Pouches

A pouch is a small zipped case for the things that travel alongside a laptop rather than the laptop itself — the charger, cables, a mouse, adapters, a portable drive.

The practical case for one is straightforward. Loose cables and a charger rattling around in a bag do two things: they take longer to find than they should, and they press against the laptop’s screen and lid, which is a common source of scratches and, over time, of pressure marks on the display.

What to look for: an internal divider or elastic loops so items stay separated rather than tangling, enough depth for a laptop power brick (which is usually the bulkiest item and the one people underestimate), and a semi-rigid shell if it will hold a mouse or a drive.

Smaller pouches also work as a tidy way to store a device’s accessories at home, so a headset, a dock or a camera keeps its own cables with it rather than in a drawer full of everything.

See also sleeves and all bags and cases.