Laptop totes can look just like a large handbag and can come in various styles and colors but take a look inside and you’ll see a protective laptop compartment and plenty of room to carry lots of other essentials.
Because it is a bag that you normally carry on the shoulder, you have to be careful that it is not too heavy and that the straps don’t slip off easily or dig into your shoulder. All this while not sacrificing interior space and organizational features? Yes, it is possible and I’ll show you some truly great laptop shoulder bags to choose from below. We’ll take a look at bags that hold laptops that measure between 15″ and 16″ diagonally and a few that hold 17 inchers or more. They all have dedicated padded laptop pockets and some even have an additional pocket for a tablet, so you can have peace of mind knowing that your gadgets are well protected. If you find it difficult to tote a laptop bag on your shoulder, perhaps look at getting a laptop tote on 4 spinner wheels.
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15-16″ Laptop Tote Bags
Kailo Chic Casual Laptop Tote Bags
If you like sophisticated prints on your bags, then these ones by Kailo Chic is for you. The material is cotton canvas and the style details include pleats on the fabric in front and faux leather trim. The shoulder straps are wide, comfortably long enough and also in faux leather, as is the bottom of the bag which feature small metal feet.
This is a top zipped tote with a laptop sleeve that is lightly padded with a velcro top closure and can comfortably hold a 15.6″ laptop or 17″ Macbook Air. The main compartment also features several organizational elements, like credit card slots, a key fob and several open and zippered pockets in various sizes. You can organize your chargers, papers, wallet, etc as well without making the bag look bulky. A small hidden pocket on the front exterior is perfect for a smartphone, keys, etc.
A pocket on the back with a bottom zipper also serves as a sleeve through which you can slide it over a rolling bag’s handle, making it very versatile for work and travel.
The dimensions of this bag are 17.5 x 4 x 14 inches and you can choose from several chic prints.
Want a less expensive option? The Overbrooke Classic Laptop Tote Bag is very similar but extremely affordable.
Samsonite Jordyn Laptop Tote Bag
If you’re the kind that has to carry quite a large tote for travel where you pack as many things as you can, then this Samsonite Jordyn Tote is a good choice. Although it is large it is pretty light and made of 100% nylon. The straps are made of rolled leather, making it comfortable to carry. It is unstructured but will stand up if it is relatively full even though it does not have feet on the bottom.
An inbuilt padded laptop sleeve can hold a 15.6″ laptop but some users have said that it will hold even larger ones. It has a dual zippered opening and so does the outer main compartment. It also has a dedicated iPad sleeve and there is plenty of room for legal-sized file folders along with chargers and other items that can be placed in the other interior pockets. The front exterior has a thickly lined zippered phone compartment so you can easily access it at any time.
The bag can also be toted on top of another bag’s handle using the included Add-a-bag strap.
The Jordyn laptop totes are available in black, red and purple.
Delsey Luggage Montmartre+ Journee Women’s Laptop Travel Tote
The Delsey Luggage Montmartre+ Journee Women’s Laptop Travel Tote is part of an entire collection by the popular luggage brand. With a choice of black, red or blue, this tote measures 12.75 x 15.25 x 4.75 inches and can hold a laptop up to 15.6 inches. Its ballistic nylon shell with teflon treatment ensures that it can hold a heavy load without tearing or breaking.
There are long and comfortable double faux leather shoulder straps for toting and the back of the bag features a band that slips over the handle of your wheeled luggage and can be used as a zippered pocket when not needed for transport. Two exterior side pockets for a travel umbrella or water bottle and a front zippered pocket for quick access items round up the external storage options.
The interior of the main compartment opens via a wide top zippered opening and features a padded laptop sleeve on one wall, while the other wall features several slip pockets, card slots, pen holders and a key fob.
Ogio Hamptons Women’s Tote – Vertical Laptop Tote
If you’d prefer a vertical style tote, you should consider the very pretty Ogio Hamptons Tote. It is made of a nylon blend and is fully lined inside with a polka dot print which is also on the inside of the wide padded shoulder straps. Front buttons and a removable decorative belt adds another feminine bit of styling.
The laptop compartment is padded and fleece lined with an elastic closure. The laptop goes in sideways or short side first. It is available in two sizes medium and large. If you want to fit a regular 15″ laptop in the sleeve you should get the large size. The medium is meant for smaller laptops.
The main compartment is zippered, as is a large interior pocket. Two elastic side pockets inside can hold a water bottle and compact umbrella with the rest of your belongings filling out the roomy bag. The bottom of the bag is also padded for added protection for the laptop.
The back exterior of the bag has a large U-shaped zippered compartment that has a padded iPad pocket and an organizer panel. Three exterior flap side pockets are useful for small items.
This bag is available in 9 colors.
SOLO Vintage Collection Women’s Leather Carryall – Leather Laptop Tote Bag
Leather always looks classy and professional, so consider investing in a good one if you take frequent business trips or need to use the bag for work. This Solo carryall is in a rich coffee brown leather with a turquoise blue interior lining to make things easy to find inside. Best of all, it looks expensive but costs less than $100!
The padded laptop compartment will hold a notebook up to 15.6″ diagonally and has a Velcro closure to keep it secure. Three interior vertical drop pockets can hold pens, a phone, earphones, glasses etc. A large zippered pocket is great for change and other loose items. The bag is big enough to hold a water bottle, compact umbrella and books as well but is not bulky to carry on your shoulder.
The straps are made of rolled leather and are a good length. Small metal feet keep the bottom of the bag from getting too dirty. An exterior back pocket is zippered in the bottom to allow you to unzip and use it as an Add-a-bag sleeve for easy transporting on another bag’s handle.
17 Inch Laptop Tote Bags
Although a backpack or messenger bag is more ergonomically comfortable for carrying large widescreen laptops, there are a few styles of tote bags that are lightweight and still look nice even though they are large. Most are meant to hold 17″ laptops but we also feature one here for up to 18.4″ diagonally.
Mobile Edge Milano 17-Inch Notebook Handbag
With a black faux crocodile vinyl exterior and a rich faux suede interior in red, the rectangular Mobile Edge Milano tote won’t look inappropriate for its size.
A 17″ laptop can fit into the padded Velcro closure compartment and this bag also comes with a removable accessories or toiletries pouch. The interior features a padded cell phone pocket, a zippered pocket and a wireless security pocket. The security pocket is useful if you want to shield your Bluetooth device from hackers looking to access your phone’s personal data.
Clark & Mayfield Marquam Laptop Handbag 18.4″
If you absolutely must carry a 18.4″ laptop with you, make sure that the shoulder straps are wide and won’t dig in and that the bag itself is light enough. This nylon Clark & Mayfield Marquam is a good choice. It has lots of organizational features yet does not get bulky. In addition to a well padded laptop compartment with Velcro closure, there are pockets and compartments for everything on the outside and inside. These include two large zippered pockets, one on the front and one at the back. The front has two flap pockets as well.
There are metal feet on the bottom and a strap at the back to hang the bag over another bag’s telescopic handle.
This bag is available in black, gray, purple, navy blue and red. All feature black leather trim.
So these are our picks for best laptop tote for women. If you’d prefer to go with something more comfortable for your back and shoulders that will keep your gadgets protected while traveling, we have some good laptop backpacks and messenger bags for you too.