Keep Your MacBook Pro Fresh and Clean with Expert Advice

Satechi Eco-Hardshell Case for the 16- and 14-inch 2021 MacBook Pro.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

No matter how careful you are with your shiny new MacBook Pro , it’s going to inevitably start collecting scratches and dents. Some people look at these blemishes as proud battle scars, while others like to keep their hardware looking as pristine as possible for as long as possible.

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This is especially true of people who are looking to pass on or resell their hardware at some point down the line.

The better your laptop looks, the more money you’ll get for it.

I’ve shied away laptop clamshells in the past for a number of reasons. They can be a real pain to get on, and then fall off at the drop of a hat. They can obscure the ports and air vents causing all sorts of hassles, and they can be made of such poor-quality material that cracks and breaks after very little use.

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So, as someone who usually hates these sort of laptop cases, I’m so surprised to find one that I love and that totally surpasses all my expectations.

And that one is Satechi’s new Eco-Hardshell Case for the 16- and 14-inch 2021 MacBook Pro .

Satechi Eco-Hardshell Case $44.99 at Satechi

Right from the start, my experience with the Eco-Hardshell Case was a good one. It comes well-presented and well-protected, without an excess of wasteful packaging. My MacBook Pro also fit into the hardshell case without needing to be forced and without breaking the case (that’s happened to me before a few times, where a clip or corner would crack under the stress).

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As important as the laptop fitting into the case is retention. There’s little worse than a hardcase that constantly comes undone, because not only does it offer little in the way of protection, but it also dramatically increases the chances of accidentally dropping the laptop onto the floor.

The Eco-Hardshell Case fits like a glove.

This hardcase clips in place beautifully.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The non-slip feet are also welcome… I’ve used cases that don’t have this feature, and it gives the laptop the stability of Bambi on ice when you try to use it on a table.

These non-slip feet mean the laptop isn’t going anywhere no matter what surface you put it down on.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The case also allows clear and easy access to all the ports on my MacBook Pro, which is a real bonus, because if you need to take the case off to use a port, then the case is useless.

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Also, there are cutouts for the air vents on the side of the MacBook Pro. These cutouts line up well, albeit not perfectly, with the slots in the MacBook Pro. Given how cool the new M1-powered MacBooks run, I’ve not been worried by a little bit of obstruction, and it seems to have had no measurable effect on system temperature.

The cutouts for the air vents are good, but not perfect, but my thermal testing suggests that this is not a problem.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The Satechi Eco-Hardshell Case is a hit for me. I fitted it to my MacBook Pro, and I’m still using it.

That’s a rare achievement.

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And then I went on to recommend it here – which is a first for these sorts of hardshell laptop cases.

That’s how much I like this case.

Priced at $44.99, it’s the perfect way to add some additional protection to your M1-powered MacBook Pro to keep it looking like new for longer.