Pockets: We didnвЂ™t require all laptop sleeves to have pockets, but if a sleeve did, it was important to us that it was big enough to hold at least one or two essentials.On the best sleeves, the exterior doesnвЂ™t feel too rough or scratchy, but it still has enough grip to prevent it from slipping out of your hand. Exterior quality: We looked for sleeves with exteriors that keep out dust and random debris, prioritizing sleeves that could stay dry when exposed to a little water.If a sleeve used a magnetic clasp, the magnet should be strong enough not to open unless you actually pull it open with your hands. If a sleeve has a zipper, it shouldnвЂ™t easily get stuck or caught-we gave extra points to sleeves that used the industry-standard YKK zipper. Closure system: Most laptop sleeves have either a zippered or magnetic clasp to keep them closed as you travel.

Because fit is so important, we looked for sleeves that came in several different sizes specifically tailored to many different computers. But it shouldnвЂ™t be so tight that the sleeve is difficult to insert and remove. The best sleeve for your computer leaves very little space around the sides and top, so that while youвЂ™re carrying the sleeve your laptop doesnвЂ™t bounce around too much. An important aspect of this is how well the laptop fits inside of the sleeve. Protection: At the bare minimum a laptop sleeve must offer protection from dust, scratches, and bumps.The Gauntlet 3.0 should also protect a computer from small falls or drops much better than a neoprene sleeve could, though we wouldnвЂ™t trust it to keep a laptop pristine after a tumble of more than a few feet-after all, itвЂ™s not certified to any shock-resistance standards. We wouldnвЂ™t toss a Gauntlet-clad laptop into a lake, but some light rain and snow should be no danger to a computer encased in one of these. The inside was only a bit damp, and only near the hinge, and the Gauntlet 3.0 let in less water than any other water-resistant case we tested, aside from the original Gauntlet. We filled the Gauntlet 3.0 with paper towels and then sprayed it with a kitchen-sink sprayer for 30 seconds to test its water resistance, and we found that only a little water soaked through the hinge. The Gauntlet 3.0вЂ™s stiff sides offer about as much protection as you can get in a sleeve, and its water-resistant zipper helps keep liquids out. Why itвЂ™s great: The Thule Gauntlet 3.0 has a rigid clamshell design that zips along three of its four edges and can withstand more abuse than a padding-only design.

13 inch macbook air case zipper