These bags keep your laptop secure, and look good doing it.
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Overview
Table of Contents
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
If you're reading this, you almost certainly own a laptop. And if you do own a laptop, you need a practical bag for carrying it around. After all, the point of a laptop is portability — to take your work, games, and pretty much your whole life on-the-go.
But it's so much trickier than just grabbing the first backpack off the peg. Backpacks are like life partners. We all need one to get through the day, but it's about finding one that perfectly suits you. There are loads of different factors to consider: your daily routine, functionality vs. comfort, and how much stuff you have to cram inside.
Indeed, there's plenty to think about. Choosing a backpack depends entirely on your lifestyle and day-to-day activities. Almost as much as when choosing the laptop itself. Here are some helpful pointers and a round-up of the best backpacks for laptops.
How big is a laptop backpack?
If only it was as easy as simply picking a backpack that fits your laptop. As for overall size, think about how you most commonly use your backpack. If you use it while commuting, you might want a slimmer size for saving space on busy trains or buses — or maybe you need it to store away easily in the office or at home, or under the desk.
Conversely, maybe you double-up and take your everyday laptop backpack on hiking or weekend excursions, in which case you may want a bigger bag for packing in extra belongings and accessories. A smaller bag is around 15 litres and larger capacities are somewhere around the 30-litre mark.
What size laptop can a backpack carry?
Different laptop bags are built to fit different laptop sizes, from 13 to 17-inches. But the size of the backpack's laptop sleeve will vary from brand to brand. To make sure your laptop fits, look at the manufacturer’s specific measurements. The size of other compartments will also be a factor.
What other features do laptop backpacks have?
A laptop sleeve is your base requirement, of course. As opposed to a general bag compartment that will hold your laptop but won’t keep it secure, which means your laptop will be banging about. Commuters or frequent fliers can look for backpacks that have a USB port, which eliminates the issue of needing to find a seat next to a powerpoint. They should also seek out secure locking functions.
Hikers may want features such as handy water bottle pockets, extra padding on the straps, or an attachment for a torch. Easy-to-reach front pockets for holding your phone or other necessary items are useful too. If you’re dedicated to fitness, look for a compartment that's similarly dedicated to holding your gym gear or trainers.
What types of laptop backpack can you buy?
The backpack is not the only option, of course. There are also tote, messenger, duffel, and briefcase-style bags available. But if it’s a backpack that you’re after — and the backpack is the best all-rounder — there are still style variations to consider:
Business — These bags will include a high-end style, such as laptop bags made by Samsonite, or a business casual style that will look good with a suit but shrug off the formality. Look out for brands such as Bellroy or Lily & Drew.
Classic — These bags will look like an upgrade on your school bag and will accompany timeless, no-frills fashion. See brands such as Herschel, Jansport, or Fjallraven.
Sports — These bags will likely come from well-known sports brands like Nike or outdoors brands like Osprey and North Face, and will accommodate gym gear, or offer features suitable for active and outdoors lifestyles.
Technology — These are well suited to anyone whose job or day-to-day activities includes carrying lots of gadgets, devices, leads, and accessories. They typically feature lots of compartments for good organisation.
How much does a laptop backpack cost?
It’s one of the big questions. As ever, you get what you pay for. Most people aren't willing to drop more than £100 on a backpack — but if you want one that’s robust and big on features, you might need to invest a little extra.
What is the best backpack for your laptop?
Whether you're looking for a basic option for the commute or a heavy-duty backpack with all the bells and whistles, we've got the best bags to fit your needs. We have lined up a selection of the very best laptop backpacks from all the biggest brands. There is something for everyone in this list.
These are the best laptop backpacks for 2025.
The Good & The Bad
- Triple padded compartments
- Spacious design
- Shock absorbing straps
- Big capacity
- Phone pocket is small
- Generic style
Why We Like It
The Wenger Pegasus Laptop Backpack has you covered, whether it's for work, business, university, or travel. It’s a big backpack designed for a big load. It has an impressive capacity and room in the main compartment for big laptops.
The pockets help to keep you organised. The front pocket is for your phone, cables, charger, business cards, and smaller items, while the three larger padded compartments hold books, clothes, notebooks, and more.
Shock-absorbing shoulder straps keep you comfortable, and there are mesh side pockets for quick and easy access to your water bottle. There's also air-flow back padding, which keeps you cool, and a reinforced grab handle that slips over the handle of wheeled luggage, making things easier at the airport.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- 5-point strap system
- Balances weight and reduces strain
- High contrast lining
- Room for all your tech gear
- Media player outlet
- Water resistance
- Straps can loosen
- Pricey option
Why We Like It
Gamers rejoice. The Everki Atlas is built to carry a laptop and all your gear while staying organised. A 180° foldout design makes all of the bag's contents easily accessible, while making it totally checkpoint friendly.
The interior compartments and pockets are a nice contrasting red, which makes it easy to find what you need. And there are dedicated sections for your laptop, tablet, magazines, business cards, and other items. It also has a media player outlet, which prevents wires tangling around your straps.
It terms of the fit, this backpack uses a five-point balance strap system with pillow-soft, adjustable straps, plus two quick-slide straps at the bottom and one across the chest. To top it all off, the Atlas is water resistant.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- Built for the outdoors
- Supportive air-mesh panel
- Plenty of space
- Extra padding
- Ventilation system
- Reports of not standing up
- No waist belt
Why We Like It
Known for building gear aimed at athletes and outdoor adventurers, The North Face makes products to withstand somewhat extreme conditions. The same standards apply to the North Face Connector. But don’t assume this backpack is restricted to mountaineers. It's great for students or anyone who travels a lot.
