Moshi Codex Macbook Shellcase
Designed by Aevoe
Price: $65 US (MacBook); $70 US (MacBook Pro)
aevoe.com
The very first thing I noticed about the Codex MacBook Protective Shellcase – you can call it a cover or a carrying case but the name given it by Moshi is appropriate – was the packaging. The box’s silver color tells of advanced technology, and the design is as sleek as it is practical. The embossed “moshi” name along with the built-in handles say it all. “You’ve just spent your money on something worth having.”
The shellcases comes in 13″ and 15″ sizes for the MacBook or the MacBook Pro inclusively. They offer two colors: black and silver. I opted for the black one.
The packaging was almost as protective of its product as the product is for its intended target. There was a properly sized foam board zipped inside the case which kept the proper shape through shipping and handling. Not that it really needed it. Here’s why.
With the inside dimensions of 360mm (W) X 250mm (H) X 28mm (D) moshi uses the most advanced material available, Viscotex, which is sewn into the shellcase as inserts, giving the whole case a feeling of integrity and strength while keeping the weight to a bare minimum. Viscotex is an advanced shock absorbing material (visco-elastic foam) that “effectively dampens shock due to impact.” I pinched the material, hard, with my fingers. It’s stiff, but pliant enough to give. It may feel like foam board to the casual observer, but foam board does not “remember” its shape like Viscotex does, and foam board does not have the same shock absorbing characteristics as Viscotex.
The case consists of three layers, and is hand sewn. The inside is made of Terahedron microfiber, which, the company says, will “constantly clean and buff the MacBook’s delicate surface.” It certainly feels soft. I like the beefy straps in the inside top corner which attach to the display half of the computer. They hold firmly whether the shellcase is open or closed. So when you unzip your shellcase and lift the top half, even if you’re just holding on the shellcase itself, and not the computer, the MacBook opens wide and the screen stays put, where you want it. The position of the computer is already layered out for you by the practical little rubber discs which are on the bottom half of the shellcase, and align perfectly with the little rubber feet on the bottom of the MacBook. That feature, simple as it is, is important because it keeps the computer from moving around while in use. Stable and steady, like it should be. When you transport the computer in the shellcase it may shift a little. The corner straps may need to be reattached, but that takes a second or two.
The outside material consists of brushed poly-urethane. It is touted to be durable, lightweight, and splash proof. I’ve had my MacBook in the shellcase for about a week. I’ve used it all over the house. The black cover does show any schmootz that touches it. I took a damp paper towel and wiped the case a few times. The schmootz was gone.
When the Codex is closed and zipped up, or down in this case (no pun intended) the unit looks vaguely like a attache case. It is not. If you try to stand it up on what appears to be the bottom you will soon find out that the zippers are in the way and the shellcase will fall over. Actually, there are two zippers acting independently so you could zip them to one side or the other, and not the bottom. But the natural move to “zip it up” is to zip from the top, around the case, to the bottom. Obviously, it was not intended as a brief case, in spite of the way it looks.
I do like the attachable handle included with the unit. It’s feel is tight to the shellcase when I grasp it, and it feels substantial. For all the thought and great engineering that went into the creation of this unit I was surprised that a shoulder strap was not included. It would be a cinch (again, no pun intended) to attach it where the handle attaches, and it would allow those who would rather “shoulder” their MacBook to do so.
An included accessory with the shellcase is a little leather holster which holds the MacBook remote. It has a spring loaded clip so you can keep your remote on a keychain or clipped to the shellcase itself. Very handy, and it could keep you from losing the remote. The remote works while it’s in its protective holster, so no need to remove it.
The moshi comes with another accessory called a SheildPad. It’s a swatch of optical-grade microfibre which fits perfectly across the keyboard, thus shielding the screen from dirt and oils collecting on the keyboard and possibly transferring onto the display when the computer is closed. It can also be used to wipe of smears and dust from the display. It doubles as a mouse pad, if you are so inclined.
The cases are stylish and a little formal. They are practical to a point, but I must say that access to all the ports can be made only while the case is unzipped and the zipper binding moved away when hooking up, say, a USB wire. While I had my AC chord plugged in it was hard to tell if my MacBook was still being charged when the case was closed because the zipper assembly covers the green light at the magnetic connector head. There is also no port in the rear for air exchange to keep the notebook from overheating. I think I would keep my MacBook out of this case while in use, at least while I’m home, until it’s time to cart it somewhere. Under normal use the Shellcase should last for years. For my money, and from seeing some similar products on the market, this is one of the best looking protective cases I’ve seen, and certainly worth your consideration.
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