<p>What do most college kids seem to do? Slip it in a sleeve and stick it in a backpack? laptop cases? Messenger bags with built in laptop pockets? I'm getting a 15.6 inch Dell for college and I'm trying to figure out how to keep myself from cracking its screen right off the bat.</p>
<p>Any advice/observations would be muchly appreciated!</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I have a sleeve that I stick my laptop in and that goes into my bag. I think I’m getting a bag with a specialized laptop spot though to protect my computer even further.</p>
<p>i keep it secure between textbooks.</p>
<p>Make sure you get a padded case (absorb shock of small drops). Don’t put it in a regular backpack. An overstuffed backpack can press books against the screen and flex it.</p>
<p>I like using a padded laptop sleeve (inCase or something like that) because then you can slip your computer into any bag (purse, backpack, tote bag, etc). For instance, I might want to take it to class in a back pack with all my books, but then I might just want to throw it in a large handbag to go to the coffeeshop or the library. </p>
<p>Some people use bags with laptop pockets, but then you’re tied down to that one bag and it doesn’t neccessarily offer more protection than a sleeve.</p>
<p>Our son has a 15.6" Dell Studio and it fits nicely in the North Face Surge laptop backpack. It has a separate laptop compartment that is padded on all sides (including the bottom).</p>
<p>I put mine in a case that always stays on it, then I put it in my motorcycle tailbag. I don’t carry any books/folders/notepads so I don’t have to worry about it getting crushed.</p>
<p>I have a shell thing on my laptop and I just put that I put in my backpack. I usually don’t carry books in my bag; I do it by hand so I won’t kill my back.</p>
<p>I highly doubt you will crack the screen while its in your backpack unless you are using your backpack as a football.</p>
<p>I carried it bare once from where I was living to campus. I nearly dropped it too.</p>
<p>I not planning on taking my laptop to class it’s to risky</p>
<p>Sleeve in bag is the best.</p>
<p>I’d recommend a sleeve rather than a hard plastic shell. In a drop, the shell will do absolutely nothing, whereas the sleeve will at least provide minimal padding. Of course, if that particular computer is plastic/scratches easily, perhaps a shell/skin would be a worthwhile investment.</p>
<p>I keep my MacBook Pro in an Applesac, which then gets placed in my backpack’s laptop compartment. The more padding, the better (especially if you bike - accidents happen!).</p>
<p>I’ve got a [Tom</a> Bihn](<a href=“http://www.tombihn.com/]Tom”>http://www.tombihn.com/) messenger bag (the [Super</a> Ego](<a href=“http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0825]Super”>http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0825)), and it’s nothing short of amazing. They even have a list of bags by size with the corresponding laptop models that will fit in them.</p>
<p>I have a backpack with a built-in laptop case. I also have a Targus sleeve and Targus messenger bag (both I like, but I almost never use the messenger bag), so I’m going to try this year to put my laptop in the sleeve, in the laptop slot, if it fits. Haven’t tried it yet, but since I’ll be biking this year, I’m going to give it a go for extra protection. :]</p>
<p>@Jason: you’re probably more likely to get your laptop stolen from your dorm room when your roommate leaves your door unlocked then you are to lose it at class. And what’s the point of a laptop if you don’t carry it around?</p>