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Kensington ClickSafe: Does anyone lock a laptop?

A new easier-to-lock mechanism on the Kensington ClickSafe aims to make locking laptops the default.

Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
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Scott Stein

Kensington's ClickSafe laptop lock: snaps to lock.
Kensington's ClickSafe: doesn't need a key to fasten your laptop. Unfastening is another story. Kensington

I remember 1997. I always brought my Kensington cable lock with me to tie down my PowerBook at the grad school library. Honestly, I don't think I've used a laptop lock since.

I'm not alone, apparently. Kensington's new ClickSafe locking system aims to somehow make the process easier. Well, at least half of the process: the new ClickSafe lock automatically snaps onto your laptop without a key, but it still requires a key to unlock--not a surprise, since a lock that could be unlocked without a key doesn't sound very safe at all.

The Kensington ClickSafe Keyed Laptop Lock costs $49.99, and doesn't look any different from previous locks, with the exception of its click-to-lock mechanism. The new cable lock works with the Kensington lock anchors that are on nearly every modern laptop (bet you probably don't even know where), but requires a new protruding knob that's fastened to your laptop with an included Allen wrench.

At this point, you might be considering skipping the process altogether. I can't say I blame you, since I don't use a laptop lock either, but Kensington promises that 9 out of 10 organizations suffer laptop theft in "epidemic proportions." Would an easy-to-lock lock make the process any less annoying, or would it make us suddenly fear snapping our MacBook to a Starbucks table and realizing we hadn't brought the keys?