Enter the Age of Smart Backpacks – We Try Out The Top 5 Best Sellers
A backpack that charges your devices, plays your favorite music, and can make you look fashion-forward in the process?
The great tech boom has seen laptop backpacks evolve dramatically in the past ten years. Now, these next generation backpacks can charge your phone, locate themselves, and, like all backpacks, be tough enough to withstand being kicked around.
If you’re a commuter, someone who travels for work a lot, or a student looking for college backpacks, you’ll want to use your backpack for at least the next 2 to 5 years. Every day. So it makes sense to get the right one to start with.
What to look for in a smart laptop backpack
- Any smart backpack you choose has to have enough space, so a compartment specifically for your laptop or tablet is a must. Think about what other items you’ll need to carry too – water bottle, phone, wallet and so on.
- Having anti-theft features are a great idea that many smart backpacks include as standard.
- The material has to be durable, preferably waterproof, or at least water-resistant, and reinforced at the corners, base and other crucial wear points.
- Smart features should include a battery pack with enough power to fully charge your devices. Some backpacks need to be plugged in, whilst others are solar powered – great for a weekend’s camping.
- You need to check whether a power bank is included.
Most manufacturers recognize the need for smart backpacks to not only perform well, but look super stylish too, and are catering for more tastes within their product range.
So here’s our pick of the top Smart Backpacks of 2024:
1) Matein Smart Travel Backpack
Overview
Our immediate observations on this smart bag are how well made and hard wearing it feels. We love the choice of colors, minimalist style and the fact it has a huge number of handy pockets.
What We Like
The designer of this backpack has thought of everything – if you need to carry pens, a water bottle, your passport, wallet, or school books, along with your laptop, there’s a pocket just waiting for it. For the vertically challenged amongst us, this backpack is easy to adjust and will still sit comfortably on your body without causing aches and pains.
The smart features include a built-in USB charger outside and built-in charging cable inside, which we found great for powering up on the move.
What Needs Improving
Although it supports portable charging, this backpack doesn’t power itself, but as USBs are inexpensive and readily available, this isn’t a problem.
$21.99 in stock
2) Ambor Smart Travel Backpack
Overview
We love the design of this – it looks classy, neat and hard-wearing, and with the included combination lock, very secure. On first examination, you’d never guess that it’s packed to the rim with technical prowess.
What We Like
This is a really smart smart backpack (if you see what we mean). It’s very comfortable, has pockets for everything, and has plenty of room. The design is quite simple, which works very well with this classic, water repellent fabric.
We tried our hardest to ‘break-in’, but the anti-theft features flawed us every time. Overall we really like this bag, the fact that it charges our phones, super-fast, is an added bonus!
What Needs Improving
The shoulder straps could do with being a little shorter to make carrying easier; they are a bit tricky to adjust to the right position for someone shorter or younger kids.
3) Modoker Vintage USB Backpack
Overview
This good looking, satchel design backpack is well made from durable fabric, has lots of useful features and is plenty big enough for laptops, books and other things you may want to pop in.
What We Like
We love the super chic retro look of this smart backpack. It’s scratch, water and scuff resistant – so you can relax knowing it’ll look great whatever. Even with a heavy load, and believe us, this has plenty of internal room, and useful pockets, it’s comfortable across the shoulders, thanks to the well-placed padding.
The USB port is conveniently accessible for easy, efficient charging while you walk along.
What Needs Improving
Although the side pockets are a good size, being elasticated would make them even more useful. But hey, we can easily live with this.
1 used from $19.66
4) SwissDigital Smart Business Backpack
Overview
This smart and streamlined extra large backpack is perfect for any carrying requirements. The outer material is deceptively hard wearing and can easily withstand the rigors of commuting, or college, but it’s specifically designed for air travel.
What We Like
This smart backpack is full of compartments so you can easily organize all of your gadgets, notes, books, and other accessories. It’s fitted with charging ports (USB) for keeping your smartphone and tablet full of juice on the go. Other perks include an RFID protection pocket that prevents identity theft and a 3D ventilation system for back-area comfort. This is truly a backpack fit for our modern lives.
What Needs Improving
We only wish that this smart backpack came in more colors as the ultra-cool design deserves to be seen in other hues.
5) Korin Design Smart Backpack
Overview
The smart backpack from Korin Design is one of the most interesting looking bags we tested. We love the futuristic design and the unique weight-reducing strap system.
What We Like
One of the biggest selling points of the Korin is that it looks ultra-cool. But to say that this smart backpack can’t live up to its aesthetics would be an understatement. First off, it uses an innovative ClickPack ergonomic design that ensures this backpack fits you perfectly with the minimum adjustment required. It also has a weight reduction system, which means that no matter how heavy your backpack is, the weight will be evenly distributed across your back. There’s a triple anti-theft mechanism, including the slash-resistant fabric, and as for storage, you get 5 large compartments to organize your belongings.
Smart wise, the Korin charges quickly and unobtrusively – no one would know you have smart devices stashed away inside. This ticks our boxes.
What Needs Improving
Whilst Korin have given this a larger price tag, we feel it’s worth the extra for all the proffered features
What else is trending at The Gadget Nerds?