Why You Can Trust CNET Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote review: Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote
Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote
Designed for women who want a stylish bag to carry their laptop on a daily commute, the Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote looks more like a Burberry satchel than a laptop bag. Unlike a satchel, however, the Cha Cha Tote's interior includes a padded laptop compartment, organizer pockets, and a removable accessory pouch. And at $70, it costs as much as $40 less than other fashion-forward laptop bags. Of course, as with all shoulder-style bags, we can't recommend it for carrying anything larger than a thin-and-light laptop. And the Cha Cha Tote's tassel-heavy decoration may not appeal to every business woman's tastes. But if you like the look, there's no reason not to buy the well-designed and functional Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote.
Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Though its lower-end materials make it obvious the Cha Cha Tote isn't couture, its overall look is surprisingly sophisticated. The exterior consists of red polyester material with dark-brown faux-leather accents and straps. A large decorative tassel adorns one side of the bag, while smaller tassels act as pulls for the double zipper. The exterior lacks any other features besides the tassels and leather accents--there are no pockets for magazines or carriers for cell phones. Metal grommets on the base of the bag provide protection and stability when you set it down on the train or bus. We like that the straps are short enough to carry the bag briefcase-style, yet long enough to throw the bag over one shoulder for convenience.
Inside the Cha Cha Tote you'll find three main compartments. One compartment features a cell phone pocket, a PDA pocket, three pen loops, and five slots for business cards. This compartment also includes a snap-in accessory bag for makeup or other small items; it can also serve as a clutch purse in a pinch. The center compartment is lightly padded to protect your laptop from jostling, and a faux-leather strap folds across the top to hold your laptop in place. The third compartment can hold a few notepads, files, or magazines, and it. includes a small zippered pocket on the outside edge. We like the interior's light-tan pinstripe fabric, which, in addition to looking deluxe, makes it easy to spot items at the bottom of the bag. We only wish the double zipper traveled a little farther down the sides of the bag to provide easier access to its contents.
The shoulder-bag design of the Cha Cha Tote is stylish and versatile; though it's large, the bag hardly screams "laptop inside." But it can be difficult to carry the full weight of a laptop on one shoulder, and we found that anything heavier than the 14.1-inch Acer TravelMate 4720 felt too heavy for this bag. As with other shoulder-style laptop bags, the Targus Cha Cha Women's Tote seems best suited for ultraportable and some thin-and-light laptops.