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How do I Choose the Best Netbook Bag?

Paul Woods
Paul Woods

Choosing the best netbook bag usually requires striking the right balance of protection, ease of use, style, and price. A good netbook bag not only will shield the device from damage as it is transported, it also looks appropriate in the user’s normal working environment. Additionally, the price of the best bag will be in line with the user’s expectations and budget.

The netbook has emerged as a companion device for desktop or laptop computers. In an increasingly mobile workforce, netbooks have grown in popularity. While they have fewer capabilities than the typical desktop or laptop computer, their small size and portability make them useful tools. The average netbook is about 10 inches (about 25.4 cm) wide by 7 inches (about 17.8 cm) deep by 1 inch (about 2.54 cm) tall.

A netbook.
A netbook.

Since these devices are desired for their portability, it is important to have a netbook bag that protects the unit as it is transported. For jobs that require carrying the netbook to a variety of locations while on foot, a canvas or leather bag with internal padding and a shoulder strap should be considered. Such a netbook bag closely resembles a briefcase or laptop computer bag.

Students may prefer to slip smaller netbooks in a colorful canvas tote bag.
Students may prefer to slip smaller netbooks in a colorful canvas tote bag.

A smaller version of the netbook bag is the strapless netbook sleeve. The sleeve typically has about the same dimensions as the netbook and features a padded interior encased in a nylon-mesh material. These sleeves often have a flap over the opening that closes with a zipper or a plastic fastener. The netbook sleeve can protect the device’s case from nicks and dings.

Netbook tubes are a type of bag many students prefer. A tube is a vertically-aligned canvas bag with shoulder strap. The bag is made so that the side edge of the netbook slides in first. These can be good for carrying a netbook between classes, but they offer the least amount of protection. Whether the user is a student or professional, the type of netbook bag should be tailored to the type of work typically being performed.

The style of the netbook bag is an important consideration as well. Canvas net tubes are great for students but may be too casual or inappropriate for business use. In the workplace, the traditional computer case bag typically is appropriate. Many users prefer a more upscale look, and designer netbook bags fit that need.

Just as style varies with need, so do netbook bags that range widely in price. A traditional computer case bag runs about $50 US Dollars (USD), but it can be much higher depending on brand and material. Designer bags can cost four or five times that amount. A sleeve is the bargain netbook bag at about $15 (USD).

Discussion Comments

Melonlity

@Terrificli -- true, and I picked up a great, traditional computer case for my netbook for less than $20 a couple of months ago and that was at a "brick and mortar" retailer looking to unload some of them. Not bad. And, yes, you do want a traditional case for a netbook -- you need room to hold things like a power supply, an extra battery and other items that are critical to the mobility of a netbook.

And for those who say netbooks are no longer useful, consider this -- if you slap a lightweight Linux distro on one that comes bundled with a good office suite, you've got a great little machine that will handle a variety of tasks on the road and can transfer files through cloud storage or a USB drive.

Terrificli

$50 for a netbook computer case bag? That seems a mite high for computers that lured in a lot of users with their extremely low prices. Fortunately, the price of netbook bags has dropped as a natural consequence of the waning popularity of those little computers.

That's good news for people who like netbooks -- you can generally find them for sale for not much money and accessories such as computer cases are usually inexpensive, too.

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    • A netbook.
      By: Nikolai Sorokin
      A netbook.
    • Students may prefer to slip smaller netbooks in a colorful canvas tote bag.
      By: bennyartist
      Students may prefer to slip smaller netbooks in a colorful canvas tote bag.