Guides & Advice
Best laptop bag for men 2026: dimensions, weight and fit
Oct
The best laptop bag for men is the one whose compartment clears the computer by one centimetre on every side, whose thickness stays reasonable and whose empty weight does not add much to the weight of the machine. This guide compares thirteen models from our laptop bag for men range on the dimensions, weights and computer sizes stated on their product pages, then gives a rule of choice for a 14, 15 or 16 inch laptop. What the product pages do not publish is not claimed here: the table says so cell by cell.
Which bag should you choose for a 15 inch laptop?
For a 15 or 15.6 inch laptop, choose a bag with a long side of at least 40 cm, or a tote-style bag 35 cm wide and 37 cm high. In our range, these models have a long side of 37 to 45 cm, and the thickness, published for three of them, runs from 7 to 15 cm.
The figure of 15.6 inches is the screen diagonal, not the width of bag you need. According to the Wikipedia page on the inch, the international inch is exactly 25.4 mm: a 15.6 inch diagonal therefore measures 396 mm, or 39.6 cm. The actual width of the screen is shorter, around 34.5 cm for a 16:9 screen (calculated from the diagonal), but the casing of the machine extends beyond the screen. That is the rule used throughout this guide: measure the machine with a ruler, and do not rely on inches.
The models stated for this size are gathered in the 15 inch laptop bag range, where each product page states the compartment format it is made for.
What are the laptop bags in our ranges, measurement by measurement?
Thirteen laptop bags and briefcases from our ranges are compared below, ordered from the smallest to the largest computer format stated. Every value comes from the product page; “not published” means the page does not give the measurement. Dimensions are in centimetres, in the order the product page gives them.
| Model | Stated material | Dimensions in cm | Stated weight | Stated computer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genuine leather 14 inch bag | full grain cowhide, polyester lining | 39.5 x 29 x 6.7 (product page in inches, converted) | 0.75 kg | 14 inch |
| Full grain leather 14 inch bag | full grain cowhide, cotton lining | 36 x 27 x 8 | 1.2 kg empty | 14 inch and a folder |
| Leather bag for a 14 inch laptop | cowhide | 40.5 x 29 x 8.5 | 0.9 kg | 14 inch |
| Leather 14 inch and A4 bag | cowhide | 38.5 x 28.5 (thickness not published) | not published | 14 inch and unfolded A4 documents |
| Cowhide 14 inch briefcase | cowhide, polyester lining | 39 x 28 (thickness not published) | not published | 14 inch |
| PU 14 inch laptop bag | PU, polyester lining | 38 x 30 x 11 | 0.9 kg | 14 inch |
| Business bag in two sizes | PU, polyester lining | small 38 x 7 x 27; large 41 x 7 x 30 | 1.15 kg small; 1.25 kg large | 14.1 inch; 15.6 inch |
| Black leather A4 briefcase | cowhide | height 32 (other dimensions not published) | not published | 15 inch, A4 flat |
| Cowhide bag, 39 or 43 cm | cowhide | length 39 or 43 (other dimensions not published) | not published | 15 inch for the 43 cm version |
| Crazy Horse briefcase | Crazy Horse cowhide | length 40 (other dimensions not published) | not published | 15.6 inch |
| Leather tote-style 15 inch bag | genuine leather, leather lining | 37 high x 35 wide x 15 | not published | 15 inch, folder, bottle and rain jacket |
| Anti-theft waterproof bag | Oxford fabric, polyester lining | 12 x 32 x 45 (expandable by 10 cm) | 1.3 kg | 15.6 inch and a tablet up to 12 inch |
| Full grain leather 16 inch messenger | full grain cowhide, polyester lining | 40 x 28 x 10 | 830 g | up to 16 inch |
Three gaps stand out in the table. Of the eight product pages that publish a thickness, the value runs from 6.7 cm to 15 cm: the thinnest bag, at 6.7 cm, is also the lightest, at 0.75 kg, and the 15 cm tote-style bag is the one whose page states room for a rain jacket. Of the seven pages that publish a weight, the gap between the lightest (0.75 kg) and the heaviest (1.3 kg) is 550 g. Finally, five pages out of thirteen do not give every dimension: a briefcase whose thickness is not published should be measured before purchase, or compared with a neighbouring model.
