Apple MacBook 13″ Unibody Suit – Review

The new Unibody MacBook Pros are gorgeous. They are sleek, refined and… well they just look awesome. And while it is a shame to cover up those good looks, there is a lot to be said for keeping the beauties pristine… especially if, like many of us on the site, you tend to cycle through devices frequently and therefore rely on keeping resale value as high as possible.

So if you ARE going to hide the unibody MacBook behind a protective shell, the least you can do is hide it behind an awesome looking one. On this front Case-Mate has you covered. Their new Unibody Suit looks great, and it offers super protection.

Let’s take a look…

The Description:

Move over Armani and check out this Suit.
The Suit covers your aluminum Unibody MacBook with a durable, impact-resistant, polycarbonate shell luxuriously covered with carbon fiber leather inlays. The 2-piece construction allows for an easy snap-on/off design and flawlessly conforms to your laptop whether it’s in use or in transit, offering the utmost in security, protection and style.

The Features:

# Complete MacBook Protection

# 2-piece snap on form-fit case

# Access to all ports

# Design allows for full opening and closing of the Macbook

# Impact-resistant polycarbonate construction with carbon fiber leather inlays

My Take:

The suit is a two piece protection system that quickly and simply clips over the notebook. Once on it is held quite securely by an invisible locking system that grasps the edges of the notebook in key locations. It is so secure, in fact, that I struggled a bit to remove it.

As you can see below, depending on the lighting the suit has a slightly different appearance. It always looks good, however.

I don’t know how crazy I am about the vanity cut-out on the suit. Sure it lets people still know you are using a MacBook but I think I would prefer it if it were solid all the way across. But to each his or her own. What I can say is that the cut-out is perfectly positioned. Not a surprise since Case-Mate always puts a good deal of thought into their designs.

The bottom of the suit has small, almost invisible “feet” that lift the notebook off the table or desk surface.

As you can see here the fit is perfect. Again, not a surprise but rather what I have come to expect from the company.

When using the MacBook the Unibody Suit is all but invisible. This is what I would hope and expect from a shell-like notebook case.

I like the Case-Mate Unibody Suit… a lot. It looks great and adds a level of sophistication to protecting your MacBook that I really appreciate. The fit and finish are superb and I have no doubt the case will hold up for a long time. It offers a high degree of protection.

That protection, however, comes at a cost. While it isn’t heavy, the Unibody Suit does add a bit of size and weight to the MacBook. I opted for the 13″ MacBook Pro because it is a good compromise between the Air’s light weight but low power and the 15″ MacBook Pro’s power but greater weight and I definitely notice the addition of the Unibody Suit. Then again, the price and additional weight are a small price for the good looks and added protection it offers.

The Apple MacBook 13″ Unibody Suit has an MSRP of $59.99 and is available directly from Case-Mate.

What I Like-
Looks great and offers excellent protection in a relatively light and highly durable design.

What Needs Improvement-
I’m not a fan of the Apple Logo cut-out