There are countless options for hardshell cases for the MacBook Pro. But if you’re looking for something beyond the multitude of plastic designs that offers solid protection as well as a unique look and feel, choices are much more limited. We’ve been testing out the Incase Textured Hardshell in Woolenex for MacBook Pro recently to see if it’s a worthy accessory for Apple’s high-end notebooks.
The Incase Textured Hardshell for MacBook Pro looks to offer stylish front and back protection with a slim design. Before jumping into the review, here’s a look at some of the new hardshell’s features.
Incase Textured Hardshell Specs
- Ultra-durable Woolenex (polyester blend) fabric exterior
- Water-repellent finish
- Integrated ventilation
- Airport security friendly
- Leaves all ports accessible
- Rubberized feet to prevent slipping
Materials & Build
The entire surface area of the Textured Hardshell case for MacBook Pro is made up of the custom Woolenex fabric, except for the four rubber feet and the integrated vents. Woolenex is an ultra-durable fabric made from a polyester blend with a weather-resistant finish. Here’s how Incase describes the fabric:
Woolenex retains a slim, lightweight form with the high-tensile strength of ballistic nylon—meaning you can use it consistently over extended lengths of time. Its durable composition takes on any environment with excellent resistance to abrasions and shrinking.
It also resists fading and the water-repellent finish helps prevent mildew and aids in keeping chemicals and other gunk from sticking to the fabric.
With Woolenex making up the majority of the exterior, a plastic hardshell lies underneath as the frame. When the Textured Hardshell is installed, you can only notice a touch of the black plastic on the edges that click into place around the MacBook Pro to create a snug fit and on the underside for the vents.
The fabric is wrapped around the edges of the hardshell with precision right up against the plastic frame offering a polished and clean aesthetic.
All four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports and headphone jack are left unobstructed and the case matches the MacBook Pro’s vents to keep the machine’s cooling uninhibited.
Incase offers a one-year warranty on its products.
In Use
The Textured Hardshell is a breeze to install. A series of small plastic clips along the edge of the top and bottom shell snap into place to offer a precise fit. If you think you’ll want to take the hardshell off and on depending on your use, it’s easy to do and I didn’t feel like I was stressing the clips that keep it in place.
I found this case to be really well designed both in terms of form and function. There’s no obstruction of any of the ports and a smart design sees the case recessed to be flush with the MacBook Pro body around the ports so there aren’t any issues with making sure cables are fully connected.
The case also doesn’t interfere with the display hinge at all, so you get the full flexibility of the display that you would without the case on. It’s also airport-friendly, so you don’t need to remove the hardshell when going through security.
I really like the Woolenex finish as it softens the machine both visually as well as to the touch and it gives a nice contrast to the aluminum build of the MacBook Pro.
Another aspect I like about the Textured Hardshell is how slim it is. It only adds a few millimeters of thickness to the MacBook Pro and you barely notice it when using the notebook.
My only criticism about the Textured Hardshell is a minor one. The case fills in most of the MacBook Pro’s cutout where you open the display. It’s not a big deal and I got used to the change after a few days, but there’s just less of a space to get your thumb in to easily open it, so unfolding your MacBook Pro takes a bit more thought and a few seconds longer than normal.
Wrap-up
If you’re looking for MacBook Pro protection along with a unique, thoughtful design, the Incase Textured Hardshell is easy to recommend. It’s certainly more expensive than most hardshell cases out there at $70, but it’s a cut above when it comes to fit, finish, and style. I think it’s a worthy addition for any MacBook Pro owner.
The Textured Hardshell in Woolenex is available in graphite, heather navy, and blush pink for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 15-inch MacBook Pro priced at the same $70. You can buy the Textured Hardshell direct from Incase and from its Amazon storefront. Meanwhile, Apple sells a blue and red version.
The Textured Hardshell is slim enough that it can be used with Incase’s Slim Sleeve and other similar padded sleeves for those who want to double down on their MacBook Pro protection.
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