Customer Reviews

Macally BOOKSHELLPRO2 Leather Protective Cover for 15 Inch Glass Display MacBook Pro

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased one of these on a whim from a local brick & mortar store (Microcenter). Their price was worse than Amazon's, but it was an impulse purchase because the product looked nice.

I just put it on my 15" MBP (mid-2009 version).

The fit is amazing. I am surprised at how the minuscule little clasps hold on the edges of the unibody machine. Two attach on the back edge of the vent area, just below the display hinge. The other two are on the left and right sides, just past the corners. This alone does hold the bottom on, it is pretty sturdy. The top holds on by four clasps, two on the left and two on the right.

I use an eBags "Firewall" notebook bag; the 15" MBP flops around a lot in the dedicated notebook section. The Macally hard case helps with this a LOT due to the (faux?) leather and slight girth that it adds. The bottom does have a little bit of padding in it and helps insulate the notebook when using it on a lap as well.

Both the top and bottom have a little bit of weight to them and you can feel a slight difference when installed on the machine. The worst part of this weight is that it makes the screen heavier. Combined with the slightly larger gap when closed (due to the small clasps on the bottom), and you have a recipe for the notebook self-opening. The magnets that hold it closed aren't as strong because of the distance. If you have it flat, the screen stays closed, but if you stand it up on the hinge edge, the screen will pop open slightly. It does NOT open far enough to cause the Mac to wake from sleep, but if there is nothing nearby to support the bottom, it will fall due to its weight and you will come out of sleep. So, if you're putting it in a slightly loose fitting bag it should be ok. If it is going into an otherwise EMPTY messenger bag, you may have to be concerned about it popping open and self-waking "in transit."

The other concern with this product is that the top cover and base cover actually contact each other before the hinge of the Mac is fully open. The case limits the "opening range" of the lid, which is already pretty bad compared to many PC notebooks that will open to 180 degrees. Also, since the vent system is under the hinge, the more you open the lid, the more the vent is obstructed. I haven't used the product long enough to know if this will adversely affect the cooling system, but it's a definite possibility. I'm using the 9400GT integrated graphics right now, and writing this review in a room that's about 75F, and the CPU temp is hovering around 110F with gradual change up to 119F or so. I was not monitoring my temps before adding the case so I'm not sure if this is higher than normal for the newest MBPs, however the brief research I have done on Apple's own forums states that 100-150F is completely standard for light usage and nothing to worry about. So, it seems like temperature isn't an issue at the moment.

One unintended positive -- the edge of the bottom piece helps to shield the corner of the base. Anyone who has used a newer unibody mac on their lap for any portion of time knows that the front edges can and do "cut" (more like "put sharp pressure on one area for a long time") into your arms/wrists after a while. The edge of the case sticks up just slightly beyond the edge of the notebook, so my arms are hitting the leather/vinyl-wrapped case instead of the MBP. No more arm imprints from the aluminum!

Oh yeah. It covers the apple logo on the back. If you care about this kind of aesthetic bull, you don't want this case.

Make sure you DONT... DO NOT have the newest Macbook Pro (the uni body one w/ the black keyboard), as it will not fit.

The power cable doesn't fit, the top does not clip on properly, and its hard to open.

This is a great case for the macbook pro. I've dropped my mac once, and trust me aluminum dents like no other so I decided to get a case after that. The $30 case is worth protecting my more than $2000 investment. The case is very sleek and stylish. No it doesn't show the apple logo but I prefer that, your computer is no longer a target for thieves. The case is better than other cases I've seen on the market, the inside has a sort of felt lining to prevent scratches to your mac, also the outside is a very soft pleather texture. Other plastic cases trap dirt and dust and anything that can get inside the case that can also scratch up your mac, this case doesn't. All in all its a great case, stylish too. My only complaint is that it hinders the mac from magnetically locking, the lid might open depending on how its held. Most cases have this problem though, because of latches used to hold the case in place prevent the lid from properly closing. I would recommend getting this case and a laptop sleeve as well to prevent the lid from propping open while in your bag.

Nice looking cover for your Mac Book Pro. Has a pseudo-leather look, but feels like soft plastic. It's OK, but not to be mistaken for leather. The apple logo does not show through this cover like some covers that are translucent. (It would be nice to show other people what type of laptop I am working on, but that's just vanity.) Small lips snap the cover to the unit. Because of this the lid will not stay magnetically shut when held up vertically. It's a little disconcerting at first. I think that will be a problem with most covers though. Shopped around online and Amazon had the best deal.

This fits my 15 inch macbook pro great. I was looking for a case that looked great and covered the whole laptop. This does that job. You will not see the lit apple on the front cover and the bottom covers the whole thing without having any holes or vents. This is what I wanted. I ave no heat issues with the cover.

Almost everything about the bookshell Pro2 is wonderful. The imitation leather surface is very nice looking and feels great. Installation was simple and intuitive. The only issues I see with the case are once installed the magnetic catch on the laptop can't engage and the power cord needs to be reversed to charge the computer. The case not closing needs to be watched; also the weight of the case causes the screen to tilt when using the computer on your lap. Reversing the power cord prevents the user from plugging into the internet and forces the user to us the wireless option.

The case is very nice and has a great feel to it and seems as though it will protect the computer from damage. The design flaws are minimal and can be tolerated, but should be noted. It is the nicest case I have seen thus far on the market and the works well. The last issue may or may not be relevant for all users. When the case is installed the computer does feel a bit warmer. This version of the MacBook pro vents out the back and this area is not covered in all way by the case. The warmth felt is most likely because the case being aluminum cannot breathe and is not able to dissipate heat as well when covered. If you are using the computer for word processing and light internet use as I am during class then the heat buildup should not be a problem, but if you are gaming on the machine in the case I assume you will see a heat issue.

Totally recommend this item! I am on my second shell after having purchased the first about five years ago. Fits computer snugly and doesn't fall off. Since it is "cushiony" you do run the risk of the material peeling off if you handle it roughly (which I did since my computer was constantly in a backpack to and from school) but if you are someone who treats your computer nicely or more gently, you can probably get 7-8 years out of this cover. I originally had the red but switched to the black since it looks more professional. When I wear this one out, I will definitely get the same thing again. I highly recommend this product.

your power cord will be turned the opposite direction who cares when this is THE only case that provides a little bit of shock protection with the velvet on the inside the hard layer of plastic in the middle and the thin layer of plether on top. Dope End Of Story.

I needed a case that would both look good and not seem out of place in a business environment and this has fit the bill very well. i get compliments on the case while its thickness gives very good protection to my macbook. importantly, the case was easy to fit and does not easily come off.

looks nice and it's cheap enough when you get it but the fake leather will scratch very fast. maybe i should've gotten a plastic one. we'll see soon enough.

more annoying is the top cover bowed so even if the corners fit the back and front middle parts do not fit snug. i think it's a factory or storage problem. i hope that a couple of heavy dictionaries on the laptop will flatten the top part out....

cheap stuff !