The Best Laptop Bags Will Get You Compliments on Your Commute (2024)

Hunting for the best laptop bags can feel like you're on an American Ninja Warrior course that runs through business class. You're assailed on all sides by bags that are too puffy, too boring, too covered in zippers, too…too dorky. But you also can't stash your company-issued PC or that MacBook Air you bought with your own money in some flimsy bookstore tote. To that end, our favorite laptop bags don't only protect your precious spreadsheet-holding baby—they also help you make the right impression, whether you're eyeing the C-suite or getting your work done at the cafe down the block.

What to Look For in a Laptop Bag

A good laptop bag should do three key things, all of which we consider non-negotiable. First, and foremost, it needs to coddle your fragile cargo with a dedicated storage pocket. Second, it needs at least enough additional storage for cords and chargers. And they need to not only look good, but feel good—by which we mean, they should be well-constructed.

To that last point, we've made a few rules about what doesn't work as a laptop bag here in 2023. The ‘90s may be back, fashion-wise, but we’re not reviving those old canvas messenger bags, beloved by charmingly bumbling rom-com leads from the decade. Oversized totes are great for weekends, but they generally don’t have enough protection, and you don't want to look like you've showed up to work with a diaper bag.

Blessedly, that still leaves us with some real winners. In particular, we turned up plenty of tech-ready briefs, totes, shoulder bags, and backpacks that can also pull double duty as sleek travel and work bags. Below, the laptop bags that'll actually get you compliments on your commute.

The Best Laptop Bags, at a Glance

Cut through all the baggage and shop our favorite laptop bags right here. For work or taking your tech overseas, these bags are reason enough to invest in a dedicated laptop carrier.

• The Best Casual Commuter Laptop Bag: Filson Dryden, $195
• The Best Laptop Bag With Street Cred: Porter-Yoshida & Co. Senses tote, $810
• The Best Budget Laptop Bag: Herschel Gibson, $90
• The Best Backpack-Style Laptop Bag: Aer Go Pack 2, $99
• The Best Laptop Tote Bag: Eastpak + Telfar Large Canvas Tote, $220
• The Best Carry-On Laptop Bag: Topo Designs Global Travel Bag, $199
• The Best No-Frills Laptop Bag: Rains laptop bag, $85
• The Best Designer Laptop Bag: Prada Re-Nylon saffiano leather briefcase, $3,150
• The Best Boss-Level Laptop Bag: Globe-Trotter Attaché, $1.145

The Best Casual Commuter Laptop Bag: Filson Dryden

Filson's rugged outdoor accessories—made from twill weaves, ripstop fabrics, and high-quality leather—are hardy enough to hand down to your kids. But you don't have to be a dad yourself to cash in on the brand's weather-proofed Dryden briefcase, the perfect kind of low-key shoulder bag for commuting. It's got the understated appeal of a grad-school TA's bag (but like, the cool TA)—one that dresses up just as well with a tweed suit as it does with some double-knee Carhartts. We also appreciate the easily-accessible pockets up front and the straps in back that let you slide it over your luggage's handle.

The Best Laptop Bag With Street Cred: Porter-Yoshida & Co. Tanker 3-Way

Japan's Porter-Yoshida & Co. makes some of the sleekest travel bags out there, which have inspired a cult following thanks to collabs with the likes of Marni and Comme des Garcons. This blacked-out laptop bag has all the makings of a classic Porter bag: It's barely unbranded, with all the side pockets you could conceivably need for a day at your coworking space, and reinforced with water-resistant nylon that makes it easy to wipe off the grime of a commute (or a spilled coffee).The laptop sleeve can't handle much beyond a MacBook Air-sized computer, but whatever you put inside is protected by a shock-absorbing gel.

The Best Budget Laptop Bag: Herschel Gibson

Herschel's travel briefcase has all of the pre-reqs checked at a price that even an econ undergrad can appreciate. You get a simple design, a cushy padded laptop sleeve that can fit most laptops up to 15 inches, and an easy-access zip compartment for things you want to keep close at hand. Amazon has the best deal on the black version (which we think looks the best), but Herschel's own site has six more colors if you don't mind paying for variety.

