Review: No Laptop Hard Knocks With The OtterBox

Enter Fort Collins, Colo.-based Otter Products, which offers the OtterBox line of rugged, waterproof cases for laptops, PDAs, iPods, cell phones and other portable devices.

The OtterBox Rugged Laptop Carrying Case shields notebooks from a variety of harsh conditions and will prevent a laptop from being damaged if it's dropped. The hard-shell case is strong enough for a person to stand on without breaking it, and it floats while shut, acting as a life preserver for the notebook inside. Users also can operate the computer without removing it from the case, though the device is exposed to the elements once the case is opened.

The CRN Test Center examined a medium-size OtterBox laptop case, Model 7030, which fits notebooks with screen sizes of up to 15 inches, including widescreen models. Specifically, the case will fit notebooks measuring up to 14.2 inches wide, 11.2 inches deep and 1.9 inches high. Externally, the case measures 16.4 inches wide, 14.5 inches deep and 3.4 inches high.

Easy-open latches secure the case's lid against a rubber gasket that keeps water out, and the case has a key lock for added security plus a carrying handle and a detachable shoulder strap. Rubber feet on the bottom of the case prevent it from slipping off the surface it's placed on, as well as protect the surface where the case sits.

Inside the case, shock-absorbing rubber bumpers attach to the Velcro lining to prevent the notebook from shifting, and a Velcro strap holds down the computer. The bumpers can be repositioned to accommodate various notebook sizes. A small rubber door on the bottom of the case allows wires to be connected to the notebook without having to take it out of the case.

The OtterBox Rugged Laptop Carrying Case comes with an unconditional lifetime guarantee and costs $169.95, a small price to pay considering the peace of mind it provides notebook users. Otter Products soon plans to release a case for notebooks 14 inches and smaller and another for notebooks of up to 17 inches.

Test Center engineers give the OtterBox Rugged Laptop Carrying Case a thumbs-up, since it will protect a notebook like no other case can, keep out water and keep the notebook intact if it's dropped.