Gear

Review: Bellroy’s new magnetic antimicrobial MacBook sleeve

Admin March 17, 2021

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We previously took a hands-on look at the new Bellroy iPhone 12 lineup of cases, and today, it’s time to review the new antimicrobial MacBook sleeve. We have started to see more and more brands introduce some kind of antimicrobial tech to their lineups of Apple gear accessories, and Belloroy is doing much of the same with a new family of gear featuring Swiss-engineered HeiQ V-Block — protection for fabrics against contamination from microbes — as well as a new Basalt colorway. Hit the jump for our latest Tested with 9to5Toys.

Bellroy antimicrobial MacBook sleeve

The Bellroy antimicrobial MacBook sleeve will be familiar to anyone that has experienced the brand’s latest laptop covers, but this time around, we are getting new colorway (a mixture of charcoal and navy blue, despite some of the imagery here showing a typical grey) alongside the HeiQ V-Block. Here are more details from Bellroy on what this fabric protection actually is and is capable of:

It combines an advanced silver and a vesicle technology to inhibit growth and persistence of microorganisms on the fabric surface. HeiQ V-Block technology is certified as safe and sustainable – using only bio-based and recycled ingredients. It is non-toxic and does not irritate the skin.

It certainly won’t be protecting folks against pathogens (“including bacteria, viruses, germs or other disease organisms”) and probably a technology everything should have had for a while. So while I don’t have a means of actually testing this part of it out, it is certainly a welcomed addition.

The Bellroy antimicrobial MacBook sleeve, or simply the Laptop Sleeve as it is officially titled, features an exterior woven fabric construction “made from 100% recycled PET bottles, and it’s water-resistant too.” It feels almost like a softer, more robust canvas and is complemented by the interior quilted microfiber lining that is soft to the touch and your MacBook.

Along with soft ridge to keep your precious laptop in place, effectively adding a layer of light protection, it also sports a magnetic closure hidden behind the logo tab and adorned with a 3D Bellroy logo.

Tested with 9to5Toys

Available in 13-inch and “up to 16-inch” sizes, we have only had a chance to go hands-on with the smaller model and can’t really speak to the fit on larger MacBooks. As far as the 13-incher goes, it is quite a snug wrap for your MacBook, almost to the point where you have to really ensure it is fully planted as far down as possible before the magnetic closure will even work. But once it’s jammed down all the way into the sleeve (it got much easier to get it in there after a few days of in and out), the magnetic closure works as intended and is quite a solid connection thus far.

The sort of extra 2 inches left above your laptop needed to house the magnets, is slightly larger than I would have preferred, but it also adds another layer of protection while in your bag or during the unfortunate event of a tough drop.

I should also mention that in the bottom corners of this sleeve, Bellroy has left a sort of air port opening. While this might be ideal for the fit and preferred by some, I like knowing no dust or bits and pieces of things in the bottom of my bag are finding their way to my MacBook’s ports, especially when its inside of a sleeve. In fact, its one of the main reason I personally use a sleeve of this nature, but understandably, this won’t be an issue for many folks.

In the end, the Bellroy antimicrobial MacBook sleeve should be on your list when it comes time to purchase a new laptop cover. At $55, it’s certainly not the most affordable option (there are plenty of these things on Amazon from $13), but the antimicrobial design, interesting colorway, and attention to detail with regards to the magnet closure and design flourishes are hard to find on the no-name options.