To compare other formats, the laptop messenger bag range gathers the shoulder-strap models, softer than rigid briefcases.
How do you measure your laptop before buying a bag?
Measure the width, depth and thickness of the laptop lying flat, in centimetres, then add one centimetre of margin on every side. The inches on a product page tell you the format the bag maker intended, but only the ruler gives you the figure to compare with the inside length of the bag.
Measure the charger as well: it adds to the thickness the compartment needs, and the page of the 15 cm thick tote-style bag states room for a folder, a bottle and a rain jacket in addition to the machine.
Documents follow another standard. According to the Wikipedia page on the ISO 216 standard, an A4 sheet measures 210 mm by 297 mm, or 21 cm by 29.7 cm. Laid lengthwise, it needs a side of at least 30 cm: every model in the table that publishes a long side offers 36 cm or more. The page of the leather 14 inch and A4 bag states 38.5 x 28.5 cm, calculated to take the laptop and unfolded sheets together.
Product pages do not all give their dimensions in the same order or the same unit. The genuine leather 14 inch bag is listed as 15.55 x 11.4 x 2.63 inches, which gives about 39.5 x 29 x 6.7 cm once converted with the 25.4 mm inch. The business model gives two sizes, one for a 14.1 inch laptop and one for a 15.6 inch laptop, so check which size is selected before ordering: the small one is 38 cm long and the large one 41 cm.
For a smaller computer, the 14 inch laptop bag range is the closest format in our catalogue.
Which briefcase should a man carry to work?
A briefcase suits work when you carry flat files with a 15 inch laptop: aim for a height of 32 cm, like the black A4 model, and a zip along the full length. For a 14 inch laptop and few papers, a bag of 36 to 40 cm is enough.
The difference lies in the structure. The briefcase keeps a rectangular shape, with two stitched handles and sometimes a detachable strap; the page of the Crazy Horse briefcase describes a 40 cm rectangle with two handles and a shoulder strap. The soft bag follows the shape of the computer and slides more easily under a seat. Both carry a 14 inch laptop; the briefcase wins when you carry binders, the soft bag when you travel by public transport.
The black A4 briefcase is the clearest example. Its page states a height of 32 cm so that an A4 sheet slides in flat without bent corners, a compartment for a 15 inch laptop and a zip along the full length, and it says the bag is meant for someone who carries files and a computer, not for someone who adds sports gear. Choosing a briefcase therefore starts from what goes in it besides the computer.
All the briefcases in the shop are in the men’s briefcase range, and the guide messenger bag or briefcase details how each format is used.
Which material should you choose for a laptop bag?
Choose the material for the use: full grain cowhide develops a patina and stands up to daily office life, PU keeps an even surface without particular upkeep, and Oxford fabric suits a waterproof bag. In the table, nine models are cowhide and two are PU.
The detail matters: three pages state full grain cowhide (the 0.75 kg bag, the 1.2 kg bag and the 16 inch messenger), five state cowhide without further detail and one states Crazy Horse leather, a waxed, oiled leather that lightens where it is rubbed. To understand what separates these labels, the guide to full grain leather explains why the grain keeps the density of the hide fibres.
PU is a synthetic material with an even surface: it does not develop a patina, it is not fed with creams and it wipes clean with a cloth. The two PU models in the table state 0.9 kg for the 14 inch format, and 1.15 and 1.25 kg for the two sizes of the business model. The anti-theft model in waterproof Oxford fabric has its own product page, in the laptop briefcase range alongside the rigid formats.
What empty weight should a laptop bag have?
A laptop bag weighs from 0.75 kg to 1.3 kg empty in our ranges, according to the seven pages that publish a weight. That weight adds to the weight of the laptop and charger: on a daily commute, 550 g between the lightest and the heaviest is felt on the shoulder.
