Small backpack... do they make them?

Okay, so I recently purchased a Lenovo X61 tablet, which is a bit smaller than most laptops, and have been looking at backpacks for when I go to college in a couple months, but everything is sized for 15.4" or 17" screens. I have a 12" screen (albeit 4:3 aspect ratio and I've got a battery that sticks out). My (closed) computer dimensions are:
10 1/2" long x 10 11/16" wide x 1 1/2" thick

I'm looking for a backpack over a messenger bag because I've used a backpack all my life and find it very comfortable. I'm looking for something I can throw my laptop into, slip it on my back, and then go ride my bike to class. Padding is of utmost importance, as is ease of getting it in and out of the backpack. I'd prefer the backpack be as small as possible, otherwise. I don't need much space for books/notebooks/paper etc. because my computer is a tablet and I'll do almost everything on there.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

Ebagshas it where you can search by the size of your notebook, they also have the backpack sizes and some pretty cool zoom features.

 

How small are you trying to go, and do you have/would you consider buying a sleeve, independent of the backpack? Because while you can find a pretty small "notebook" backpack, most of the padded compartments in those are going to be oversized for your x- but if you let a sleeve take care of protection duty, it'd open up your options.

For example targus has probably THE smallest backpack in their radius, but the removeable 15" sleeve will completely fill up the backpack's main compartment. Not going to hold much outside of notebook and accessories. Thing is tiny.

Tom Bihn's "sling bag" style (the Buzz) has only one strap, but you still wear on your back so it'd work while riding. Also very small at 850 cubic inches, but not nearly as bad as the radius (which would fit inside the buzz). Again, oversized padded compartment for size of your x, but very thin (look at profile view C). They also have a Ruck's Sack, but actually might be too small to wear (designed for "small framed adults and kids", and kinda looks like a child's backpack imo). Plus you'd have to get their vertical soft cell for it, or some other type of sleeve for protection, as this bag has none itself (which imo is a good thing because you're not wasting space in an already small bag with larger than necessary integrated sleeves/compartments).

I like Spire's smallest ( the zoom, 1200ci) because it's padded and also comes with their own sleeve that you choose the size of to fit your notebook ( the boot). Probably what I'd go with if couldn't handle the sling stlye of the buzz. IMO this is the intersection maximizing economy of size x protection (sleeve+bag padded) x value ($120 for sleeve and bag) x quality materials (1680 ballistic nylon) x usability (splits the difference to the tiny 800ci "backpacks"). I'd just hesitate getting any backpack I couldn't at least get a binder and good sized book in there along with. Plus you could take that boot out and carry with it alone when not on your bike (zoom w/o the boot is $90).

Otherwise, smallest dedicated notebook backpacks from Booq, Trager, Kensington, and Brenthaven aren't much south of 2000ci. Jansport has one ~1,700ci, Ogio has a couple ~1,500ci. Timbuk2's daypacks are small (~1,000ci), but looks like womens stuff imo. But just go down the list in this thread sonic put together for us and see which make has which sizes anyways. The problem will not be finding a small one, but deciding among too many options.