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By Lori Keong and Timothy Beck Werth
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The tenets of a good laptop bag is the same as any daily hauler: Durable yet comfortable to carry, with a kind of style and multi-functionality that meets your lifestyle. The best laptop bags can deliver on all those things, just with added padding to protect your precious cargo.
To help you find your next carry-all, we're constantly on the look-out for the next best laptop bag, because, we, too, schlep our internet machines around town to the office, coffee shop, or wherever else we find ourselves working. If the bag can also serve on a weekend trip, even better.
Below, we rounded up our favorite laptop bags, ranging from backpacks to tote bags. If the picks below don't tickle your fancy, check out our guides on the best backpacks and best briefcases.
Take Me To: What To Look For in a Laptop Bag | More Bags We Love
Material: Polyester, vegan leather | Size: 12.5” x 19” x 6” | Capacity: 25L | Laptop Size: 17”
Available in three stylish colors—classic black, navy blue, and a handsome forest green—the newest iteration of Troubadour’s Apex bag impressed us with its clean silhouette, neat internal organization, and comfort. (It’s got padding in all the right places.) In our testing, the padded straps and weight balance kept us comfortable even on long commutes. This backpack has a 25L capacity suitable for everyday use and overnights, but it excels as a work bag. It keeps a relatively slim profile even when stuffed with a MacBook, umbrella, water bottle, and change of clothes.
We did encounter a couple of bugs during our testing. The teeth of the zipper came apart early in our evaluation, exposing the interior of the bag. We were able to easily fix this, but it caught us by surprise, especially for a bag at this price point. In addition, the placement of the water bottle holder can make it tricky to reach the zippers. These are minor quibbles, and by and large we're quite impressed with the bag's overall design and pocket layouts (even the padded laptop compartment has internal organization). Finally, for folks who aren’t about that MacBook life, this is the rare laptop bag that can accommodate a 17-inch Windows laptop.
Material: 100% recycled nylon | Size: 11” x 17” x 5” | Capacity: 24.3L | Laptop Size: 15” Topo Designs bags are popular picks among college students thanks to their signature color blocking. While you have to live without the fun colorways with the brand’s special-edition tech pack, we can’t resist an all-black bag like this ( also available: navy, tan, charcoal, and forest green). As the tech edition of the popular Rover Pack, this bag adds a heavily padded external laptop compartment. Otherwise, it carries over the best features from the Rover, including daisy-chain webbing, durable materials and hardware, and water bottle pockets. The large internal pocket even has space for a second laptop or tablet if your work demands multiple pieces of tech.
Material: Polyester | Size: 11'' x 18.13” x 8.25'' | Capacity: 28L | Laptop Size: 16”
College students and budget shoppers will appreciate this under-$100 backpack from the North Face. It's even got an endorsement from the American Chiropractic Association, according the brand. This pack has a padded back, a lumbar support panel, and a sternum strap to support your spine. On the front, bungee cords make it easy to clip on carabiners or other attachments, while dual water bottle pockets let you hydrate to the max.
Of course, since it’s not the most attractive bag, what’s on the inside really counts. This bag has quick-access pockets, a tablet or phone holder (in addition to the laptop compartment), and a place to secure your keys. Finally, the bag stands up on its own, so it’s no pushover despite the humble price tag.
Material: Nylon | Size: 14” x 20.5” x 8.75” | Capacity: 35L | Laptop Size: 17”
In the exact center of the Venn diagram between attractive laptop bags and functional carry-ons, you’ll find this Evergoods pack. This carry-on bag fits under airline seats, and it has a tightly woven, water-resistant nylon shell for more adventurous trips. It comes in two different sizes, but the 35-liter version should cater to most long-haul travel scenarios. Evergoods outfitted this travel bag with curved straps that naturally fit your shoulders, while an optional ergonomic waist strap distributes weight for long-haul journeys. We also love the combination of a luggage passthrough and a side handle, which lets you breeze through the terminal and then squeeze through the aisle for boarding.
GQ Associate Commerce Director Michael Nolledo took the 26-liter version on a trip to Asia in addition to a rolling suitcase and calls the backpack “an organized traveler’s dream bag.” He notes that the pocket layouts are intuitive for travel, and the clamshell opening makes it easy to load things in and out (he also recommends Evergoods’ smartly designed packing cubes). Everything about the backpack, from the fabric all the way down to the zipper pulls, is carefully considered, according to Nolledo.
