Appletell | Apple, Mac, iPhone, iPod | News, Rumors, Reviews, How-Tos

Product: Hard shell case (SeeThru); shoulder bag (PortPack)
Developer: Speck
Accommodates: SeeThru - aluminum MacBook/Pro/Air models; PortPack - up to a 15” MacBook Pro or similar-sized notebook
Price: SeeThru - $49.95; PortPack - $79.95
Availability: Now

I’m fairly certain there was a time when a single laptop bag was enough. My first laptop was a PowerBook 3400c, and it was rugged and industrial enough to pretty much sit out on its own. But I didn’t use it then like I use my MacBook now. It mostly sat still, shuffling between office and home and hotel. These days, laptops have become light enough that people are willing to carry them places they haven’t before, and they’re common enough to be used in classrooms, kitchens and restaurants so you can stay at your table for three hours to make sure no one else gets a seat. So, you not only need a case or bag to carry the laptop around, but you also need a protective case to keep it free from scratches and scuffs when in use. A good place to turn to take care of both is Speck.

Now, we’ve reviewed similar Speck products before. Jake Gaecke has a video review of the Speck CorePack, and I’ve reviewed the SeeThru Satin. Here, I want to take a look at two similar products as a complete protection package. And after doing so, I’m honestly surprised that Speck doesn’t offer a bundle deal at their site.

SeeThru

The SeeThru provides hard shell protection for your MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, etc. The translucent devices come in a wide assortment of colors: clear, pink, red, aqua, green, hazard orange, and purple. They almost harken back to the days of the fruity iMacs, and make me realize how much I miss them. For this review, I tested the hazard orange SeeThru for the 13” MacBook, and quite enjoyed the color. I imagine each of these would look better wrapped around a white MacBook instead of my aluminum, but they still look pretty good. The Apple logo manages to shine through, and the colors bring much more personality to the device. If you don’t want that personality, stick with the clear model.

No matter which color you choose, you mostly won’t see it when working. The SeeThru snaps tightly around your MacBook in two separate pieces: top and bottom. The snug fit means you’ll barely see a ridge outlining your screen when working. Getting the device on is simple enough, as the SeeThru snaps comfortably into place. Getting it off, however, is a bit trickier. You need to pry it away from your MacBook, and although the hard plastic does have some give, the process will make you nervous about scratches. I actually broke a small piece off the top center of my SeeThru Satin during that review, but that didn’t happen here. I’m not sure if that’s because these are made better or because I’ve learned the trick to getting the case on and off, but it’s worth noting.

While in place, the SeeThru of course provides access to all necessary drives and ports. The DVD drive bay is tightly framed, while the open ports allow more room for access. This is important, because the size of the devices you plug in can vary wildly. The SeeThru is vented for proper heat disbursement, although the vents are quite small. It’s apparently enough, however, as I haven’t had a problem with my MacBook getting too hot while in the SeeThru. The case also has four well-placed rubberized feet on the bottom to get a good grip on your desk.

It’s worth noting, however, that whereas the snug fit does allow the curves of the MacBook to show through, this can lead to problems with scratches. Dust can get in between the case and your computer, so it’s important to take it off every now and again to clean it out, and be sure to wipe down the interior of the case and exterior of your MacBook before putting it on. Other hard shells, such as Uniea’s Haptique solve this problem by keeping the case off your MacBook, but they add bulk to do so. The SeeThru will keep your MacBook looking nice and svelte, which is important if you’ll then be sliding it into a custom-sized laptop bag such as…

PortPack Shoulder Bag

Speck’s PortPack is a fairly functional, highly stylized laptop bag that works quite well with the SeeThru. It’s greatest strength, in my view, is that it doesn’t take up much space. This is important for those of us with smaller laptops, as we went small for a reason; we don’t want bulk. To make sure the PortPack remains slim, Speck did have to have sacrifice storage. This case won’t serve you well if you need to pack your computer and numerous other items for a lengthy flight. But if you’re just looking for something to carry your laptop around town or campus, it should work (well, provided you don’t have a lot of books to lug around, too).

The cover flap is held in place with both velcro and a plastic clasp. Opening it reveals two main compartments: the laptop compartment is lined with extra-plush micro-fleece padding for a soft, comfortable fit, while the second compartment offers additional storage area for a book or two, papers, thinner electronic items, etc. It also contains a small, zippered pocket. The exterior of the case, sitting beneath the cover flap when it’s closed, includes storage area for an MP3 player (complete with passthrough hole for headphones), a second compartment that’s perfect for an iPhone or similarly sized device, two pen holders, and a larger zippered compartment well-suited for your laptop cables and power pack. An open pocket takes up the entire back of the case.

That’s pretty much it for storage, aside from an expandable water bottle packet on the side. Speaking of the sides, each has a clasp for the included shoulder strap, which is well-padded and quite comfortable. There’s also a tuck-away carry handle at the top of if you don’t want to mess with the shoulder strap. Two rubber feet are sewn into the bottom to prevent the case from slipping when resting on a table or counter.

A couple design changes could have really made the PortPack much more functional. I would like to see at least a small compartment on the cover flap to get a little more storage space, and I don’t like that the phone and iPod compartments are located under the cover flap. Small pockets on the outside would make it much easier to hear the phone and to access it when it’s ringing. I’d rather have these on the sides than a water bottle pocket, for instance.

But if your storage demands are light, then I can certainly recommend the PortPack. It’s sturdy, it’s functional, and it won’t weigh you down with features you don’t need. It comes in only two styles—speakeasy black pinstripe and coffeehouse brown plaid—but both are quite sharp looking; stylish without making you look like a fashionista. If you sometimes need more out of a laptop case, there are models out there that can expand or collapse into just what you need. Not so, with the PortPack; what you see is what you get is all you pay for. But if your demands are as small as your laptop, or if you’re not opposed to owning different bags for different purposes, then the PortPack Shoulder Bag is a stylish, sturdy way to go.