When I was in college, I did a lot of silly things. I survived almost solely on Cheetos and 22-ounce cans of AriZona green tea. I walked the frozen wind tunnels of my winter campus in a snowboarding coat that didn’t have any actual insulation. I drove a car that had no air conditioning in the summer and whose windows periodically refused to close in the winter (I think that just builds character). But even at my most frostbitten and nutritionally deficient, I always carried my laptop around in a case.
Whether you’re a broke college student, a professional, a parent with curious kids, or just someone who doesn’t want to replace their laptop, a laptop sleeve can give you some peace of mind knowing that a rendezvous with the ground won’t brick your $1,000-plus machine. We’ve researched and tested dozens of laptop sleeves to find a variety of styles that will suit you, whether you’re looking for fun, function, or both.
Before you buy a laptop sleeve, consider if you actually need one. Many backpacks, messenger bags, tote bags, and briefcases already have a protective slot for your laptop. But if you carry your laptop outside of a bag, a laptop sleeve might be what you need.
Get today’s recommendation
Expert advice. Very good deals. The absolute best (and worst) things we’ve tested lately. Sent to your inbox daily.Sign Up
For information about our privacy practices, including how to opt out of marketing emails, see our Privacy Policy. For general questions, contact us anytime.
The research
A tough, affordable sleeve: Tomtoc Defender A13 Laptop Sleeve
Top pick
The most for least
Tomtoc Defender A13 Laptop Sleeve
This sleeve has a snug fit, a thick protective lining, and a pocket for smaller chargers and cords.
$33 from Amazon
$30 from Best Buy
| Sizes (inches) | 11, 12.9, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Colors | gray, air blue, black, gray, green, light blue, light gray, natural sand, navy blue, orange, pink |
| Material | polyester |
The Tomtoc Defender A13 Laptop Sleeve (called the 360 Protective Laptop Sleeve on Amazon) is an affordable sleeve that fits laptops better and offers more protection than most other similarly priced options. It closed snugly around a variety of 13-inch laptops, keeping them locked firmly in place, and it might even be on the tighter side if you have a thicker laptop. Due to its thick, cushioned corners and plushly protective interior, the Defender A13 takes up a little more space than sleeker sleeves, but we felt confident our laptops were safe from most drops, spills, and scratches.
It’s budget-friendly and tough. The Defender A13 is a great option for people looking for a simple sleeve that doesn’t break the bank. It includes a small pocket for carrying a few extras, and it’s available in a variety of colors and sizes. The stiff, marled texture of the exterior gives enough grip that you’re unlikely to drop it, but it shouldn’t feel rough or uncomfortable if you’re walking around campus with it in your hands all afternoon. It also features a zipper from YKK, a brand well-known for its durability and reliability.
You don’t need to worry about your laptop getting wet. The Defender A13’s stiff fabric is more water-resistant than that of some of our other picks. When we sprayed it with a few blasts from a spray bottle, the water beaded on the surface and rolled right off, and the interior even stayed dry when we dropped it briefly in a simulated puddle. This should be plenty of protection if you have to run from your car and into a coffee shop during a rain shower.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s not the most fashionable sleeve. The Defender A13 is a utilitarian sleeve that doesn’t look bad, but it’s not especially design-forward either. If you want something a little more chic, the Tomtoc Terra A27 Laptop Sleeve is the Defender’s more stylish cousin. The Terra is equally protective, but it’s a few dollars more and lacks a pocket.
It’s low on extra room. The front pocket on the Defender A13 can fit a MacBook charger, but this sleeve is too thin to carry more than one or two small items. If you’re using the Defender A13 within a backpack, you’d probably find it easier to pack your accessories in other pockets. We also came across a few Acer laptops in our testing that were either a tight squeeze or prevented the sleeve from properly zipping shut; if your laptop is on the thicker side, or you have a big bulky charger to pack, we recommend sizing up.
A strap and a little more room: Tomtoc Defender A42 Laptop Briefcase
Top pick
Roomy, professional, and protective
Tomtoc Defender A42 Laptop Briefcase
This bag has all the features of the sleeve above, plus a strap and bigger external pockets for accessories.
| Sizes (inches) | 13, 14, 15, 15.6, 16, 17.3 |
| Colors | black, dark blue, gray |
| Material | polyester |
The Tomtoc Defender A42 Laptop Briefcase is perfect for people who want to bring some basic accessories along with their laptop. It’s much more accommodating than its sleeve counterpart. The two protruding front pockets include handy storage organizers for pens, ID, cords, and even a short strap for an AirTag or keys to keep them from getting lost in the bottoms of the pockets. It also has an open rear compartment for thinner items, like documents or a portable keyboard. It has a simple, easy-to-use strap and a handle, giving you options for carrying, and the corners are thickly reinforced.
