Macally BOOKSHELL2 Leather Protective Cover for New 13 Inch Aluminum MacBook
March 22nd, 2010 Posted in MacBook
- Two piece snap-on protective imitation leather shell
- Specially designed for your MacBook
- Access to all ports and CD/DVD slot
- Ventilated rear to minimize heat built-up
- Suede inner lining to prevent scratches to your MacBook
Product Description
Black leather protective cover for the new 13″ aluminum MacBook… More >>
Macally BOOKSHELL2 Leather Protective Cover for New 13 Inch Aluminum MacBook
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:45 am
* Fits the new MacBook Pro 13″ too (only difference is the laptop “lock” notch near the CD drive is covered.)
* Fits snugly with a slight bit of padding, so you can put your laptop in a backpack or something without scratching it. The case meets very well when the laptop is closed.
* The Apple logo isn’t visible (fairly minor) and the sleep light isn’t visible. All other ports are easy to access.
* When the screen is 100% tilted back (I don’t really tilt my screen this far), it will seal of the rear fan port as the case meets. The rear of the laptop isn’t actually covered by the case to allow venting.
* It has a nice, soft feel to it that I like better than a plastic shell. The inside is lined as well.
* Under $30 seems like a great value for this. It has a nice look (black matches the aluminum style).
* I would order this same product again if I needed another. It looks like it could get worn out after a year or two of use, but that’s kind of the point of a case.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:53 am
Just got my new 13″ MBP last week and I had already put a small scratch in the bottom aluminum cover :grr: from gentle normal useage. So I immediately set out to find a shell cover. I was never a fan of plastic covers (clear or otherwise) so I went in search of a leather cover at “any” price point (I also own a Vaja leather cover for my iPhone). There are plenty of high priced options that I’m sure would be “worth” it, but for $25 this cover is excellent choice! Even for $50 I’d still consider it money well spent especially compared to some of the designer MBP leather covers/cases that can run $100-$300!
As others have noted, this case fits nice and snug. When closed pretty much everything is covered except for the ports and CD slot on the sides. The leather is thin (but that is to be expected at this price point) but has a very nice, smooth grained texture with a subtle Macally logo embossed on the LCD cover. Also, both the top and bottom do have some padding built into them between the leather and the plastic skeleton inside which is a nice touch and the inside has a soft faux suede insert to not scatch up the laptop. The only real cons of this cover is that it covers up the sleep LED indicator on the front edge and a cutout for the glowing Mac logo would have been nice (if you going for the mac snob look, LOL). Otherwise, this cover stealths your Mac a bit by being largely non-descript on the outside. Finally as others have noted, the case does close the back side if you tilt the LCD as far back as it will go, however if you look down at the hinge with the LCD open you can still see the vents so they can still blow out the top of the hinge. Not ideal, but the vents aren’t completely closed off.
This shell case is a definite winner, I’d highly recommend it and would buy one again. The few cons noted are easily overcome by the value of this case and for $25 it really can’t be beat. Also as an FYI, I have an Incase neoprene sleeve case as well and my MBP can still easily fit inside of it with the shell case on which is an added protection bonus while travelling!
Rating: 4 / 5
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:16 am
I received Macally Bookshell2 today and it snapped on just fine on my new 13-inch MacBook Pro. Looks solid, and no worries about sharp plastic parts scratching the computer. However, the shell covers security slot on the right side and sleep indicator light in front. I don’t want to try cutting out the shell to have access to these two and haven’t decided wheather I will keep the shell or not. Other than that, it would have worked just fine.
Rating: 4 / 5
March 22nd, 2010 at 7:22 am
I looked for weeks for the perfect shell for my new laptop. I even considered spending waaay more for similar products, but I thought for $20, I’ll take a chance. I Couldn’t be more pleased. It’s true that you can’t lay the display flat, but I haven’t needed to and I haven’t noticed any problems with the laptop getting too hot. I probably wouldn’t watch DVDs all day with this case on, but for transporting my laptop in my backpack and carrying it around the office this is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
Rating: 5 / 5
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:27 am
I had a Speck hardcase cover for my previous MBPro, but it always felt too cheap. The plastic was so soft that it scratched extremely easily and looked awful after just a few months. I became frustrated with all the dirt that would make its way under the shell. With the purchase of the MBPro 13″ unibody, I wanted to protect it better and make it look more professional. This Macally case does the job. Very snug, confident fit. The felt interior is a nice touch. Soft leather covering gives a very executive look and feel. It also allows for a better grip when holding the MBPro. Yes, the leather feels very soft and isn’t of the same quality as a Coach briefcase, but hey for this price it’s pretty darn good. It completely covers the glowing Apple logo, and that may turn off some people, but overall it’s not a deal breaker by any means. I would have liked a couple more tabs on the lid casing, just above the screen. When I open the notebook by grabbing the lid, the case feels loose and tends to shift slightly. I doubt it will come off, but a couple more tabs would have been nice.
Overall I’m very happy with this purchase and will certainly recommend this to others.
Rating: 5 / 5