Tetskyl Tekmod Review (for 17" i9300)

I went and ordered the Tekmod for my i9300 a few weeks after recieving my new notebook, and since there are so many requests for 17" cases, I thought I'd add on to the 1 or two reviews that are already out there on this case. I should note that all images are linked directly from Radtech.us and are solely their property.

The Good:
- The Tekmod fits the 9300 like a glove. I've read other people saying that it is a very tight fit, or too tight, but this is completely untrue. These two were honestly made for each other. The straps keep the 9300 locked in tight, tight enough that if you somehow forget to zip up the "sandwich pouch", grab the handle and walk off, they hold the notebook secure until whenever you feel like noticing what a retard you are. The bottom straps do cover a bit of the front speakers, but only barely. The screen straps also stay right at the edge of the screen, and don't block a thing.

- It seems a little hokey when you look at it, but the airflow underneath the notebook is maintained by the notebook just sitting on the plastic quick-release clips for the rear straps. Since strapping the Tekmod on, I've never be en able to feel any building of heat, so, hokey or not, it works just fine.

- The place where this case truly shines is in the surprising amount of protection. I haven't been playing frisbee with it or anything, but this notebook is borderline huge, and when zipped up and hanging on the shoulder strap, it's pretty hard to turn around without bumping a corner into something. I'm not going to vouch for any kind of drop damage, but this thing handles the inevitable bumps and bruises like a champ- my 9300 is still in mint condition.

The Bad:
- Storage is a minor complaint for me. The pouch and file sleeve barely accomodate the essentials (power source, spare 9cell batt., Logitech Trackman & reciever) without using the expansion zipper for the pouch. I don't ever use the expansion feature on the pocket because the whole case gets a little unwieldy if you have too much stuff sticking out the side. There's still a little room in the file sleeve for a DVD or two (after the battery, in my case), but this case is definitely not for those who need to carry a lot of junk with their notebook.

- The "typing stand" is a bit of a useless feature for the 9300. It may or may not work on the smaller version, but the folding typing stand is actually right at the fulcrum point when you point the screen at eye level. This means that unless your hands are weighting down the front of your notebook, a stiff breeze will knock it over backwards and onto the floor!

- The zipper. I'm just whining here, but there is well over three feet of zipper to undo every time you open the case. It's really not that bad, and you get used to it to the point you don't even think about it after a while, but at first it's a bit annoying.

- The other zippers. With the 9cell in the file sleeve, the weight has a tendancy of overpowering the "brakes" on the screen hinges. After watching the screen flop down backwards a few times, removing any heavy contents in the file pouch also became pretty routine in setting up my notebook. On a good note, the wireless reciever for my Trackman never has to leave the pouch or clog what little workspace I might have with wires.

Conclusion:
The Tekmod suits my needs very well, even while using my notebook, the screen is pretty well protected from side & rear collision damage. Having the vinyl rubber pad on the underside (the "typing stand" in storage mode ) keep the notebook from sliding off my lap, or wherever. I haven't done a downpour test, but the case seems very watertight and the few drizzles I've been in haven't been able to penetrate the thick outer vinyl. I guess one thing I really like about it is not having to find some place to put the case while I'm using the notebook, this thing works great with even the smallest of workspaces (try the driver's seat of a Ford Ranger ), and when you're done, snap the lid, zip it up, and walk away.

A few more pics from Radtech's site:
Case closed - The case really looks good closed up. It's definitely a bit wider with the pouch full of gear though.

Full access - An awesome feature is that every port and connection is fully accessible when the notebook is in use.