.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT SHOOTOUT
.TITLE He said, she said: 17-inch laptop cases
.AUTHOR Joe Dolittle
.SUMMARY Unfortunately, none of our existing laptop bags fit these monstrous 17-inch laptops, and that’s why we’re doing this he said, she said review. We explained the project to Targus and asked them to send us each a bag, one for a girl and one for a boy.
.OTHER
Here at ZATZ, our PR guru Liz and I both recently got 17-inch laptops. I was moving up from an ancient Dell, and she had an ultra-portable Acer that recently proved to be ultra-dead.
Although we both claimed these bigger laptops were for use as desktop replacements, the reality was that, for the first time, a decent gaming machine was available relatively inexpensively in laptop form. Although she’ll never admit to it publicly, she bought it so she could play her weakling level 41 mage. I, on the other hand, am proud to own a laptop that can play my level 77 druid of the Horde.
Unfortunately, none of our existing laptop bags fit these monstrous 17-inch laptops, and that’s why we’re doing this he said, she said review. Of course, when we agreed to do the review, we also agreed I was going to write my article and she was going to write hers. She’s since woosied out on writing her own, free-standing article and so her comments are included in this article, which I had to write.
We explained the project to Targus and asked them to send us each a bag, one for a girl and one for a boy. First up is the Targus Zip-Thru 17" Air Traveler, shown in Figure A, which Liz considers "kind of sleek".
.FIGPAIR A Liz reviewed the Zip-Thru 17" Air Traveler.
.TEASER Tap here to see what Liz and Joe had to say about their big laptop bags.
.H1 She said, by Liz
This bag is sturdy and functional, but ugly. It’s only kind of sleek in the sense that the other bag is uglier.
Now that you can get a large laptop that doesn’t weight a billion pounds, you might forget that most bags don’t fit that computer. It was kind of sucky to discover my lovely new laptop is just a little too big for all those really nice bags I already own.
Then it was sucky to find out you can’t find the attractive bag that you’d like to be seen in with a dress or a suited skirt, that has nice lines and isn’t big and square.
This bag looks like one a guy in the 90s would carry, wearing dockers or a button-up shirt. It’s not something a sleek or stylish woman or a "metrosexual" man would want to carry. This bag enables you not to have style. Style is coming to be expected again and this bag gives you a fast-track back to those business casual days when nobody had style.
.H2 What Liz likes
When I first got the bag, I wasn’t sure exactly what makes it Zip-Thru, or what the concept was. Turns out, the case splits down the middle, as shown in Figure B, isolating the laptop on one side to allow for clear x-ray scanning. It’s called an Air Traveler case because it’s designed to help you clear airport security without removing your laptop from your case. Nice.
.FIGPAIR B This split in the middle is suppose to get you through airport check-in faster.
I also like that the bag has a strap for the handle on a wheely suitcase, although you’ve got to be really careful how you place it on the thing, or the whole shebang will topple over, taking your precious laptop with it.
There’s a nice pocket in front for reading materials, meeting folders, and so on. There’s also a section in front almost like a purse, where you could put your wallet, cellphone, makeup, business cards, and pens, as shown in Figure C. There’s even a nice keyfob, so I won’t lose my keys (again).
.FIGPAIR C There’s a lot of nice storage in this bag.
In front of that, there’s a nice pocket in front for a boarding pass or to slip something in, if you’re in a hurry. It’s got a detachable shoulder carry, and the case seems sturdy and protected, with cushy foam and made of thick, durable nylon.
One thing I liked was the notes that came with the bag, which included useful packing tips (what should go in what slot) and also included an interesting warning: if you pack an extra battery, it could cause delays in the security check.
.H2 What Liz doesn’t like
Bottom line: this bag is not cute. It’s functional, but ugly. I like how laptop bags have come to be, for smaller computers. They’ve grown some personality. This one, which adds 2.6 pounds to my already-heavy laptop, makes me feel like some guy with a comb-over, living in the 1990s.