It can easily fit a few basic work essentials. We were able to fit a Logitech K380 keyboard, a Bluetooth mouse, a bulky charger, and some smaller items like pens or styluses into the pockets of the Defender A42 with no problem. You could probably fit a small notebook in the rear pocket as well.
It’s water-resistant. The Defender A42 also stood up to our water test with flying colors. Pretend rain beaded right off the front and didn’t soak through the thinner front pockets. When we dropped it into a shallow puddle, no dampness whatsoever was found on the interior—it didn’t even soak into the faux fur lining the laptop compartment.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s bulky. The Defender A42 is meant to be used on its own rather than slipped into another bag. It can also run a little tight, so if your laptop is on the thicker side we suggest sizing up to make sure your device fits into the armored corners.
A cheap, simple sleeve: Bagsmart Laptop Sleeve
Budget pick
Basic coverage for dirt cheap
Bagsmart Laptop Sleeve
Water-resistant and slim, this sleeve is ideal for people who want to avoid scratches and dents but don’t need high-grade protection.
$12 from Amazon
| Sizes (inches) | 13–13.3 |
| Colors | pink, black, tan, navy blue, paisley |
| Material | polyester |
The Bagsmart Laptop Sleeve is budget-friendly, but it delivers several premium features. The fabric on the outside has a nice quilted effect that is soft and easy to hold on to (though our testers said the black version was slightly lint-prone), and the zippers felt sturdy and smooth.
It’s weather- and puddle-resistant. Our simulated rain rolled right off the outside of the case, and the Bagsmart sleeve’s zippers — while not the industry-standard YKK brand — didn’t let any water inside the laptop compartment when dunked directly into a test puddle. The faux fur inside also stayed fuzzy and dry throughout testing.
It’s a slightly looser fit. The Bagsmart sleeve was a little roomy for the laptops we tested with, but it wasn’t so loose that we worried the laptop would shift around inside, and that extra room actually gives you some leeway to put things in the tight front pocket without straining the case. We were able to pack a bulky Lenovo charger into the front pocket of the Bagsmart sleeve and still close the laptop inside the main compartment, all without straining the zipper. A tip from our testers: If your sleeve has a shallow front pocket, it is much easier to put your charger or accessories into the pocket first and then load the laptop in second.
It’s easy to fit in a bag. The Bagsmart sleeve’s profile is very slim, which makes it ideal for tote bags and backpacks.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Its thinness comes at the price of lower protection. The corners of the Bagsmart sleeve are not nearly as padded as our top picks, and we would not recommend carrying it around outside of a bag for extended periods due to the lack of drop protection. We’re confident it would stand up to everyday bumps however, including being jostled around in a bag with water bottles and other items.
Expensive, but customizable: Society6 Laptop Sleeve
Upgrade pick
Solid construction, infinite patterns
Society6 Laptop Sleeve
Featuring the designs of countless artists, laptop sleeves sold by Society6 have a sturdy construction that should protect your laptop from bumps, though at a premium price.
$50 from Society6
| Sizes (inches) | 13, 15 |
| Colors | countless |
| Material | polyester |
If you’re looking for a simple, soft sleeve that comes in an almost limitless number of designs, we like the Society6 Laptop Sleeve. It’s constructed with stiff canvas-style polyester, which protects against dust, scratches, and bumps. The material is thick and padded and seemed able to withstand a good smack and maybe even a light drop. The Society6 sleeves also include an industry-standard YKK zipper.
It comes in nearly every design you can think of. Artists can use Society6 as a platform to have their work printed on dozens of items, including these sleeves, which means you can choose from literally thousands of possible prints. And if you like an artist who already sells on Society6, it’s a good way to support them and show off their work. As a challenge, we chose a painting from the 1700s by Canaletto, and it looked pretty good; due to the thicker canvas-like weave the picture came out a little low-res, but this may be due to the digital image the seller chose, and this probably isn’t a problem with less complicated designs.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s not very splash-friendly. The Society6 sleeve was able to stand up against the rain test, though water did not bead off the front. Instead, it soaked into the front layer of the case, not reaching the main compartment. It failed the puddle dunk test, however, letting a good amount of water through the zipper.
It doesn’t have extra storage space. The sleeve’s design is printed on both sides, so it doesn’t have pockets. You have to pack chargers and accessories separately, since packing accoutrements in the main compartment with the laptop risks pressure damage to the laptop screen, along with dents and scratches to the shell. The Society6 sleeve has a slightly loose fit, but the substantial microfiber lining should keep your laptop from moving too much.
