In the center of the bag there's a heavily padded laptop compartment with an elastic Velcro strap to hold your laptop in place; the bag is large enough to accommodate 15.4-inch laptops. Even with a bulky laptop in place, there's room left for a magazine, notepad, or a few file folders.
The third compartment, which like the front area opens wide for easy access but has fabric sides to keep small items in place, includes two large sections for file folders and other paperwork. This is also where you'll find Mobile Edge's signature removable accessory bag, which is useful for corralling mice and USB keys, stashing makeup, and even serving as a clutch purse in a pinch. The accessory bag attaches to the interior via a small hook dongle that's also handy for keeping keys within easy reach.
The bag feels sturdily constructed, with one notable exception: the shoulder strap. Though we found we preferred to carry the bag (containing our ultraportable laptop) by its two briefcase handles, we did find the shoulder strap handy when we needed to keep our hands free. (And a 15.4-inch laptop may prove too heavy to carry in one hand, necessitating constant use of the shoulder strap.) The strap itself seems a bit narrow for the size of the bag, but it is made of nylon and attaches to the bag via steel fittings, so we figured we'd be OK. Unfortunately, one of the fittings on our review unit fell apart the second time we carried the bag, dropping it from waist height onto concrete. Luckily, the bag's padding adequately protected the laptop.
Of course, one incident doesn't mean every bag is flawed, and Mobile Edge does back the Element with a lifetime warranty, so the strap would be readily replaced. Barring that annoyance, the Mobile Edge Element would be one of our favorite fashionable laptop bags.
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- strap,
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Where to buy
Mobile Edge The Element - notebook carrying case:
$56.09 - $71.99
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$56.09 | Yes |
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$66.05 | Yes |
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$71.99 | Yes |
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