17" laptop bag help

[tragic hero]

I just bought a Dell 17" laptop and I am looking at two bags the lowepro messanger L(I think is what it's called) and the tenba scooba side kick. Both bags say they will fit a 17" laptop and call out mac book pro, however the pro is only 15.4" and my laptop is 16.4", the dimensions for the laptop compartment on both bags are 16". Does anyone have any experience with either bag or a laptop bag with similar size and a MacBook pro?

I am trying to find out if the bag will fit the laptop and it will he snug, meaning it won't fall out on by it's own weight if held upside down, or if it's gonna be like trying to put small latex gloves on large hands, meaning it fits but not without a fight and some unwanted pressure


Any help is apreciated, I tried callng co-op and hce and neither could confirm thEy had it in stock and a journey from clear lake is difficult to get done with conflicting work schedule.



Thanks

[toverman]

There is a MacBook Pro with a 17-inch screen, and if that's the one it's talking about your Dell will probably fit.

I have a Lowepro Stealth Reporter 650 AW, which sounds like it would be too big for what you need. It is advertised as being able to fit a 12-inch laptop; before I bought it I made sure my 13-inch fit and it did. I've even fit my wife's 17-inch MacBook Pro in there, and it fit all the way inside the sleeve securely. You'd think dimensions are dimensions, but there's usually a little wiggle room. In your case, should work out just fine.

[DanielSeth]

Have you looked at www.booqbags.com ? Top quality materials and features and you can google a coupon code.

[dminton]

I can't say enough good things about Timbuk2 bags. I've gone through 4 of different sizes, for my old 12" PowerBook, then my 15" PowerBook and now my 17" MacBook Pro.

They can get pretty pricey, but you really get what you pay for. Very nice quality and very well thought-out. The computer area of their bags are lined with corduroy and padded. Their bags are great, and their laptop sleeves are even better.

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/home

[tragic hero]

Thanks everyone, think I'm gonna bite the bullet and try the tenba

[CaptainG]

17" is the screen diagonal. The computer is less than 16" wide.

[tragic hero]

Originally Posted by CaptainG

17" is the screen diagonal. The computer is less than 16" wide.

Nope specs from Dells site on my laptop are 16.4" wide, it may be a 17.3" screen. You are correct tho that screen width is different than over all width and in my checking is when I found out that the mac was an 1" smaller than mine.

[tragic hero]

So I got the bag in, and the laptop is too wide to fit in the part of the bag for the laptop, but the bag is plenty big enough to hold it. So I just modified the laptop compartment to widen it. Really happy with this bag, thanks for all the help.

[tml]

I have a Crumpler's the Brazillion Dollar Home bag for my macbook pro 17". A little heavy, but so well-made.

[Daniel W.]

Glad you could find a solution. The Mac notebooks to seem to become the standard in measurement, which is an issue since they're minimalist design doesn't account for the bulk you'd find in other notebooks.

I too went with a Tenba, and love it! For just a notebook, the bag is good but I found the same case with any bag+gear, too heavy! It was much easier to keep camera gear in a backpack or roller, then laptop + asstd. goodies in a messenger (i.e. Timbuk2, GREAT bags). - for air travel that is.

[sbfuller]

i know you already got one, but i thought I'd add a little something to this thread. I was having issues finding a relatively small bag that would also hold my HP dv7 laptop, it's 16.2 inches wide. I ended up with a thinktank bag... not sure of the model but it was the $179 one. it holds my laptop with just a tad bit of room to spare, it'll hold a ton of lenses and my 50d.

[KenJulio]

Originally Posted by sbfuller

i know you already got one, but i thought I'd add a little something to this thread. I was having issues finding a relatively small bag that would also hold my HP dv7 laptop, it's 16.2 inches wide. I ended up with a thinktank bag... not sure of the model but it was the $179 one. it holds my laptop with just a tad bit of room to spare, it'll hold a ton of lenses and my 50d.

The model you purchased was the Urban Disguise 60, a number of my friends had purchased one for themselves after seeing mine.

[sbfuller]

mine was actually the streetwalker HardDrive. I wanted a backpack

[KenJulio]

Oh yeah, that one too, or the shapeshifter :)