MacBook Air cases and covers roundup (photos)

Looking for a case for the 11-inch or 13-inch MacBook Air? Here's a look at some of CNET's top choices.

David Carnoy

Aug. 8, 2012 4:08 p.m. PT

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Acme Made

Acme Made Skinny Sleeve MBA

Acme Made's Skinny Sleeve MBA is one of the more attractive and well-designed Air sleeves we've come across. It's made out of StretchShell neoprene and is both water- and stain-resistant and doesn't have any zippers, so you don't have to worry about scratching your Air. An elastic band keeps your laptop securely in the sleeve. It's available in matte black or purple.

Price: $39.99

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BoxWave Manila Envelope

Ever since Steve Jobs unveiled the first MacBook Air and showed it sliding it out from a manila envelope, several companies have offered up leather manila envelope sleeves. In terms of cost, BoxWave's Manila Envelope is about at the middle of the pack, with some companies selling more affordable models and some more expensive.

Price: Around $38

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Amazon

CaseCrown Book Cover Clip On case

CaseCrown is known for its value cases for a variety of mobile products and its faux-leather Book Cover Clip On case is no exception. It's available on Amazon for around $20 and is clearly one of the better deals in this roundup. CaseCrown also makes a simple Clip On Clear case that sells for about $22.

Price: Around $20 (13-inch version costs $22)

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Sarah Tew/CNET

G-Form Extreme Sleeve for Laptops

If you're looking for some serious protection for your MacBook Air, you can't get much more serious than the G-Form Extreme Sleeve for Laptops, which is made out of material called Poron XRD that's lightweight yet is able to absorb a lot of impact.

Price: G-Form makes two models: the one that fits that 11-inch Air is $69.99, and the one that fits the 13-incher is $79.99.

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Hard Candy

Hard Candy Convertible

The Hardy Candy Convertible is a faux-nubuck cover/case that looks and feels similar to the Apple case for the original iPad. It's available in multiple colors.

Price: $49.99

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Incase

Incase Perforated Hardshell case

Incase makes a variety of sleeves and cases for the MacBook Air, but the one that stands out is the Perforated Hardshell, which comes in blue, black, and white (we like black).

Price: $59.99 but can be found online for around $45

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Incipio Feather

As its name implies, the Incipio Feather is a lightweight two-piece shell that covers the top and bottom of your MacBook Air. It has a nice, smooth feel to it, and it comes in multiple colors.

Price: Lists for $49.99 but can be found online for around $35

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Incipio

Incipio Slim Sleeve

The Incipio Slim Sleeve is an inexpensive and lightweight sleeve for the 11-inch model that's made out of faux leather. It comes in multiple colors.

It also is available in a slightly different version for the 13-inch Air called the Orion Slim Sleeve (same price, multiple colors).

Price: Around $20

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iPearl mCover Hardshell

The iPearl mCover Hardshell is one of several soft polycarbonate cases for the MacBook Air. This one's more affordable, and it's available in multiple colors.

Price: Around $20

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Marware

Marware Sportfolio Sleeve

We wanted to throw in another affordable sleeve, and Marware tends to make more budget-minded cases and sleeves for a variety of mobile products. The Sportfolio Sleeve comes in multiple colors.

Price: Around $30

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Moshi

Moshi iGlaze

Moshi's iGlaze clip-on cover is similar to the Speck's SeeThru Satin covers. Pictured here is the translucent model; it also comes in "stealth" black and "pearl" white. Nice cover, but it should cost less than $50.

Price: $55 (13-inch version costs $60)

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Pad & Quill

Pad & Quill Cartella

Pad & Quill brings its book-bound style cases to the MacBook Air with the Cartella, which features a form-fitting wooden tray. We like the iPad version of this one, and the Air version makes for an interesting case option. These cases are all handmade in Minnesota.

Price: $79.99 (13-inch version costs $89.99)

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Amazon

RooCase Super Bubble Neoprene Sleeve

We wanted to throw some lower-cost sleeves into the mix, and this one from RooCase, called the RooCase Super Bubble Neoprene Sleeve, fits the bill. It gets its name from having bubble-shaped neoprene cushioning on the inside.

Price: $19.99

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Sena

Sena Folio

Sena makes very classy covers and cases with high-quality leather, and The Folio is no exception. Alas, it's expensive, but it's sweet.

Price: $170

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Sena Zipbook

Sena's Zipbook is a clamshell-style zip enclosure case for the 13-inch Air that's made of soft leather and nicely padded on the inside. It's definitely got a swanky design and is a great case if you can afford it.

Price: $180

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Speck

Speck SeeThru cases

Speck's SeeThru covers are lightweight and made of translucent hard plastic. The standard model has a smooth finish which while the Satin model has a soft-to-the touch "satin" finish. They clip on to the top and bottom of your Air and are available in several different colors.

Price: $49.95

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Timbuk2

Timbuk2 Crater Laptop Sleeve

Timbuk2 makes some interesting laptop and tablet cases, and I thought it was worth highlighting the Crater, which is available in three color schemes.

It has a rubbery, meshlike feel to it, and it's very lightweight. The key feature is that if you hold it up to the light--or just look at it--you'll notice that it has lots of little perforations or "craters" in it, and light passes through it.

Price: $35

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Twelve South

Twelve South BookBook Hardback Leather

If you always wanted to store your MacBook Air in a case that looked like an old leather-bound book, then the Twelve South BookBook Hardback Leather case should be right up your alley.

Price: $79.95

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Waterfield Design

WaterField Design Air Travel Express

San Francisco-based WaterField Design makes really nice cases for a variety of products. This Air Travel Express is designed to fit small laptops like the Air and offers power-cord storage as well. It's available with different trim colors.

Price: $79-$89 (13-inch version costs more)

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WaterField Design

WaterField MacBook Air Smartcase

WaterField's MacBook Air Smartcase is a simple, attractive, and nicely built sleeve with a soft interior. It's available in multiple colors.

Price: $79-$89 (13-inch version costs more)

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Waterfield Design

WaterField Suede Jacket Sleeve

This WaterField Suede Jacket Sleeve is superthin -- it literally feels like a piece of cloth, but it's suede. It's not going to offer much protection, but it does cover your MacBook Air and prevent it from getting scratched up. It comes in vertical and horizontal versions.

Price: $25-$29 (13-inch versions are more expensive)

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