Customer Reviews

Targus CVR200 15.4" Laptop Sleeve

5 star:		(100)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This notebook case is not a kind of case which you often see people traveling with; it is made of a soft material which would allow you, if you wanted so, to pack the case into a roll like a sleeping bag. It does not have any serious side pockets or roomy internal compartments (you might be able to fit several folders with papers next to your laptop, but even a power supply would buldge from the side), does not provide any protection for your computer other than a medium-thin padding on all sides, and does not seem to be water or dirt - proof. Additionally, the plastic clips which are used to attach its shoulder belt suggest that it was designed for light duty applications (more expensive models use metal clips). This approach allowed Targus to make this case very light and very well suited for transporting a notebook short distances, like from a parking lot to your office. However, if you want to travel with your laptop, you will be tempted to either use this case as merely a sleeve to store your laptop in your carry-on bag, or to get a more robust case. Be sure that you understand what you are buying, it will not work equally well for all applications. It is very attractively priced, but when you see and touch it, you realize that it is not that much of a bargain.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Several reviews on this page, including the two most highly ranked reviews which appear first on this page, refer to Targus backpack, which is a completely different product! Don't get mislead, they are totally irrelevant to this slip case! Watch carefully for a comment in italics at the end of the reviews to see which product they refer to.

I used this bag for one year to carry my 13.3", 4.2 lb laptop (without the charger) and occasionally a textbook (never more than one - there wasn't enough space). It served me well enough at the time. The shoulder strap was comfortable, and the separate front pocket was easy to access and large enough to hold my other stuff. The downside: one day, while walking to class, the D-shaped ring on the side broke and the shoulder strap released. Absolute disaster! Sure, the bag is well padded, but it does nothing to protect a laptop after it plunges 3 feet onto concrete. My laptop was in bad shape: there was a hole in the casing on the corner where it had impacted the ground. Also, my wireless internet on-off switch stopped working. Unfortunately, it had gotten stuck in the "off" position.

I called Targus customer service and received nothing more than a hard-to-hear (overseas) service rep reciting the company's mission statement. I asked to talk to a higher-up and was denied. Later I received an email offering to replace my bag, as per the warranty. I didn't take them up on the offer, nor will I be entrusting my laptop (back to normal now, after a $400+ repair) to a Targus product.

Bottom line: I can't recommend this product to anybody. Current owners, check your D-rings; mine were separated in a very inconspicuous line.

The outside of the case is fine but I was disappointed to find no padding of any kind inside the case to protect my computer. Consequently, I would not recommend purchasing this product.

For the price, I expected a lot more. Perhaps I shouldn't have, "Slip Case" is probably accurate, but the quality feels like it is for disposable one-time use, and gives almost no protection to the computer. This will be the first ever item I return to Amazon in 7 years of shopping here.

LIKE:

I own a 17" HP9000t laptop "HP Pavilion Entertainment PC (which I really dislike, but this review is about the case so I'll stop here). It fits the Targus CVR217 Neoprene Slip Case, that I bought for $[...], perfectly with a bit of room to spare. I am able to take my cordless mouse and receiver, power cord, and extra battery.

The case has just enough padding to protect the laptop easily from low and probably medium level bumps, but not for major drops such as off your shoulder onto a cement surface.

Normally for travel I use a Mobile Edge Paris regular (not slimline) backpack. It's too large to put on your lap in an airplane and too large to put on the floor when traveling coach on most airlines. Amazon link to view Paris backpack: http://www.amazon.com/MOBILE-EDGE-MEBPW1-Paris-Backpack/dp/B000B54H6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1255804426&sr=8-1

So, I bought the Targus bag which is perfect for travel and to toss the laptop into and go quickly for everyday use. I've found myself even using the Targus on road trips when I also take the larger Paris bag to hold computer accessories in the inside open styled pocket such as game keypad, large headphones with mic, extra cords, and the like. The bag does bulge from the cords and mouse, but doesn't look unsightly. I love this bag!

A prior reviewer mentioned that the shoulder strap wasn't robust enough. I haven't found that to be the case and I have long hair to constantly mess with getting it out of shoulder straps. The shoulder strap feels solid to me, sits snugly on my shoulder, and hasn't slipped off once.


DISLIKE:

My only complaint is that I wish the outside compartment had a zipper instead of a Velcro tab in the center to help secure items in the pocket.

I keep reading these reviews and realized there was a mix up and those reviews are for another bag! Discard all the reviews here mostly because they are not for the Targus CVR217! This is not a backpack and will fit a 17 inches notebook nicely.

The metal clip are solid and the shoulder strap comfortable. The bag is amazingly light at 1lbs and that kind of help compensate for the 8 lbs of my Dell Inspiron e1705 notebook.

The first review in this series, entitled "Good Job Targus!" is what convinced me to buy this bag. All I can guess is that the product must have been changed a lot since that user bought it: The clips are plastic, not metal, there is no velcro strap (or any other kind of strap) inside the bag to secure the laptop, and there is certainly not 1" of padding surrounding the laptop--more like 1/8". It's an okay product, I guess, but not great by any stretch of the imagination. What I expected, based on previous reviews, and what I received, were quite different...which is a bit disappointing.

Only a week after I received my "slip case" the clip on the side broke nearly sending my laptop hurling to the concrete below. Luckily i grabbed the strap quickly before it landed. This bag is very poorly put together, all i had in it was my laptop and my stats book which together, cannot weigh more than 5lbs. Reviews say that the padding is "2 inches thick", not at all. the padding is a quarter inch on each side at best, there is only a little divider inside to slip the notebook into. This divider only has padding on one side, so if you were to have a book inside as well, there would be zero protection on that side. A really crappy bag, I am returning it.

I bought this bag and thought that it was a good solution, small and light, yet big enough to slip in both my laptop and a book.
Well, don't try putting that book in there. After just over two months of ownership I was walking along and the shoulder strap pulled out sending my computer plunging down to the concrete. The stitching that secured the shoulder straps had come out.
Do not buy this bag, if it can barely last me for two months, it certainly cannot last the test of time.

This Targus bag is perfect for my 17" HP notebook. It's not too thick and serves its purpose well. It's nice to have a strap - a lot of notebook sleeves just have a zipper. Plus, there is room for a file or two and the power cords/mouse.