The best laptop backpacks of 2024: Conquer the commute

For the cumbersome journey to campus, the pack-up-and-go morning rush, or the long walk home, protecting your laptop with a quality backpack is a critical lifeline for keeping your precious technology safe and sound. A reliable laptop backpack should not only bear the weight of your laptop (along with plenty of paperwork), but also keep it safe from harm.

Whether it's splashes, spills, or the occasional unforeseen thunk to the floor, a great backpack is an investment towards keeping your splendid laptop safe from the elements. As such, always be on the lookout for the water resistance of any backpack. If you plan on adding a lot of books alongside your student laptop, a bag with a large capacity is a must so as to prevent anything from getting crushed.

The best laptop backpacks of 2024 at a glance:

• Best overall: Kroser Travel Laptop Backpack – View at Amazon
• Best budget: Matein Travel Laptop Backpack – View at Amazon
• Best waterproof: Mark Ryden Laptop Backpack – View at Amazon
• Best anti-theft: Bange Anti Theft Laptop Backpack – View at Amazon

As for keeping your laptop safe from others, many modern laptop backpacks are well-equipped for that too. From ingenious internal zips that are tricky to open to RFID signal-blocking technology that keeps your personal data well and truly safe from harm, our selection of laptop backpacks is a must for security-conscious laptop users.

But it's not just about protecting your laptop from harm, a great laptop backpack ought to be comfortable too. Plush, adjustable shoulder straps, padded, breathable back support and a spacious design are all must-haves for large, 17-inch laptops. Our picks for our favourite laptop backpacks are chosen to accommodate travellers of any size. There are plenty of brands and budgets to consider, so we've made sure to include a variety of different laptop backpacks.

Best laptop backpacks of 2024:

All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

How to choose the best laptop backpacks for you:

It can be tricky narrowing down what you may want from a laptop backpack, so we've noted a couple extra points to keep in mind.

Capacity, build, and comfort

The maximum capacity of your backpack doesn't just matter for fitting a laptop in. After all, you'll likely be bringing more with you than just the laptop, you'll want to take a charger along, as well as any other accessories.

As such, you will also want to keep an eye on the build. We all have our own personal preferences on how many pockets and sections a bag should have, as well as where they're placed. The material also matters, especially if you choose a heavier laptop. Sturdier materials mean a longer-lasting backpack.

Comfort is also important. No one wants to hike around on a hot day with a stuffy backpack causing them to sweat. Many laptop backpacks have mesh material that is both soft to the touch and improves the overall breathability.

Extra features

Aside from features such as waterproofing or anti-theft designs, there main other thing to consider would be any USB openings. Some backpacks have small sections that you can fit a cable through, just enough to connect something inside to out. It's a great way to keep your USB and USB-C connections tidy.

While it may not have as many direct applications for a laptop, it's very handy for use with power banks. If you're out walking and using your phone but need to charge it, you can connect it to a power bank inside your bag without needing to carry it separately.

Match your style

Although we've talked a lot about the importance of functionality, it's worth your time to consider the aesthetics of your backpack. After all, a backpack will become part of your outfit, so it's good to choose something you like the look of.

We think it's worth matching the aesthetics of your laptop with your backpack. Choosing a classy backpack to pair with your business laptop gives you a bit of professional style, or you may want to pair your HP laptop with an HP backpack for the ultimate match.

FAQs

Laptop backpack vs regular backpack – what's the best?

A laptop backpack is usually equipped with multi-layered compartments, as well as somewhere snug for your laptop to sit while you're walking. While this might not sound exciting, that extra layer of padding provides padding to protect your laptop from slips and falls that catch us off-guard at times.

A regular backpack, however, might not even have enough room for a laptop – leading to a sudden wrestling match before you head off to work or school in the morning, not the most fun thing to do before you've properly woken up.

Are laptop backpacks waterproof?

Laptop bags are, for the most part, water-resistant, they'll protect your bag from a decent amount of water, but forget taking it for a dip.

How can laptop backpacks prevent theft?

Laptop backpacks have a number of ways of keeping your hardware safe and sound, from TSA anti-theft locks that keep zippers code-protected, to hidden anti-theft pockets and RFID signal-blocking material that wards off any unwanted thieves and hackers from stealing data.

The verdict

One of the best aspects of laptops is portability, and in order to get the most reliable use out of that, you need a bag for your laptop. While a standard case might do a decent job at protecting it, you really want to invest in a backpack for the best balance of protection and convenience.

Our personal favourites have to be either the Kroser Travel Laptop Backpack or the Matein Travel Laptop Backpack. The Kroser does everything you want from a backpack, with the spacious design being especially appealing. Meanwhile, the Matein's combination of breathability and aesthetics, along with its affordability, make it well worth anyone's consideration.

Ryan Houghton is a Tech Writer and Reviewer for What’s The Best, known best for his expertise in gaming, with a particular soft spot for PC gaming, audio tech, televisions and smartphones.

Diligently writing for What’s The Best for almost two years, there are very few tech products Ryan hasn’t had his hands on to review; televisions, headphones, folding phones and even LEGO, if it’s nerdy, he’ll be there.

His well-versed history as one of the resident techies at What’s The Best has kept him keen to uncover the very best deals, savings and offers for those in need of a cracking deal to upgrade their setup.

In his downtime, Ryan most likely has his nose buried in a fantasy book, or his eyes glued to a screen whilst playing a tough-as-nails Soulslike or leisurely RPG, indulging in most forms of escapism where possible.

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