Laptop Sleeve in Backpack: What Compartment?

I recently destroyed my laptop's motherboard. I used to carry it in multiple sleeves in a backpack. The motherboard broke when I banged the side of the backpack into the wall of a bathroom stall, as I turned to leave.

I've just replaced the PC, and am wondering what the best place to put the sleeves is. My backpack has two main zippered compartments, a lot like this one.

I used to keep it in the front compartment, because I was afraid that my heavy textbooks placed in the front compartment would press against the PC while walking around. The PC I use - a Thinkpad T42 - is prone to GPU errors when the motherboard is "flexed." That's what went wrong on my previous PC.

But now I'm thinking it might be better to have it in the back compartment, closer to where my back is, so it doesn't slide around as much, and isn't as exposed. Keeping it in that compartment would also give it a bit of extra padding, because the backpack is padded where it contacts the wearer's back.

Any thoughts?

 

Why not get a true laptop backpack or a beefier sleeve? Because if that shock that don't seem to be really violent broke your previous laptop I think that the sleeve is not really protecting it...

 

You should always put the largest/heaviest item against your back in a backpack. It's the most stable position and the laptop is least likely to move or be struck, and it's also a lot easier to carry.

Textbooks sitting against it in a sleeve will be fine.

 

I'd like to buy a better sleeve, but they're pretty expensive. Replacing the laptop was kind of budget buster for me as it is.

kb1gra, the thing is that the laptop is lighter than my textbooks, which are quite large. All together, the load is probably 10 lbs in casebooks on some days. Do you still think it would be best to keep the laptop in the sleeve against my back, and have the 10+lbs of books pressing against it?

I agree that it's less likely to move and be struck there, but am concerned about causing the motherboard to "flex" because of pressure from the heavy textbooks.

 

The best sleeves I have found thus far are the Zeroshock III sleeves from Japan, discussed in several other threads on this forum. Incredible protection.

 

I've never had a computer "flex" because of books pressing against it...I don't know what you were doing to your previous notebook, but the books shouldn't be putting an inordinate amount of force on the notebook such that the motherboard would twist somehow. I think you have some other problem with the way you're using your laptop, and not the way you carry it (though putting it in the front pocket and then whacking it on things is a pretty good way to break it).

 

I say get a real laptop backpack. I use a targus. It works great.