If you plan to travel with your laptop (as most laptop owners do - portability is one of the main reasons for choosing this type of computer) you have to make sure your laptop travels safely. Just throwing your laptop into a regular backpack or tote bag is just plain foolish; this delicate instrument needs to be protected from bumps, scratches, falls, liquids, and extreme temperature. Laptop cases are designed to provide this protection. Typically, laptop bags are the right size to hold the computer without a lot of space or other items around it. Laptop bags are sometimes bulky, and they can (but don't have to be) expensive. The best thing to do is to make sure the bag you're purchasing is really meant for carrying laptops.

For instance, while regular backpacks have a lot of empty space inside them, a laptop backpack has a special padded compartment to hold the computer securely. Other laptop cases might have a shoulder strap, or they might be briefcase style.

In the past, laptop cases were invariably serious-looking and rather expensive - the briefcase style predominated. Thanks to the popularity of laptops among students, this has changed, and there are many styles to choose from today. For the budget-conscious, Ikea even has a plain black case with a shoulder strap, perfectly safe and suitable for carrying a computer, for only $ 10! Of course, most laptop bags cost more than that - generally, prices are in the vicinity of $ 60, slightly higher than the price of a regular book bag or backpack.

Whatever you do, don't be tempted to carry your laptop under your arm or toss it into a regular backpack or tote bag. If your laptop leaves the home or office even infrequently, it needs to be transported safely in one of the variety of laptop cases available today. Compared to the price of laptop bags, laptop repairs are exorbitant!