The Best Tote Bag for Transporting Your Laptop: Eastpak + Telfar Large Canvas Tote Bag

The 1990s meets the 2020s in this Eastpak x Telfar collaboration, which won't be long for this world. For now, you can still snag this roomy tote bag at Mr Porter. You can carry this canvas tote by the handles (Telfar style) or wear it on your back (Eastpak style), and once your laptop is tucked away inside, you'll still have plenty of room left over for a change of clothes, wireless headphones, a notebook, and a mid-day snack. Inside, a padded laptop compartment keeps your less-limited-edition PC safe while an external mesh pocket keeps your water bottle close at hand. A shopping-style tote bag may not be the obvious choice for a men's laptop bag, but that's what makes it such a fashionable alternative to the boring ol' work bags your coworkers are schlepping around.

The Best Laptop Backpack: Aer Go Pack 2

Since launching in 2014, Aer's been making all varieties of bags to help you schlep your stuff from point A to point B and beyond. In a crowded backpack category, the Aer Go Pack 2 stands out for being stacked with bells and whistles that easy to use—without looking like its loaded with advanced geekery. The inside sleeve can accommodate laptops up to 16 inches big, while the clip-shut front pouch lets stash-and-grab at a moment's notice. The bag's luggage handle pass-through doesn't seem crucial for a backpack, but it's a nice “never know” addition. Our favorite detail might be how the pack hinges all the way open when it's unzipped, like your roller bag—the better to hunt down whatever's stuck at the bottom.

The Best Carry-On Laptop Bag: Topo Designs Global Travel Bag

The Topo Global Travel bag very intently straddles the line between backpack and luggage, with this 30-liter option the only size that you can fit in overhead storage. (Reminder: if you're looking for excellent carry-ons, we know just the ones to buy.) Light travelers can stash a week's worth of clothes in the main compartment, which hinges open thanks to the U-shaped zipper. The separate laptop compartment on the front means you can get to your MacBaby without digging through your drawers. The Global Travel bag is designed to work modularly with the brand's assortment of storage pouches and bags, too, so you can Marie Kondo your way through a neatly organized packing experience. You also have three ways of carrying this workhorse: as a backpack, over your shoulder, or like a briefcase.

The Best Weather-Proof Laptop Bag: Rains

Rains has rapidly expanded its minimalist line of water-repellent accessories, clothes, and hardware—but the company's been making bags since the beginning, and its super-streamlined laptop case carries the brand's original DNA. Truth be told, it's little more than a laptop sleeve with a strap. Real estate for more than a few cables and a charger is in short supply. But in using the same weatherproof fabric as its rain jackets, Rains has built a low-key laptop bag that won't leave you and high-and-dry when a sudden downpour shows up.

The Best Messenger-Bag Style Laptop Bag: Bellroy

Bellroy's Tech Briefcase is all business—and we mean that as a compliment. On the outside, it's got clean lines and a handsome silhouette. On the inside, it's got tons of inner pockets for holding a surprising amount of your gear. This bag has a padded laptop compartment that's big enough for beefier laptops, a quick access pocket, a mesh zip pocket, and pass-through straps for luggage handles. It even has a dedicated storage slot for an Apple AirTag, so you can see where the thieves take your stuff before they wipe the hard drives and make your life hell.

The Best Subtle Flex Laptop Bag: Prada

Prada doesn't make the kind of tech briefcase that you haphazardly toss in a security bin or chuck under the seat in front of you. It's meant for travelers who have a bottomless expense account and and first-name-basis relationships with the Centurion Lounge front desk staff. Prada's design—and that not-entirely-subtle logo plate—elevate leather-trimmed nylon to showoff levels of cachet. And listen, we're equally pleased to note that the briefcase is thoughtful, too, thanks to partitioned compartments and a front zip pocket for quickly grabbing a passport or charge cord.

The Best Boss-Level Laptop Bag: Globe-Trotter Attaché

If you're itching to feel like a modern-day Don Draper—or at least like you're hauling a stack of classified documents and not a badly-dinged company Dell—then you need an exec-level bag. In this case, it's a hardshell briefcase with leather capped ends and a detachable interior portfolio by way of Globe-Trotter. With more than 120 years of luggage-making under its belt, the British-based brand knows a thing or two about crafting one-of-a-kind pieces by hand from ultra-sturdy vulcanized fiberboard pieces. While typically falling under the IYKYK camp, the brand is getting picked up by a new set of fashionably organized jet-setters thanks to the likes of Tyler, the Creator (who collaborated with them on a Golf le Fleur collection). All of which is to say, get one while you still can.

Plus, 6 More Laptop Bags to Secure Your Goods