Other sleeves and cases worth considering
If you want a MacBook-specific case: The Incase Icon Sleeve with Woolenex is an ultramodern option for Mac users. The sleeve features a unique magnetic closure that adds about an inch and a half to the size of your laptop but makes up for that added bulk with cool factor. During our testing the Icon Sleeve was able to fit a 13-inch Windows laptop, but it is clearly meant for slimmer MacBooks. The super-rigid corner design provides an impressive amount of protection, and our testing laptop didn’t budge inside the case, even when we shook it upside down aggressively to see if the magnetic closure would give way. This sleeve is expensive and lacks an outer pocket, but it’s design-forward and made specifically for a MacBook.
If you’re looking for a sleek, chic sleeve (and budget isn’t a consideration): The Bellroy Laptop Sleeve is handsome, but its price and sacrifices on protection kept it from being a pick. The magnetic closure mechanism is very slick, but we weren’t confident it would stay closed under a solid shake. The Bellroy sleeve’s material is not very thick, and since the bottom corners are entirely open, it’s not waterproof in any meaningful way. If you’re a professional who’s very careful with their electronics though, it’s a great-looking option.
If you want a laptop stand: The Moft Laptop Carry Sleeve charmed us with its built-in stand that actually worked upon testing. Many of the origami-esque sleeves that aim to do double duty as stand and case end up failing at both, but the Moft sleeve offers decent protection from scratches and bumps as well as an easy-to-assemble stand with two angle options. It doesn’t afford your laptop much protection from drops, and it’s very compact — it fit our 13-inch PC but would be a better fit for a MacBook, and the storage pocket is modest. But if you like working away from your setup, and you need a stand, this case offers an easy way to minimize your everyday carry.
How we picked and tested
Our research turned up countless laptop sleeves made by dozens of manufacturers. We used the following criteria to narrow down that list to a few promising candidates to bring in and test:
- Protection: At the bare minimum, a laptop sleeve must offer protection from dust, scratches, and bumps. How well the laptop fits inside is an important aspect of this. The best sleeve for your laptop leaves very little space around the sides and top, which keeps it from sliding around too much. But it shouldn’t be so tight that the laptop is difficult to insert and remove. Because fit is so important, we looked for sleeves that came in several sizes specifically tailored to many different computers.
- How it closes: Most laptop sleeves have either a zippered or magnetic clasp to keep them closed as you travel. If a sleeve has a zipper, it shouldn’t easily get stuck or caught—we gave extra points to sleeves that used the industry-standard YKK zipper. If a sleeve uses a magnetic clasp, the magnet should be strong enough to stay closed unless you pull it open.
- Exterior quality: We looked for sleeves that keep out dust and random debris and prioritized options that could stay dry when exposed to a little water. On the best sleeves, the exterior doesn’t feel too rough or scratchy, with enough grip to prevent it from slipping out of your hand.
- Pockets: Laptop sleeves don’t need pockets, but if a sleeve had one, it was important to us that it was big enough to hold at least one or two essentials. If a pocket isn’t big enough to hold a laptop charger, it mostly just adds bulk.
- Aesthetics: An almost infinite number of laptop sleeves are available in an infinite number of styles, so we prioritized function in our evaluation of laptop sleeves. But we looked for sleeves in a number of styles and avoided options that collect lint or have unattractive branding.
We couldn’t try every size of every sleeve or every sleeve with every computer model, but our main tester models were a 15-inch MacBook Air, a 15.6-inch Lenovo IdeaPad 1, a 13.6-inch MacBook Air, and a 13-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5. We ordered all our potential picks in corresponding sizes, either roughly 13 or 15 inches.
Our favorite sleeves were then tested on a panel of 13-inch ultrabooks from various companies. We inserted each computer into each sleeve (one at a time, of course), checking for fit. We also evaluated features such as how the zippers glided, and we sprayed down the sleeves that promised some degree of water protection to see how well they kept moisture out. We subjected them to more challenging water tests as well, like dropping them in puddles of water and spilling a drink on them. Once we identified some favorites, we tested those picks in real-world scenarios, traveling to coffee shops and on planes to see just how well the sleeves fit into our everyday routines.
The competition
We’ve tested several dozen sleeves over the years for consideration in this guide. Here are some of the models we’ve tested since 2018.
