MEGATech Reviews: Case Logic Rolling 15.6″ Laptop Case (ZLR-216)

You’re preparing for a quick overnight business trip. You’re going to need to pack all your technological essentials, like your notebook and tablet, along with the requisite accessories and cables, but you also need to bring along a few personal items and a change of clothes. A compact briefcase just won’t cut the mustard and a regular carry-on luggage just feels like overkill. Taking that Goldilocks approach of being “just right” is the Case Logic ZLR-216 Rolling Laptop Case, a laptop bag on wheels that provides you with just enough extra space for the essentials in life.

The Logical Travel Companion

You might remember when I reviewed the Case Logic Griffith Park backpack earlier this year. I commented on how that relatively compact backpack was just the right size to hold my laptop, camera, and enough basics for a short trip. However, it’s pretty clear that the backpack is designed more for the casual market, whilst the Case Logic Rolling Laptop Case is geared more toward the business traveler. Even if you aren’t heading out of town, this could be the right bag for an in-town sales presentation or other similar event.

The overall styling is hardly inspiring and it won’t win any awards with its basic black nylon exterior. This is a business-oriented laptop case, you have to remember, and Case Logic will certainly err on the conservative side for its design. The bag itself isn’t actually that much larger than a small to medium-sized duffel bag, measuring 16.7 x 8.3 x 13.6 inches. Since it is on wheels and not a backpack, it can more easily accommodate a little extra depth, which I appreciate.

The handle on this rolling laptop case is telescopic, as expected, and the bag is organized into two main compartments, plus a small zippered pocket in the front.

Front Compartment Organization

There are at least a couple of things that I really appreciate about this laptop case from Case Logic. First, they didn’t continue the black color scheme to the interior of the bag. Even by switching to the muted grey, they’ve made it easier to see inside and it adds the tiniest dash of personality to an otherwise drab exterior. The single orange stripe, which mirrors the design cues of the Griffith Park backpack, adds some spice too. Second, there are ample pockets for all your gear and they are laid out in a logical fashion.

This front compartment doesn’t open up entirely, held in place by the nylon triangles on either side. Inside, there is a larger pocket toward the rear that was easily big enough for my 13-inch Ultrabook. Integrated into the interior of the front flap is another pocket, which handily accepted my 7-inch tablet. In between, we find a few more pockets, including a mesh one and a key ring. You can quick suitably fill the space in between with your doo-dads too. The interior is understandably not as robust as the exterior, but I imagine the ZLR-216 will hold up to a good amount of regular use and abuse among the corporate crowd.

Rear Compartment Laptop Case

In going through this bag, I thought the thinly padded pocket in the front compartment was meant for my laptop (as described in the previous section). And I thought wrong. When you open up the larger rear compartment, you find a much more padded pocket on the inner side. This can accommodate notebooks with screens up to 15.6-inches, so I had far too much room for my Ultrabook. Slipping it into the Case Logic QNS-113 laptop sleeve filled it out a lot better.

However, given the overall layout of the laptop case, I’d almost wish if this laptop pocket were either its own zippered portion or included as part of the front compartment. My reasoning is that this rear compartment is far better suited for bulkier items–like clothing, a camera or even a small box of marketing materials–and opening up the rear to grab your laptop could have all these items spill out. That’s not good.

This larger rear compartment also has a pocketed separator (which can be removed) to further help with organization. Again, this makes it feel like the best place for personal items, clothing, or other secondary items. Of course, how you choose to arrange your stuff is entirely up to you. As an aside, you’ll also notice that the bright orange theme continues through into the inner lining of the laptop pocket.

MEGATechie Rolling Thunder or MEGATechie Another Case Study?

Whether you’re taking to the skies or you’re putting wheels on the road (deplorable pun sadly intended), the Case Logic Rolling Laptop Case is a well-designed solution for a short trip. The compartments are laid out in a logical fashion and while the inner lining on the front compartment could be a little more robust, the overall construction should hold up quite well. I just wish the padded laptop compartment were separate from the larger rear compartment and that the straps holding the rear compartment slightly ajar were more robust, perhaps with buckles rather than snap buttons, too.

The Case Logic ZLR-216 Rolling Laptop Case has an MSRP of $139.99, but it can be purchased online for much less. It didn’t blow me away–I don’t think any laptop case ever will–I know what bag I’ll be packing for CES come January.