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Best protective devices?

T

TaylorY

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2011
14
0
South Dakota, US
Hi! I'm new here and actually created an account because pretty much every Google search about Mac products leads me here.

Anyways, I just got my brand spankin' new 13" Pro a few days ago, and I'm intent on making it last through college (the next four years) and still being able to resell it at a decent price. So I've been running around Google and Youtube looking up reviews for almost every product available to keep your laptop looking pristine. I've already ordered a Speck See Thru Satin in purple :), but I'm still looking for a keyboard protector and palm/trackpad guard. Here's what my thought process is at this point:

Keyboard Protectors:

The Moshi clear guard seems to be the most popular, but I did find a Rearth Verco protector that has some cool features that keep the keyboard feeling normal (http://www.amazon.com/Rearth-Keyboa...L04C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312152043&sr=8-1). It seems relatively new but promising AND it's half the price of the Moshi- if anyone's tried it let me know what you think.

I guess the most important quality in a key guard for me is that it is as discreet as possible. I really would prefer not to have one at all just because I love the black keyboard and backlighting, but I'd rather have something to protect against careless spills and worn, glossy keys at school.

Palm/Trackpad Guards:

Again, I've read a lot of good stuff on Moshi's products, but I really haven't been impressed with what I've seen. they seem weird and slippery. I really would prefer to get a full body protector like the ones from Wrapsol and Zagg, since I've read a few horror stories about dust getting under the Specks. I have a Zagg on my phone and love it (especially being able to replace it fo free when it gets nasty looking), but I'm not a fan of a glossy plastic-y looking Pro. Wrapsol seems to maintain the matte aluminum finish best from what I've read, but they're kind of spendy. I guess I was wondering if anyone could give me a full Wrapsol v. Zagg v. BestSkinsEver v. Moshi v. etc. comparison/recommendation. On my old white '07-ish Macbook the palm rest got pretty glossy and worn, and I'd like to keep it from getting that way.

As far as trackpad protection I would mostly like to maintain sensitivity. On my phone I actually kind of like the small amount of drag the Zagg creates. The Pro trackpad is actually a little bit slippery for my taste, so I'm not opposed to a little more traction.

Sorry this is REALLY long, but I appreciate the help and if anyone has pictures of any of these products a link would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
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Truthfully, they all make the machine look worse. Plus, with all the protectors the case feels squishy, looks dirty, and the trackpad won't be as sensitive. It's made from a slab of aluminum, so just use it as is, don't abuse it, and clean it once in a while. You'll enjoy it much more that way (and your resale value on a 4 yr old machine won't change, provided it's not actually damaged)
 
moshi keyboard cover

u dont need a palmguard or trackgaurd its a waste

incase neoprene sleeve plus is a must
 
I have an iSkinz keyboard protector and it sucks. It was OK for a while, but it is starting to wear out. It's only a few months old!

I might get one of those Rearth ones. That looks promising. I'd rather go without, but realize that's not really a possibility if I want to keep the screen somewhat clear, and prevent small splatters from falling into the void.
 
All you need is a sleeve. None of that protector stuff is necessary, but you might want a palm rest cover or a keyboard cover if you sweat a lot. Just polish your palm rest every day with some water or something, and you'll be set.
 
congratulations on your purchase!

i have a speck-like case. i highly recommend using the case at all times, as the computer is at its most vulnerable when it is out of the sleeve and actually being used. my clear case has saved me from at least one nasty incident. no matter how careful you are, there are other people in the world who use their butts to knock into computers, swing their umbrellas to hit lids, let their kids run rampant, and do other computer unfriendly activities.

there is a tradeoff, though. in normal use it doesn't result in any particular heat increases, but if you push the processor for long periods of time (gaming) it does seem to heat up a bit more than it would without the case.

also, you'll have to clean it frequently to get rid of dust and skin particles. unfortunately, despite my best efforts, i do have minor abrasion marks from points where the case meets the computer. i prefer these over dings and dents (or worse) myself, but it is something to think about. the issue seems to be fairly widespread.

i would also recommend a protective sleeve (not a neoprene one) and a backpack to carry it. mine has done a huge amount of traveling in the last few months with no issues so far thanks in part to these measures.

oh yeah, i also suggest you never eat or drink near it. yeah. i know that is inconvenient. but, if you look around on the forums you will see plenty of spill stories. unless you have special coverage (insurance or best buy) you'll likely lose the computer and a spill will also void your warranty.
 