Everything on this backpack is built to last. It features a FlexVent suspension system, with custom injection-moulded shoulder straps, and a padded mesh back panel. It's always comfortable — even if you pack it to the max.
The Connector backpack has two main compartments and stretch mesh pockets for bottles of water. And the laptop compartment is super protective, so there's no need to worry about your device getting banged up and damaged.
The only downside is that it doesn't have waist belt support like other North Face backpacks. Reviewers have also noted that it doesn't have a flat bottom, so it doesn't always stand up straight.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- Simple yet functional
- Cool brand and style
- Quality build
- Pocket for water bottle
- Colour availability varies
- Doesn't fit the biggest laptops
Why We Like It
If you've ever shopped for a backpack during the back-to-school season, the Jansport logo will be familiar. Jansport has seemingly been around forever, remaining a reliable and well-trusted brand. Style-wise, it's an American classic. We can’t not have a backpack dedicated to students in this list.
The Jansport Big Student Backpack gives you everything you'll need for the semester. It has two deep sleeves, one for a laptop and the other for textbooks, plus a front stash pocket for smaller items such as pens and pencils.
It also has a mesh pocket that's just the right size to keep your water bottle from slipping out. The manufacturing quality on the Jansport is so good that Jansport offers a lifetime warranty on this backpack, so there's literally no need to worry about this thing lasting you through the school year or beyond.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- Compact and comfortable
- Expandable features
- Huge capacity
- Well organised design
- Stretch front pocket
- Stiff with laptop packed
- Quite pricey
Why We Like It
If you find yourself constantly trekking from one end of the airport to another, whether it's for a business trip or a weekend excursion, the Osprey Nebula Daypack is a great choice. It's a big bag for big trips and sizeable needs.
It has a laptop sleeve along with several internal and external organisation pockets, plus a large main compartment, a stretch front compartment, side mesh pockets, and a cosy padded harness to keep your things well organised and accessible while taking the pressure off your shoulders.
It even comes with LED light attachment point, to keep you safe if you're traveling at night and need to put a bit of light on the situation.
With a 34-litre capacity, it’s the biggest backpack on this list. Indeed, the Osprey Nebula Daypack is spacious enough to fit all of your necessities, yet compact enough to fit in any overhead bin and even under most aircraft seats.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- Durable craftsmanship
- Front slip pocket
- Magnetic fastening straps
- Comfortable to wear
- Great preppy style
- No water bottle pocket
- Smaller capacity
Why We Like It
You’ve seen Herschel backpacks, because they’re everywhere right now. They have a classic style for contemporary times. And one of our favourite designs from the Canada-based brand is the Herschel Retreat Backpack.
It has a simple design that meets all the basic functions of a good laptop backpack. That being said, if you're looking for a more tech-focused backpack with multiple pockets, compartments, and other extras, this isn't for you.
But what it lacks in the frills department, it makes up for in quality and durability. It’s also worth noting that it looks pretty great — sleek, simple, and more mature compared to your typically bulky, teen-style backpack.
The Retreat features one large main compartment with a 15-inch laptop sleeve, and one single slip pocket at the front. Nothing confusing here, people. Again, just enough to get the job done — but getting it done on-trend.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- Theft-proof lock
- Other safety features
- Lots of pocket compartments
- USB port for charging
- Attaches to wheeled luggage
- Thin and lightweight
- Less stylish
- No power bank included
Why We Like It
If your daily commute involves public transport or navigating the hustle and bustle of city life, you don't want a bulky bag that will take up already-limited space. But it still needs to protect your laptop at all times.
The Wenig Anti-Theft backpack is slimline but full of features and storage. It has three main compartments — including a laptop sleeve — plus 12 other pockets for stashing a tablet, notebook, chargers, leads, pens, and other bits.
At the airport and in a rush? No problem. This backpack hooks over the handles of a wheeled suitcase to save you time and effort.
There's also a USB charging port, so there's no need to stress over finding a seat next to an outlet or the fact that you forgot to charge your phone overnight, and headphone port. As for safety features, it has a fixed password anti-theft lock and hidden anti-theft pocket. You can travel very securely.
Details
The Good & The Bad
- Wide-open design
- Well organised compartments
- Outside water bottle pockets
- Anti-theft pocket
- Reflective stripe
- More robust quality available
Why We Like It
The Lekesky Laptop Rucksack is a great all-rounder. It’s especially good for staying organised, even if you’re someone who carries a lot of different stuff around. Its wide-open design makes everything easy to access, with clearly designated compartments and pockets inside that keep everything exactly where you want it. There are five main compartments, including the laptop sleeve. In fact, this one’s so roomy that there’s space to keep two laptops.
Even though it’s at the lower end of the price bracket, it has extra features that put it ahead of more expensive backpacks. There’s a reflective stripe on one of the straps, plus an anti-theft pocket that rests against your back. It's pretty much impossible for thieves to reach in while you’re wearing it. It’s a perfect spot for keeping your phone, keys, or wallet — safe but accessible for you.
In terms of style, it’s also a nice-looking design that will suit anyone. Handles on the top of the backpack allow you to carry it handbag style, too.
Details
Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.
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