We tried the Target-brand Heyday Laptop Sleeve to see if it would be a viable option as a cheap case, a kid’s case, or just something you can pick up quickly in-store if you need a sleeve. Online the size is listed as 15 inches, but the tag on the item says up to 14 inches, which is confusing. The sleeping-bag material on the outside looked and felt cheap, and the sleeve was not especially protective.
We were intrigued by the vertical orientation and the titular handles of the Targus Vertical Laptop Slipcase with Hideaway Handles, but the handles do not “hide away” well; the pockets provided are too shallow to easily fit them in, which only creates frustration. Though the main pocket was nice and deep, the neoprene case offered little to no protection.
The Speck Transfer Pro Pocket Sleeve looked neat, but the case wa thin and offered little to no corner protection. The front pocket was challenging to fit necessities into.
The Osprey Daylite Laptop Sleeve is sleek and well-designed, but it’s thin with little corner protection. The front pocket held a bulky charger and a mouse with no problem, but the zipper was a little rough on the hand when we reached in.
The Bellroy Lite Laptop Sleeve snugly fit a 13-inch laptop, so we figured there was a non-zero chance it would be unable to fit a 14-inch laptop like it’s advertised to. The case felt protective, but it’s more expensive than most of our picks, and its aesthetics are a little clumsy.
The G-hook closure on the Mous Universal Laptop Sleeve is a good idea in theory, but in our tests it just made the case difficult to open and close. It’s also expensive for such a thin case.
Apple sells the Herschel Anchor Sleeve for 13″ and 14″ MacBooks in store, and they’re easy to pick up, especially if you’re already in the Apple Store for something. The case is protective, and the built-in AirTag compartment is nifty, but we still think you’d get more for your cash from our Tomtoc picks.
The Incase A.R.C. Sleeve lacked the corner protection of most of our other picks, and it’s big enough only for MacBooks.
Though Baggu is one of our favorite bag makers, their Puffy Laptop Sleeve fell a little short of what we were looking for. The fashionable puffy look wasn’t as protective as we needed, and it was very tight on our 13-inch tester models, despite the size being listed as compatible with 13- to 14-inch laptops. It also had no edge protection or outer pockets. It comes in several bright, cute colors and patterns and would serve best as more of an accessory than a protective sleeve.
Because the Vera Bradley Cotton Laptop Organizer is a fabric case, it offers little to no protection from drops and bumps but decent protection from scratches. It only comes in one 15.25-inch size, which isn’t very practical for the many people who carry a smaller laptop, and it is not water-resistant at all. It has a roomy front pocket, is machine-washable, and comes in many patterns. If you see it on sale, it could be a serviceable case for around-the-house use, but we’d recommend spending the money on a more protective case.
The Mokuyobi Laptop Case was the most expensive case we tested, and though we liked the design, it didn’t offer nearly enough protection for the price. It was made of a strong, canvas-like material that’s waterproof and seemed high quality, but it doesn’t have any padding on the corners or otherwise. The color-blocked look is fun, and it’s a good sheath if you need lots of storage, with two expanding pockets in the front and a flat rear pocket with no zipper for papers or notebooks. The little tag on the back that says “Color powers of the king of fun by your side all day long” is charming, but this case could use some padding.
The Domiso Laptop Sleeve is marketed as a highly protective option, and though this case does seem like it could hold up to slightly rougher treatment than many other options, the shell is still flexible enough that we wouldn’t feel comfortable putting anything heavy on top of it. We also definitely wouldn’t use it in situations that involve a lot of jostling and knocking around (like checking baggage).
The Mosiso Neoprene Laptop Sleeve with Small Case came with favorable editorial write-ups and a relatively high Amazon rating. It also came with a smaller bag to carry your laptop charger or other miscellaneous accessories. Unfortunately, it didn’t offer a very good fit. Our laptop was practically swimming inside of its scratchy neoprene exterior. Its gaudy logo also makes it look much worse than our other picks.
The Killspencer Classic Sleeve has an extremely tight fit that makes it difficult to get your laptop in and out of. Considering that this sleeve has no closure, this feels necessary, but it’s also pretty annoying when you actually want to use it. Plus, because the sleeve is so tight, the outline of your computer gets molded into the grain of the leather. If that’s something you’d want, you might be okay with the usability compromises. But, after some time, this leather will probably look more distressed than worn-in and loved.
We liked the look of the premium Leatherology Laptop Sleeve more in photos than in person. Because it lacks a solid structure, even with the laptop inside, the sides of the sleeve sag and look baggy. That said, the leather is really nice, and the zipper has a very smooth action, and if you’re looking for something with a more worn-in luxury aesthetic, you might prefer the Leatherology sleeve over our other picks.
