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I want to protect my Macbook Pro. Help?

C

claudiamarie89

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 26, 2013
3
0
Hello! I purchased a new Macbook Pro 13" and want to keep it in good condition for as long as I can. I see a lot of things for sale online like screen protectors, keyboard protectors, palm rest protectors, snap on shells... Some of them seem super pricey and some prices seem too good to be true.

So basically... What are some protective extras I can purchase that are good quality and won't break the bank? And which do you personally think are actually necessary to buy?

Thanks!

Claudia
 
I've never used a shell, keyboard protector, or screen protector for any of my laptops. I've owned Apple laptops since the G4 PowerBook days and in all cases when I went to sell them, they've been in pristine condition.

My point, if you use common sense and be careful with the laptop you really don't need those products.
 
maflynn said:
I've never used a shell, keyboard protector, or screen protector for any of my laptops. I've owned Apple laptops since the G4 PowerBook days and in all cases when I went to sell them, they've been in pristine condition.

My point, if you use common sense and be careful with the laptop you really don't need those products.
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Hi, Thanks for your reply! I appreciate it. I definitely don't want to waste money on extras that I don't really need.
 
These products can protect it but they can also do damage. Hard shells can hamper cooling efforts and leave scratches and rub marks. Keyboard / palm rest covers can mark the screen when it's closed. Screen covers can leave marks on the screen.

Apple design their products to be hard wearing and good to use even to the point of feeling nice. Putting stuff on them denies you that attention to detail.

Having said all that... A macbook which has a few surface marks and doesn't quite feel as nice is still better than a macbook which is full of beer! Ulitmately, it has to be your call about how careful you can be with it and how you manage the risk.

I looked into it a while ago and decided that when I get mine, I won't be getting any of this stuff for it. I'll use a soft case for transporting it but that's it.
 
I would recommend using an external keyboard and mouse whenever possible to reduce wear on the MacBook's keyboard, trackpad and palm rests, and a sleeve for transporting purposes.

Anything else is unnecessary in my opinion.
 
My Speck Seethru Satin added so much weight to the display that caused the clutch cover to crack and also caused creaking issues with the clamshell. I would not recommend using those. You are better off with a nice neoprene sleeve and being really careful. ;)
 
maflynn said:
I've never used a shell, keyboard protector, or screen protector for any of my laptops. I've owned Apple laptops since the G4 PowerBook days and in all cases when I went to sell them, they've been in pristine condition.

My point, if you use common sense and be careful with the laptop you really don't need those products.
Click to expand...

Same here, never used any form of protection for my Mac`s outside of a sleeve and a good bag and I travel extensively with a least two Mac`s and they all look great.
 
Some may say being careful is enough to protect your macbook, but thats simply not true in every case. I bought myself a macbook 13 retina a few weeks back and always kept in a sleeve ect but I till managed to get a small chip. Yes, it is small, but once you see it, it becomes the only thing you see. Perhaps i wasnt meticulous enough in my preventative methods.

I have since invested in a speck hard case just for added piece of mind and i would definitely recommend it. In fact, I wish i bought it earlier before i got the chip.

Whatever you end up purchasing, do not buy cheap protection for your expensive macbook, it can cause more harm than good in many cases (e.g. cheap ebay hard cases may cause your macbook to get scratched). If your going to go the protective route its worth investing in quality.
 
I bought a 15" rMBP in December after dropping (and destroying) my MacBook Air. I decided to with a snap-on hardshell case. I did some research, and ended up ordering a case from Speck.

It wasn't cheap, but it is well designed (does NOT cause additional heat, I tested it under heavy gaming load and no difference) and relatively nice to look at.

The first case was defective, and they promptly replaced it under warranty. I'd recommend their products just for the excellent customer service. Most case companies have no warranty and zero customer service...

I also ordered a $5 keyboard protector from eBay. I did this for 2 reasons: (1) Keyboards get worn out over the years from typing. My Air had marks on all of the keys. Didn't look great... (2) everything from your dead skin cells (Yummm) to little bits of food to who-knows-what ends up in the keyboard. With the protector, I just take it and wash it once a week and my keyboard is always clean.
 
I have a speck case for my 13" rMBP. It does add some bulk, but at least my MacBook is protected and I feel comfortable using it outside.

I am quite OCD with my gadgets, and like to keep them looking pristine. Although I agree with most people here that if you are careful with your gear, you don't need a cover, however, you can't always predict what others do.

For example, when using my MacBook is a busy Starbucks (or any other public place), so many times have people almost brushed against my notebook with bags/coats, etc. I know aluminium is hard to scratch, but I would rather have a piece of mind with a simple cover.
 
Fireball Dragon said:
I have a speck case for my 13" rMBP. It does add some bulk, but at least my MacBook is protected and I feel comfortable using it outside.

I am quite OCD with my gadgets, and like to keep them looking pristine. Although I agree with most people here that if you are careful with your gear, you don't need a cover, however, you can't always predict what others do.

For example, when using my MacBook is a busy Starbucks (or any other public place), so many times have people almost brushed against my notebook with bags/coats, etc. I know aluminium is hard to scratch, but I would rather have a piece of mind with a simple cover.
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Last edited:
I have a keyboard protector and Speck hard shell for my MBP. Out of interest, why is Speck made of fail? Just curious.
 
admonmansur said:
If you insist, bought their smart shell from Apple store. It was bowed and would not fit. Speck sent me 2 warranty replacements both were same issue. bought another clear Smart shell from Apple store thinking that it would be different and end up receiving bent bottom rear clips. Quality control with their hard shells have gotten worse. I haven't tried the See-Thru but i'm not spending anymore money on cases.

I ended up buying the Thule Gauntlet 2.0 from Apple store, and I must say it is by far the highest quality sleeve I have purchased. And I purchase many sleeve's / cases.
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Glad to see you took my buying advice to heart and gladder to see that it panned out :)

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firewater said:
This is all you need, to many people always talking about keyboard spills. http://store.apple.com/us/product/TW462LL/A Protect your new toy:)
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What is this, the iMac forum? :O
 
Fireball Dragon said:
Works for me.
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Speck works for me too. When I bought my 13" rMBP I got a black satin Speck SmartShell from the Apple store. The fit was perfect and I liked the way the satin finish felt. On the negative side, it does show fingerprints easily.

I did however exchange it for the Speck SeeThru satin, so I could get it in a color I preferred. I got their Pomerado Red and its does't have the fingerprint problem the black satin version does. The SeeThru is slightly thicker than the SmartShell, but that was only noticeable when the two cases are compared side-by-side. I wouldn't say it's an improvement, more likely, the thiner shell saves them on manufacturing costs. The two versions both retail the same.

For protection from small bumps and scratches, I think a shell is worthwhile and the added bulk seems negligible. When I go out of the house, I carry it in a backpack with a padded laptop compartment. That combination seems ideal for the way I carry it around.

I think Speck's are well made and they seem to respond to warranty claims quickly if it does crack or break. I also have a Speck case on my iPhone 5.
 
I would definitely get some sort of invisible shield for the bottom (zagg is one brand). These are film protectors that prevent scratching and will not damage your laptop or impair its looks (if you only put in on the bottom).

If you don't use one there will be scratches on the bottom. Its inevitable.

The trick is they mostly come in a $50 kit for the whole laptop. I try to get the kit half price and just use the bottom panel.
 
swerve147 said:
I would recommend using an external keyboard and mouse whenever possible to reduce wear on the MacBook's keyboard, trackpad and palm rests
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If your going to do that you might as well get another computer altogether and let the Macbook sit in the box. Ridiculous. Do you guys buy these computers to use them or look at them?
 
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