshell imo. To each his/her own though of course. The incase does look slick, but I think there are some limitations to it making a protection plan of a skin against scratches and a sleeve more preferable.

Henfu

Aug 2, 2008, 11:44 PM