The 4 Best Laptop Sleeves and MacBook Cases

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.

This article was edited by Arthur Gies and Signe Brewster.