Sleeve or Hardshell Case for 13" MBP?

[mev1205]

Just got my MBP yesterday and I'm wondering whether I should get a sleeve or a hard case. I think I would rather have the hard case so I don't have to continually be putting it on (like if I had a sleeve), but I'm concerned that it may scratch my MBP. In addition, I feel that when I put it into my backpack it would still be prone to getting dust and other random crap in the ports. So I'm stuck choosing between both of these options, what do you guys think?

Also for the hard cases what is the best brand? I heard Incase from some and Speck from others.

 

[tigress666]

I personally like my incase laptop bag that can be a sleeve (even has a place to tuck in the handles and a removable shoulder strap) but also functions as an actual bag itself as it has handles and a detachable shoulder strap and pockets on the side to hold the peripherals like my power cord and even the magic mouse (but the pockets can lay flat so it can function pretty much as a sleeve). Mine is black though .

It seems to have done well protecting my last macbook for three years and is pretty good on my new macbook pro. The faux fur lining is really easy on the plastic shell of my old macbook and so far has seemed to do well on the aluminum shell of my mbp.

Bonus being I don't have to make the laptop itself thicker with a hard case and you can still show off the prettiness of the mac (though to be honest I covered the top with a skinit.com skin of a dragon from my favorite dragon artist). And I have something to carry it around with or just even sling it over my shoulder. Plus it goes easily into my backpack that goes under the seat when I'm traveling via airline to visit my folks.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Hardcases and Sleeves serve different purposes. Infact, you can put your MBP in a hardcase and then both in a sleeve.

I don't use soft cases just because I need some protection for my actual MBP. It would probably be good from a transportation standpoint, but I just use my backpack or hold it in my arms if thats the case.

A hardcase will protect it from scratches, light bumps that would leave a bruise or make Applecare harder to deal with, and allow you to customize your MBP without permanently leaving a mark. Scratches? The only time i've had a hardcase scratch any of my gadgets was on my iPhone (I wasn't very happy) but over time the light scratches on the back were nothing compared to the corners on the case (read: battered). A hardcase snaps on tight, so as long as you clean it once/twice a month, you won't have any issues.

How about this. When I brought my two year old MBP (classic) into the genius bar, the cosmetic condition that they noted in the work order (verbatim) was:

Flawless.

Save for the obligitory keyboard wear/shine.

 

[tigress666]

A hardcase will protect it from scratches, light bumps that would leave a bruise or make Applecare harder to deal with, and allow you to customize your MBP without permanently leaving a mark.

It's called being very careful with your macbook when it is out of the sleeve and only transporting it in the sleeve.

I've never had a problem with my macbook getting dented/cracked with the sleeve cause it is in it most of the time (and my sleeve/case is padded to protect against bumps as well as form fitting to my macbook pro). And the only time I take it out is when I am putting it on a place to use and I'm very careful when I take it out. Shoot, my last macbook was in its sleeve when I was driving from work to home and some guy walked right in front of me so I slammed on the brakes and my laptop went flying. Not a ding on it and it worked fine after that (and I then always put my laptop/sleeve in a seatbelt when I was transporting it after that, I use the handle of the case to put the seatbelt through to make sure the seatbelt will keep it from flying).

And I'm a klutz. So if I can be careful for the few seconds it takes it to take it out of the sleeve and put it on the desk/table/my lap, anyone can do that.

I'm just saying, if you don't want to put an ugly hardcase (sorry, I do find them ugly as well as making your laptop even thicker) on your laptop, it is not too hard to just be careful and use a sleeve (just make sure you don't move it unless it is in the sleeve cause that's when most likely you'd do something that might dent it).

 

[fcortese]

It's called being very careful with your macbook when it is out of the sleeve and only transporting it in the sleeve.

I've never had a problem with my macbook getting dented/cracked with the sleeve cause it is in it most of the time (and my sleeve/case is padded to protect against bumps as well as form fitting to my macbook pro). And the only time I take it out is when I am putting it on a place to use and I'm very careful when I take it out. Shoot, my last macbook was in its sleeve when I was driving from work to home and some guy walked right in front of me so I slammed on the brakes and my laptop went flying. Not a ding on it and it worked fine after that (and I then always put my laptop/sleeve in a seatbelt when I was transporting it after that, I use the handle of the case to put the seatbelt through to make sure the seatbelt will keep it from flying).

And I'm a klutz. So if I can be careful for the few seconds it takes it to take it out of the sleeve and put it on the desk/table/my lap, anyone can do that.

I'm just saying, if you don't want to put an ugly hardcase (sorry, I do find them ugly as well as making your laptop even thicker) on your laptop, it is not too hard to just be careful and use a sleeve (just make sure you don't move it unless it is in the sleeve cause that's when most likely you'd do something that might dent it).

+1. i use a Turcano sleeve. I'm careful with my MBP when traveling and have the MBP out of the sleeve.