Customer Reviews

Targus Groove Backpack Case Designed for 16" Inch Laptops CVR600 (Black)

5 star:		(218)
4 star:		(88)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I purchased this product as a backup for my $100 leather laptop case and because I saw it listed as a top seller -- it's now my full-time laptop carrying case and I understand clearly why it is so popular.

Well-designed, sturdy and light ... perfect for the office as well as school. Lots of pockets without being gimmicky, ergonomics were definitely a major consideration in product development. It's so much more comfortable than my pricier laptop case and so much more versatile, too. I can carry books, files, lunch -- just about everything but the kitchen sink without getting a sore shoulder.

My purchase price was <$20 with the rebate but I would easily pay twice that with pleasure should I ever need to replace it. Un-be-liev-a-ble. Great for students or as a gift.

I got tired of "trying to be a cute grad student" and set out to replace my painful messenger bag with a laptop carrying case that possessed the following:
(1) padded protection for a 14" wide screen laptop (Dell XPS m140) and its relatively small charger,
(2) space to accommodate at LEAST a 1.5" binder (and 1" text book, if at all possible)
(3) multiple compartments to store pens, graphing calculator, organizer, cell phone, and other small what-nots
(4) padded dual shoulder comfort/ superior durability
(5) in giving up the messenger back I knew I had to compromise some style but I really wanted something that wasn't terribly bulky, colorful or dramatic in overall design
(6) and most importantly- on a college student budget I refused to pay the $50+ price tag of many popular models...

So, I came across this backpack after a thorough search for something compatible. The Targus Groove Backpack met all of my criteria! Please note, I have not had it long enough to comment on durability but it is made very well (thick, tight stitching, smooth zippering, reinforced bottom, etc). It is a BIG book bag but it makes up for that in the modestly coordinated black nylon with gray logos and its non-bulky exterior. Additionally, the laptop pocket fits my Dell m140 perfectly (13x9x1.5") and it still has breathing room for thickness and height with a small Velcro strap to go over the top exposed portion of the laptop. The pocket padding is very sufficient, but I still keep mine in a thin protective sleeve to keep the case scratch free. I was ecstatic to find that it could house my overstuffed 1.5" binder, charger, cell, calculator, pen/pencil zipping case, organizer, AND a 2" text book with more room to boot!! Of course I had to put it on for a test of comfort and found the shoulder padding EXCELLENT. (I am small framed so I hope this will prove true for larger statures as well.) And BEST of all, I caught it on sale at CompUSA for $29.99 with a $10 rebate for overall $19.99 +tax!!! I really wouldn't change anything about this bag except maybe add lower lumbar support or a massage mechanism (kidding). Oh yeah, the bag itself is relatively lightweight, which I found to be a problem with some other models.

All in all, it seems to have been a GREAT buy and I would highly recommend the Targus Groove Backpack to anyone looking for a lightweight, comfortable, non-tacky, compartment friendly, inexpensive and spacious laptop backpack.

This is the least expensive Notebook Backpack that I could find but it's surprisingly well made and stylish. It looks much better than its picture...MUCH better. I like the numerous zippered pockets. There's a place for everything, digital camera, cell phone, papers, books and even a mouse. I prefer taking an external USB mouse instead of using the touch pad on my Notebook. There's three nice bubble type pockets, one of which fits my optical USB mouse nicely. My big Laptop with its 15.4" wide-screen fits inside the Backpack's built-in sleeve like a glove with no room to spare. Another nice feature is the PVC coated bottom. This will protect the computer if you inadvertently set the pack down on wet ground. Most Notebook Backpacks are considerably more expensive without giving you more. The Targus CVR600 was a perfect fit for my budget. Plus it's easy on the eye with good quality and plenty of compartments. I give it my highest recommendation. (Note: Amazon had the best price after FREE shipping was factored in.)

Every so often, a bargain comes along that defies belief. The Targus CVR600 notebook backpack is one of these items. The construction of the unit is excellent. There are pockets gallore on the outside and inside of this backpack that will allow anyone to bring as many accessories and items along with their notebook computer as they wish. The main compartment holds my 15.4 inch screen notebook snuggly and securely. The straps on the backpack are very comfortable. The main reason why I was looking for a notebook backpack is to be inconspicuous while I was transporting my computer around. I didn't want to get the standard notebook carriers because this just basically advertised that a valuable piece of equipment was inside. With the Targus backpack, I am now incognito. This backpack is a fine product that performs as well or better than its much more expensive cousins. A great product.

You know you want to. You're thinking about it. You're reading reviews, thinking "Hey...maybe this is the one for me." You're thinking it, aren't you? Of course you are. And you should be. Because it's the best bag ever. There's room for everything, it smelled nice even right out of the plastic, and it fits very tiny people (me) and very large people (my friends). It is very comfortable, and does not squash the b00bs of either gender (this is a big deal for me since most backpacks squash them, and that makes me sad). On a daily basis i drag my laptop, a few tome-sized textbooks, an old skool (paper) notebook, absurd amount of pens, calculator, an extra battery, cell phone charger, mp3 charger, usb mouse, laptop adapter, girly stuff (brush, makeup...girl things) and i can still cram extra clothes in there if i need to. i am a happy kitten.

EDIT: Almost four years later, I still use it very frequently and I love it. Still in perfect condition, very minimal wear and tear, even the tags on the zippers are still on. Best.

I have been using this backpack for around a month. It is quite comfortable even while carring my 7.5lb AMD64 gaming laptop. The quality seems pretty good especially the PVC bottom. It has all the features of a more expensive backpack.

