Alienware Vindicator Briefcase review with Pics!

First off i apologize if this is in the wrong spot, I will throw this up in the bags discussion thread as well but I thought it might get buried in there if anyone wants to do a forum search. I searched through 60+ pages and didn't find a whole lot of info on this particular product.

So in the process of my exchange on my R4 Alienware has offered me a free gift as compensation for all the trouble, and so I chose the Vindicator Briefcase bag as compensation. I already have an Orion M17X backpack and i love it but I just like the looks of the briefcase/messenger bags and have been thinking about getting one for awhile.

So without further adieu!





Overall it is a very nice and clean looking bag with a clean and polished look IMO, the surfaces feel very well crafted and sturdy and the craftsmanship seems really good. The bag comes with 3 separate compartments with smaller compartments in each larger section.



The first compartment is the main section that will carry the laptop. The sides have straps that you can clip or come aprt depending on how far you want the bag to open, you can open it like a file folder or you can open it right up and make it "Check-point friendly" although depending on which country and which security screener you get may vary on whether or not this is accepted, some people make it through without having to take the computer out and others do not, and have to unpack it.




The Second compartment has your tablet sleeve which is lined with nice soft .... fur? I don't know exactly what it is but it is pretty soft and won't scratch your screen :thumbsup: . This compartment does not open up all the way like the first, but it open up most of the way again like a file folder and provides easy access to the whole compartment.





As you can see in the 3rd picture there is a large compartment on the front that can also be opened up for extra storage. There is one of these in the large notebook section as well.

The 3rd compartment is going to be your main storage compartment more then likely, as it contains the bulk of the small compartment where you would commonly store things like your mouse, external HDD and other small devices. This compartment also contains a spot to store your headset so that it is held in place, as well as USB / flash drive and pen storage compartments.





You also get this power adapter bag so that the adapter isn't getting marked up by your gear or even marking up any gear that might share it's place.





The main concern that I had as soon as I got the bag was that the laptop sleeve that the laptop is supposed to go into for storage seemed a little small...even looking at it then over at the laptop it just didn't look big enough although they do say that this was designed with the new 17 in mind, and as such the R4 may have different dimensions. My new R5 gets here next week probably so this entire section is subject to change as I will test the new laptop when it gets here.



Yep...not promising , but again, could be designed for the new model and might fit that better.



It fits! But holy did it take some force and it has to be at just the right angle, and even once you get it in there it is TIGHT. I presume that if I were to use it enough it would stretch out and become easier to use but I can see a lot of people just giving up and saying it does not fit, which I guess if you have to use this much effort to get it to fit then it really doesn't....



It is also so tight that any additional equipment such as a mouse adapter won't fit with the laptop, needless to say that my neoprene sleeve that I store the computer in won't fit in there...




So I don't use the actual laptop storage area...I just stick the sleeve and all in the main compartment and ignore the notebook holder, it isn't going anywhere.



All in all , I like the bag so far and have been using if for about a week. I like the design, which IMO is really clean and professional looking, and even though you have the customary Alienware logo's and insignia's on the bag itself I don't find that they are over bearing or flashy, in fact most people probably wouldn't even know what it was if they saw it. There is lots of storage depending on how much you want to pack around and how big it all is. With my headset in there and the power adapter it gets tight but the same happens when I try to load it all in the Orion backpack as well. I can actually fit just as much in this as I can the backpack.

The laptop compartment was a bit of a disappointment as the laptop has to be forced in to make it fit , although it may stretch out over time? I would be more worried about ripping a seam on it and causing damage if it is forced to much, and I have to remove the micro receiver for my mouse to use this slot....I would much rather just use my neoprene sleeve and have it sit in the main overall compartment instead of the specific holder. Although this is a down side I don't consider it a deal breaker at all , it isn't like the laptop won't go in there at all, and it is not lined with any super soft material so regardless as to where it goes it isn't going to be any more or less protected. AGAIN!!! this bag was designed for the new 17 and not the R4 so maybe the new 17 would fit better I will let you all know when the new one gets here.

The shoulder strap is sturdy and feels quite well made, I would have no worries carrying all my gear around with any concern of it breaking. It is quite comfortable to carry around if you have it over one shoulder have it hanging on the same side, not so much if you pull it over your head and have it across your chest and sitting on the opposite side , although maybe if there was less equipment in there and just had the computer and the adapter it might not be as bad but then whats the point? The handles that you can use to pick up and carry the computer also feel quite sturdy and well made, there is no stretch and or flex in the material and it seems quite firm and sturdy, no concerns here at all.

All in all I feel the bag is a good investment for anyone that is looking for something to transport their Alienware or any other notebook around for that matter. The price tag is pretty decent IMO as most other brand bags that offer the same amount of space and design are just as expensive or in some cases more.

In the long run it is a good bag and I like it, although it can come up short on space if you want to pack a lot of extras around.

I give this bag.... 4/5 Alienware heads! because every review is better with some sort of score ... right?

 

Thank you for taking some time out and writing this review. As you mention it, it will fit better the Alienware 17 as that system is not a tall when closed. Cheers!

 

Awesome review! This bag totally beats the older Alienware bag made by Orion. Hopefully, it does't start to rip from the weight of the laptop, my bag has begun to rip near the handles from the extreme weight of the M17X R1 lol.

 

I am more then a few months in now and the bag has held up pretty well. No rips or tears and I cram a lot of stuff in here, a lot more then I am sure it was designed for. I have a few marks on the outside of the bag due to scratching it against stuff while manoeuvring through life but all in all I have no complaints.

I would def recommend it to anyone looking for a decent carrying case.

 

Where did you get that neoprene sleve!!!

 

Ebay and it was even super cheap, I think I paid $11 for it or something like that with free shipping.

17" Laptop Sleeve Bag Case Cover for 17 3" Dell Alienware M17x HP Acer Asus IBM | eBay

17" 17 3" Laptop Shoulder Bag Sleeve Case Handle Pocket for Dell Alienware M17x | eBay

Alienware also sells one now I see...

http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/pro...e_vindicator_sleeve?c=ca&cs=cadhs1&l=en&s=dhs

 

Nice, I have the Vindicator backpack and it is very similar.

Sent from Tapatalk from an increasingly expensive smartphone

 

Very nice review, thank you. I'm really closed to pulling the trigger on this one, but am curious how much heavier the entire package gets with this bag too, because the bag looks massive too!

 

The bag probably looks heavier then it is. Ultimately it is going to depend on how much you put in it. I don't find it is that bad but I am also a pretty tall and big person so it does not bother me.

 

I'd have to see it in real person, but I'd assume it is around as big and as heavy as when the A17 was in its original shipping box? I kind of have no choice but to order one in the next couple days as I will be going abroad for a while and plan on taking the A17 around, but the more I know what to expect, the better.