.H2 Liz’s conclusion
Look, the bag does its job, which is to protect my laptop. Targus always makes solid bags. But could a little design sense hurt you? Just a little. I would really encourage the Targusites to keep the function, but consider adding a little style.
Even so, it’s a good bag and worth the money, so I give it a four out of five. And my mage might be only level 41, but it kicks butt. For the record, I don’t have a level 77 because I have a life.
.RATING 4
.H1 He said, by Joe
Hi there. I’m back. I have a life, too. I’m just a better player. Anyway, I wouldn’t be caught dead looking like a metrosexual. I prefer to think of myself as ruggedly handsome. At least that’s what I wrote in my last personals ad. I also said I was rich and fly airplanes. So I left out that they’re radio-controlled airplanes. What? Flying them takes skill, don’t you dare say it doesn’t!
For my half of the project, I tried out the Targus 17" Deluxe Leather Laptop Case shown in Figure D and, fortunately, carrying it safely keep me out of metrosexuality for the foreseeable future. Personally, I like how the bag looks. I certainly wouldn’t call it ugly. I think laptop bags should look like laptop bags and if you want to carry something that looks like a purse, carry a purse.
.FIGPAIR D Joe reviewed the Targus 17" Deluxe Leather Laptop Case.
.H2 What Joe liked
I liked this case. At 5.1 pounds for the case alone, it’s heavy, almost as heavy as my laptop. But I’m a tough dude, so I can handle it. I’m not sure I’d recommend it for someone not comfortable doing heavy lifting, though.
This is not a Zip-Thru like the case Liz looked at. There are pros and cons to that. The con, of course, is it’s not as easy for airport security to x-ray, so the laptop needs to be removed to go through the zapper. That, alone, might make the case for her bag.
But the advantage of my bag is that there are a lot more pockets and spots to stick stuff. There some nice see-through mesh areas, a velcro divider, and even a removable mesh bag shaped like a kidney where you could keep a power strip, as you can see in Figure E.
.FIGPAIR E This bag has lots of nooks and crannies.
Here’s a travel hint from Computing Unplugged: always take a power strip. I can’t tell you how many hotel rooms I’ve been in where there’s no free plug for the laptop, phone charger, shaver, PSP charger, camera charger, and all the other crap I carry around on trips.
.H2 What Joe didn’t like
After a month lugging this bag, I have to admit I don’t like how heavy it is. It’s twice the weight of the bag Liz reviewed and even though it’s made of genuine leather, I can’t see how it needs to be so much heavier.
It’s made of leather, which might not appeal to some of the vegans and animal-rights people out there, but it’s nice. I wouldn’t call it ugly. I also wouldn’t call those T-shirts I’ve had for 10 years ugly, but my girlfriend hates them. So use your own judgment.
It’s a laptop case that looks like a laptop case. I don’t see a problem here. But I could see how someone more fussy about style and looks might like something that doesn’t look like laptop cases have looked for as long as there’ve been laptop cases.
Oh, there was one other minor nit I didn’t like. My case also had a strap to attach the case to a luggage carrier. But my strap is sewn onto the front pocket. I’m just not sure how sturdy it’s going to be. I wouldn’t want to test it with my smokin’ rig.
.H2 Joe’s conclusion
Over all, it’s a laptop bag. There’s nothing new here that we haven’t seen a billion times before, but this one’s the biggest laptop bag I’ve ever owned. It’s solid and works.
.RATING 4
.H1 Overall impressions
I know it seems fussy, but I suppose Liz might have a point. There isn’t any real style in the bags we reviewed. There’s something to be said for the robustness that Targus brings to its bags and the new features for airport security check-in need to be applauded.
But she’s right in that these bags are pretty much indistinguishable from bags we’ve all had before. We like and strongly recommend Targus products for their solid construction and overall value, but like to see more innovation and, yes, even some style.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
Learn more about [[http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TBT046US|Targus Zip-Thru 17" Air Traveler]].
Learn more about [[http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TLE400|Targus 17" Deluxe Leather Laptop Case]].
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