Material: Nylon, leather | Size: 16.3" x 10.2" x 7.3" | Capacity: 20L | Laptop Size: 15”
What this weekender bag lacks in size, it makes up in style (20L is on the small side for a travel bag). We love the clean silhouette, minimalist aesthetic, and tote bag-like handles. If you already have Away luggage, you can match the color of the bag to your suitcase. Even if you prefer Rimowa to Away, it will still stay securely on top of your suitcase thanks to the luggage passthrough. The popular Away duffel has just enough room to fit a change of clothes, water bottle, and 15-inch laptop. And if you’re a laptop warrior with carpal tunnel battle scars, you can switch to the padded shoulder strap and give your hands a break. You might not think of a duffel as an everyday bag, but thanks to the compact size, it’s also a handsome alternative to a boring office backpack.
Material: Nylon, leather | Size: 14” x 18.5” x 5” | Capacity: 15L | Laptop Size: 13”
If 2023 was The Year of the Tote Bag, what makes 2024? Whatever you call it, we aren’t ready to give up our totes yet. Bellroy’s affordable carryall is a functional and compact laptop bag that’s just the right size for a MacBook Air. Best known for its slim men’s wallets, the Australian brand has a reputation for clean, space-saving designs with thoughtful details—and that’s exactly how we’d describe the Tokyo Tote. The padded handle straps are long enough (and comfortable enough) to wear over your shoulder on long walks. The entire bag also zips up for rainy days, while interior and exterior pockets keep your phone, water bottle, MacBook, journal, charging cables, and extra clothes organized.
Think of this as an unpretentious bag for secretly pretentious people. And for shoppers who believe a laptop bag shouldn’t cost as much as the laptop itself, it’s a smart alternative to overpriced fashion totes.
Material: Waxed cotton | Size: 11.5” x 15” x 2.75” | Capacity: 9L | Laptop Size: 15”
While Filson's briefcase needs no introduction, it also has zero padding. This Tin Cloth briefcase, however, is expressly designed with a laptop compartment. This handsome bag will keep you light on your feet, and you can carry it over the shoulder or by hand. It also works well as a companion to your luggage while traveling. Check or stow your suitcase and keep this waxed cotton briefcase on hand for your work laptop.
With a water-resistant finish, this bag will keep your gear organized and dry. And if you do have a country estate for your leisure time, Filson bags like this are still tough enough to handle wet and muddy conditions.
Material: Leather | Size: 11.5” x 19.25” x 6.75” | Capacity: 24.5L | Laptop Size: 15”
A handsome black leather backpack will always be a smart option as your work bag. Don’t overthink it. And Coach’s Gotham bag has a streamlined design and high-quality pebbled leather. While it won’t accommodate oversized 17 inchers, it can handle your MacBook with no problem. The bag has two zippered compartments on the outside and one inside, plus a few more internal pockets for easy organization. Best of all, the back of the bag is made from a breathable mesh, so you won’t show up to the office with back sweat darkening your favorite work shirts.
Material: Nylon | Size: 16” x 11.5” x 3.5” | Capacity: 8.5L | Laptop Size: 15”
We love AER’s minimalist EDC bags, and not just because of the all-black aesthetic. If you're looking for a compact laptop carry that won't weigh you down, take a look at the brand's Slim Pack. As the name suggests, this 8.5-liter backpack is slim and slender, designed to protect a laptop up to 15 inches with enough space for your charger, books, headphones, and whatever else you carry. The water-resistant coated 840D nylon fabric (the same found on Aer's larger-sized Tech Pack 3—also recommended) is easy to clean and gives the bag a slick texture.
Laptops are non-optional for college students and most office workers, so unless you want to carry that laptop commando-style, you’ll need a bag to keep it safe on your daily travels. For a lot of folks, that means a tech-friendly backpack, but that’s not your only choice.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen more guys moving away from laptop backpacks, so don’t limit yourself when choosing a laptop bag. We’ve personally tested a few of these bags, and we’re in the process of testing more. When picking our favorites—backpacks, tote bags, duffels, and briefcases—here’s how we narrowed the field:
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