The keys usually become glossy over time (from use), so if thats an issue for you, get the Moshi Clearguard. I love mine, can hardly feel its there.

The palmrest cover by Moshi is pretty much a given for me. Wear happens on macs, especially with heavy use, and $30 feels a lot more worth it to me than replacing the whole casing if you want to resell or are generally bothered by it. You can hardly feel its there.

It comes down to if you can deal with shiny keys and potential palmrest wear vs. if you can afford to spend around $65 and don't mind having the covers on.
 
Prodo123 said:
All you need is a sleeve. None of that protector stuff is necessary, but you might want a palm rest cover or a keyboard cover if you sweat a lot. Just polish your palm rest every day with some water or something, and you'll be set.
Click to expand...

+1


totally agree. I try to keep my hands clean. Occasionally I will transfer a smudge of chocolate on the palm rest. lol Then I just wipe it with my iKlear cloth. When traveling I use my Tucano sleeve to keep it from hitting anything inside my Timbuk2 messenger bag.

The old Macbook are easily clean. If you use a Magic Eraser, that would easily clean your Macbook. Bringing it back to new.
 
Wow! Thanks for the speedy and thorough responses everyone. I should have noted: I already have a sleeve. It was kind of a given due to the fact that my backpack tends to be an abyss of things I do not want in, on, or around my $1200 piece of tech.

I'll take a risk on the Rearth protector and keep it on hand for school to help quiet the keyboard during class (I'm a very noisy typist) and have if there are ever liquid-consuming people in the general vicinity of my laptop. If anyone's interested in a review, I'll post one after I've had it for a while. It's cheap enough that I can justify not using it all the time and if it gets gunked up beyond repair I can replace it. The purpose of a speck case was just an extra layer of protection to help absorb any blow/drop/nuclear attack that might create a dent. Plus I thought the purple was kind of cute :). I'm still on the fence about a palm/trackpad protector. I'll see how protected I feel after the Speck and key guard get here. But I've never thought about using a Magic Eraser- thanks for the tip!!

Thank you all for the responses!
 
Get a hard case, everyone on MR seems to love sleeves but keep in mind they only protect your MBP from damage while NOT IN USE. If you have ever dropped a laptop, or ever accidentally nudged it off a desk or anything to the tune of those things just said than I'd recommend a hard case first and sleeve second.

Even if you are very careful with your electronics it doesn't mean someone else might damage it while you have it open and in use.

And for the love of God, get a keyboard protector. The thousands of people who didn't buy one and spilled liquid in their keyboard now wish they would have made the small investment!
 
ThirtyThr33 said:
Get a hard case, everyone on MR seems to love sleeves but keep in mind they only protect your MBP from damage while NOT IN USE. If you have ever dropped a laptop, or ever accidentally nudged it off a desk or anything to the tune of those things just said than I'd recommend a hard case first and sleeve second.

Even if you are very careful with your electronics it doesn't mean someone else might damage it while you have it open and in use.

And for the love of God, get a keyboard protector. The thousands of people who didn't buy one and spilled liquid in their keyboard now wish they would have made the small investment!
Click to expand...

if you read the first post, they already have a shell case... xD
 
ThirtyThr33 said:
Get a hard case, everyone on MR seems to love sleeves but keep in mind they only protect your MBP from damage while NOT IN USE. If you have ever dropped a laptop, or ever accidentally nudged it off a desk or anything to the tune of those things just said than I'd recommend a hard case first and sleeve second.

Even if you are very careful with your electronics it doesn't mean someone else might damage it while you have it open and in use.
Click to expand...

You have obviously never taken off hardshell cases before.
It causes more damage than good. It scratches the computer and is extremely hard to take off. Trying to dust your computer? Good luck with that. Also makes your computer look cheap and childish.
 
No hard case on the market is going to save your MBP from a fall from a desk. You cannot cheat physics.
 
getz76 said:
No hard case on the market is going to save your MBP from a fall from a desk. You cannot cheat physics.
Click to expand...

Well it certainly is better than nothing no?

And also the hard cases and the ability to remove them all depend on what brand you got, when you got it, and the model of your laptop
 
It will dent or mark quite easily, i dont find the aluminum to be that durable at all but it does look nice.

I have a pretty bad dent on the bottom removable plate, one of the front edges/corners it slightly bruised, on the top case where the apple logo sits i have a brushed mark that cant be removed.

A nice neoprene case/sleeve or a leather one will protect it quite i bit, the keys will get worn over time you can get a cover but i personally dont like to over protect the machine it was designed to be used like this.
 
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