The cons:
The material used seems to be water-resistant rather than waterproof- ok if you get caught in a light drizzle but I probably won't trust it more than that. But I am not complaining- at this price its hard to beat.

Saw a recommendation for this bag on a tech site and decided to try it. It's the real deal. I agree with the other poster that it looks a lot better in person than in the Amazon product shot. It doesn't look "expensive" in person (not a great idea for a bag containing a $1,500 machine anyway), but the picture makes it look cheesy, and that's not the reality.

Further, the Amazon sales copy above is erroneous -- I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this bag actually has many more features than are listed. One example: The copy says "Side Pocket for Extra Storage and Water Bottle Transport." In fact, there's not one side pocket; there are four: each side has its own zippered compartment, each covered by a discrete mesh water-bottle pouch. And there are other pockets inside that aren't mentioned. This is a great benefit to me, as my previous computer backpack had a few big compartments, rather than separate pockets -- everything would get tangled, and then spill out in a heap once opened. That won't happen with this bag. I'm not sure why Amazon is underplaying the features of this bag -- perhaps to protect the more expensive models?

A minor negative: the zippers feel like they're of medium (not high) quality. (It's a failed zipper on my old Jansport that has me searching for a new backpack. After 12 years of rough use I have no quibbles with the Jansport's quality -- but it was five times the price of this Targus.)

The only real caveat I would point out is visible in the product shot: it's that Targus has prominently embroidered their name on it. Anyone who would be looking to rip off a laptop would know that Targus makes computer accessories, so this seems a bonehead move -- why not just go all the way and sew "Steal This Laptop" in the same place? Oh, well -- if you can get past that, at this price (and more so with the rebate), this purchase is a no-brainer. Grab one before the price goes up, or before Targus figures out that this model is cannibalizing the sales of their more expensive units.

It's incredible, I was a littler worried about the size of my 15¨ Toshiba A45 S151 but it fit perfectly!! It has space for other thinks like my camera, books, my cell phone and a lot of extras.
For my use it is better than a suitcase because it is not heavy, it's sport stile and less expensive

I waited for a whole semester before reviewing this product simply because I wanted to truly put it through its paces. Did it survive? Yes. Did it satisfy? Very much so.

Build: The backpack is quite sturdy. I used it extensively every day for about four months, though I only carried my laptop in it about half the time. No rips or tears yet. The zippers are still holding up, even under the considerable strain of heavy textbooks. One thing that concerns me is the meshed compartment right in front of the laptop area, which almost always interferes with the placement of books with sharp edges, or spiral bound notebooks. I've walking in some severe downpours with this backpack on, and I haven't found any of its contents to be wet. This is not a guarantee of water-proofing, but I'm saying your stuff will be reasonably protected with some due care (read: don't go swimming with it).

Storage: Be advised that there's not going to be much room for books once you put in a laptop (I own a Dell Inspiron 600m). Especially hardcovers. Even without a laptop, you can't fit more than one 300+ page textbook and a couple of thin notebooks without having much difficulty in closing the main compartment. Then again, this isn't being sold as a trekking bag, so this shouldn't be much of a concern. Before I forget: pockets! Lots of compartments and pockets in this backpack. I use the main area for the laptop and my notebooks. The two pockets inside the main compartment hold my mouse and power adapter, along with my graphing calculator and a Moleskine. The smaller compartment holds headphones, and a daily planner. The smallest front pocket holds writing instruments, spare batteries, a USB thumbdrive, and a (Maglite) flashlight. The side pockets are great for bottles of water. So far, I haven't found any use for the meshed area, though I suspect loose sheets will fit nicely there.

Comfort: The padding on the straps is quite a relief, because the sheer weight of a laptop in addition to some books and a bottle of water can cause significant strain on the shoulders. The handle on top also seems quite strong, which is usefully for short-range transportation, a.k.a lifting. There is a port for headphones through the front pocket, for those people who like their MP3/CD player out of their reach while listening (I don't).

Overall: It's a great backpack, surprisingly sturdy for a laptop backpack. The material is actually more resistant to wear than my last (academic) backpack. Definitely a good value for money, purchased at Amazon for $30 with free shipping back in January 2006. While the capacity for books is reduced when placing a laptop in there, the other features and the comfort levels provided by the backpack more than make up for it.

If you're not taking many courses with fat textbooks and are looking to carry a laptop to school frequently, this is the backpack for you.

Update (April 2010): It's been more than four years of constant use, and this backpack is still in fantastic shape with only minor fraying of some of the exterior stitching and straps. This backpack exhibits seriously impressive build quality, folks! From time to time, when I notice a new ecosystem developing at the bottom of the main compartment, I toss it into the washer. More frequent washes might result in increased fraying. Note that this fraying does not impact the backpack's usefulness in any way. If you're looking for a backpack that will last you half a decade (or more!), this is the backpack for you.

As most others have mentioned, this bag is a really solid value for the $. Its nylon fabric is thick and tough, the bottom panel is waterproof and even more rugged, it has pockets galore with extremely well thought-out little storage nooks everywhere (even on the sides), the straps are comfortable, sturdy, and well attached to the body of the bag, the laptop compartment is decently padded, and it is overall a 5 star bag except for one minor thing - it's rather homely. I'm far from a fashion plate, but even I think this bag could use a little sprucing up in the colors and logo department. That being said, I'd recommend it in a second to anyone. Plus, it fits my widescreen Dell Inspiron 6000 very well - not too snug, not too loose. A real winner in the laptop backpack segment.