The weights recorded are as follows: 0.75 kg for the leather bag of 39.5 x 29 x 6.7 cm, 830 g for the 16 inch messenger, 0.9 kg for the leather bag for 14 inch and for the PU model, 1.15 and 1.25 kg for the two sizes of the business model, 1.2 kg for the full grain leather bag of 36 x 27 x 8 cm and 1.3 kg for the waterproof anti-theft bag. Weight does not follow the material alone: the full grain cowhide messenger, at 10 cm thick, weighs less than the PU bag at 11 cm.
The padding of the compartment matters too: the page of the PU laptop bag states a padded compartment that protects the device from shocks and scratches, and this detail is read page by page. The models for a 14 inch laptop are gathered in the 14 inch laptop bag range.
Which bag for a 14, 15 or 16 inch laptop?
For a 14 inch laptop, a bag of 36 to 40.5 cm long is enough; for a 15 or 15.6 inch, you need a long side of 40 to 45 cm, or a tote-style bag of 37 x 35 cm; for a 16 inch, the messenger measures 40 x 28 x 10 cm.
Six models in the table are stated for a 14 inch laptop with a long side of 36 to 40.5 cm. For a 15 inch, the pages state 40 cm for the Crazy Horse briefcase, 41 cm for the large size of the business model, 43 cm for the long version of the cowhide briefcase and 45 cm for the anti-theft bag. Only one model in the table is stated for a 16 inch, the full grain leather messenger: the page specifies that any computer up to 16 inches fits.
The margin remains the safety rule. If the computer is almost as long as the bag, the zip strains and the machine presses on the seams: moving up a size costs less than a compartment that is too tight. The rigid formats of the briefcase type are gathered in the laptop briefcase range.
Four product pages to start with
Four product pages in the shop cover the most common uses: a light bag of 0.75 kg, a thin 14 inch bag for a daily commute, a 15 inch tote-style bag that carries a folder and a rain jacket, and a 16 inch messenger. They are detailed with their colours and photos.
- See the full grain leather 16 inch messenger: 40 x 28 x 10 cm, 830 g, the page of this guide that already counts sales.
- See the genuine leather 14 inch bag: 39.5 x 29 x 6.7 cm, 0.75 kg.
- See the full grain leather 14 inch bag: 36 x 27 x 8 cm, 1.2 kg empty.
- See the leather tote-style 15 inch bag: 37 x 35 x 15 cm, three ways to carry it.
Conclusion: choosing a laptop bag with three measurements
The rule comes down to three measurements: the length of the laptop plus one centimetre of margin on each side, the thickness of the bag against what it must hold, and the empty weight, from 0.75 to 1.3 kg in our ranges. A 14 inch laptop calls for a long side of 36 to 40.5 cm, a 15 inch for 40 to 45 cm, a 16 inch for the 40 x 28 x 10 cm messenger, and work built around binders for a briefcase 32 cm high. All these models are gathered in the laptop bag for men range, sold from 8,13 € à 491,97 €, and in the men’s briefcase range, sold from 14,88 € à 248,90 €.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best laptop bag for men?
The best laptop bag for men is the one whose compartment clears the computer by one centimetre on every side: for a 14 inch laptop, a long side of 36 to 40.5 cm, and for a 15 inch, 40 to 45 cm in our ranges.
Which bag for a 15 inch laptop?
A 15 or 15.6 inch laptop needs a bag with a long side of 40 cm or more, or a tote-style bag of 37 x 35 x 15 cm, because a 15.6 inch diagonal measures 39.6 cm.
Which briefcase should a man carry to work?
To carry files to work, a briefcase 32 cm high takes A4 flat and a 15 inch laptop, with a zip along the full length.
How much should a laptop bag weigh?
A laptop bag weighs from 0.75 kg to 1.3 kg empty in our ranges, according to the seven pages that publish a weight, and the 16 inch messenger weighs only 830 g.
Is a PU laptop bag suitable for a computer?
A PU bag suits a computer when the page gives the dimensions, like the 38 x 30 x 11 cm model at 0.9 kg, and it wipes clean with a cloth without feeding the material.
