Just because you're carrying a laptop doesn't mean you have to look like it. Gadgets these days are sexier and sleeker than ever, so why isn't the bag you carry them in also cooler than a polar bear's toenails? No worries -- I got your back.
Here's a gallery of stylish laptop and tablet bags with the perfect laptop or tablet pairings, so you can glow up and finally stop using that LL Bean backpack from 2005.
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High-class multitasker
In the best way possible, the Knomo Audley ($349) looks like a vintage doctor's bag for the modern woman.
Big enough to carry all the basic necessities and more, it pairs well with the stunning and lightweight Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe.
The Asus laptop's sleek design and navy blue color complement the leather bag's fabric-lined interior. Unsurprisingly, the thin notebook easily slides into the Audley bag's built-in laptop pocket.
With a sly charger built into one of its compartments, its compact dimensions are still spacious enough to accommodate the Huawei MediaPad 8 -- the iPad Mini of the Android world.
If you're the type of person who squirms with excitement when electronics come out in a millennial pink shade, the Skinnydip Candy Fur case ($40) is for you.
Paired with the pink 13-inch MacBook, it's arguably the cutest duo on this list.
Experienced travelers stick out like a sore thumb, mostly because they pack efficiently and don't hold up security lines taking off their shoes.
The Skits Oxford Genius ($79) case is perfect for the frequent flyer who excels at organized travel. Unzip the Skits case and find plenty of clear pockets to keep cables, chargers and adapters neat and tidy.
A backpack this big and obsessed with security should not be this cute.
Made of lightweight material, the Pacsafe Citysafe CX ($129) bag has thin, padded straps, stylish gold accents, a classy mauve exterior and spacious bubblegum pink interior that give it a feminine touch.
It's also surprisingly spacious, with grab handles for easy transport.
The Samsung Notebook 9 is a top-notch ultraportable laptop that won't weigh down the PacSafe backpack inside its built-in laptop sleeve -- or cramp your style.
And there's more anti-theft technology where that comes from. The bag also has interlocking zipper pullers with security clips to disarm pickpockets, and is made of material with hidden stainless-steel wire mesh, you know, in case some menace tries to cut open the backpack to steal your laptop.
Carrying around a big laptop bag is easier when the laptop you're toting around is a featherweight like the LG Gram 15.
The 15-inch laptop fits perfectly inside the bag's built-in padded laptop compartment, which sits across from an inner lining packed with a bevy of pockets for organized storage.
While it looks like a fashionable clutch in this photo, clip on the cute shoulder strap (included) and slip in an Apple iPad Pro 9.7, and you've got yourself a traveling office.
The stylish Elektronista purse has a tablet sleeve big enough to store an Apple iPad Pro 9.7, a portable battery charger and a surplus of pockets (including a detachable coin purse) for keeping all of your belongings organized.
The last thing a busy mom should have to worry about is which bag to take from the office to soccer practice to the grocery store. The Heys HiLite Laptop Tote ($63) is a high-quality option with some high-tech perks.
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Heys HiLite Laptop Tote and Apple iPad Pro 12.9
The Heys tote has a large fleece-lined compartment that perfectly fits the supersize iPad Pro 12.9, and pockets with RFID protection.
Made of nylon twill and rubber accents, it's also easy to clean and maintain in case of spills.
The beautiful Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 has a glass back that looks effortlessly chic next to the richly textured, glitter-covered Skinnydip Dusk sleeve ($40).
The large model, seen here with a 15-inch MacBook Pro, can fit up to a 15-inch laptops, and the smaller one, shown with the Huawei MateBook X, can squeeze in a laptop or tablet up to 12-inches big.
Both come in a variety of colors and include optional shoulder straps.
Though the Moshi Urbana Mini is just a smaller version of the Moshi Urbana, the Urbana Mini looks more like a purse, while the Moshi Urbana resembles a modern briefcase.
If you only need a computer for email correspondence and casually cruising the internet for funny memes, an Android tablet like the Pixel C can do the trick.
Ju-Ju-Be Micro Tech Black Diamond sleeve and Google Pixel C
The Google Android tablet has a plain design, sans logo or flashy finish. The Ju-Ju-Be case makes up for the Pixel C's simplicity with a timeless angular design.
A laptop sleeve is essential in college. So is a comfortable keyboard if you're knocking out midterm after midterm.
The Caseable laptop sleeve is simple and sturdy enough to protect a solid laptop like a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 370 when you're throwing it into a backpack before or after class.
Caseable Marbled Darkness sleeve and Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 370
Caseable laptop sleeves are customizable, but the company also offers cases featuring the works of talented artists.
This 13-inch laptop case ($49) features a marble design from Amy Sia, a London-based textile print designer, that reminds me of the silky-smooth keyboard on the ThinkPad Yoga 370.
The Tom Bihn Daylight Briefcase ($80) features a minimalist design that's ultralight and subtly stylish. The compact bag is perfect for shuttling between coffee houses and meeting rooms.
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Tom Bihn Daylight bag and Acer Swift 3
Like the Daylight briefcase, the Acer Swift 3 is rather simple but great for the price.
The affordable laptop has an all-metal design that's unusually sleek for a budget buy. However when it's next to the vibrant Tom Bihn bag, seen here in a vibrant "French blue," it looks like a million bucks.
The Topo laptop sleeve ($36) is made as durably as its outdoorsy backpacks, and Asus Chromebook Flip fits inside of the medium-size model like it was tailor-made for it.
The Asus Chromebook and Topo sleeve are both simple, practical and affordable.
And there's something about a laptop sleeve with handles that makes it a tad cooler than ones without handles.
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Tech-savvy traveler
Like the Pacsafe Citysafe CX backpack, the Pacsafe Metrosafe LS250 shoulder bag ($90) is chock-full of built-in antitheft technology.
It has secure zippers, clips and hooks to prevent pickpockets, pockets with RFID blocking material and a shoulder strap reinforced with steel wire so it can't be easily cut.
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Pacsafe Metrosafe LS250 shoulder bag and Asus ZenPad 8S
The Pacsafe bag uniquely has the shape of a small backpack with the strap of a shoulder bag.
Its back pocket can comfortably fit the Asus ZenPad 8S, a tablet with cellular service that can come in handy when traveling.
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Wanderlust
According to my co-workers, sling backpacks (like tablets) aren't "in" right now, which means they'll probably be back in fashion soon, along with bell bottoms and yellow tinted sunglasses.
Anyway, sling backpacks like this Heys HiLite tablet bag ($45) are useful because you can easily access what's inside the bag without taking it off, an unfortunate risk when traveling.
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Heys HiLite Tablet Sling and Lenovo Tab 4 (10-inch)
The Heys Travel HiLite sling backpack has an interior, fleece-lined pocket with RFID protection that can comfortably hold a big tablet like the Lenovo Tab 4.
The affordable big-screened tablet works well for researching your next travel destination, and watching a movie or two while on the train there.
The bag has comfortably padded shoulder straps for long days spent sightseeing and an exterior bottle holder to make sure you stay hydrated on your travels.
Discuss: Gadget-bag pairings to make your current backpack jealous
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.
Discuss: Gadget-bag pairings to make your current backpack jealous
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.