Best cases for Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 Gen 2

The Lenovo ThiknPad Z13 and Z16 Gen 2 are great business laptops. Here are the best cases to keep them safe.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 Gen 2 are two of the company’s business laptops marketed as sustainable in design thanks to their use of vegan leather or recycled aluminum depending on which model you opt for. They make use of AMD’s latest Ryzen 7000-series processors and have some fantastic display options. With MSRPs over $1000, you’re going to want to take good care of your ThinkPad Z13 or Z16. For that, I have put together a list of the best cases you can buy for either machine. Many cases come in multiple sizes so you might be able to get them for either laptop, and it's also worth noting that larger cases will obviously fit smaller laptops, too, they just won't be snug.

The TomToc 360 Shoulder Bag is a great case. It comes in fewer colors than its lower-end counterparts but makes up for it with a shoulder strap and two spacious additional zippered compartments. It can fit either the ThinkPad Z13 or Z16. It is simple in its design coming in a solid color with an accent color to offset the look. Its additional padding on the corners should keep your laptop safe in the case of a drop.

If you have cash to splash and want one of the most talked about tech backpacks, the Peak Design Everyday Backpack V2 is for you. Its 20L size means you could fit both laptops if you wanted to. It has a magnetic clip for the top cover, can be opened from either side via the zips, and has a quick-release keychain attachment. It also comes in three colors - Ash, Midnight Blue, and Charcoal.

The Bagasin Laptop Sleeve is a computer case designed for laptops up to 16-inches. It comes in three colors — Black, Grey, and Pink. All of these have a black accent at the bottom and two black carry handles up top. The two zippers open to reveal a slot for a laptop up to 16 inches and two netted pockets for additional accessories. It's a basic fabric case, but it's hard to beat for the price.

The Smatree 13-inch Hard Shell Case does what it says on the box. It fits the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 and on top of the plentiful internal padding, it has a hard shell to minimize damage in the case of a drop. It’s designed not to deform on impact. It has a zigzag cross pattern on the outside and comes in black. Ideally, you would slip it into a backpack due to its lack of handles, straps, or mounting points.

If you’re after a more traditional laptop bag for your ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, the Targus Bex II could be for you. It’s a sleeve style with a large main compartment for your laptop and one additional front pocket more suitable for storing a charger, mouse, or other smaller accessories. It comes in one color — Gray, and is made of weather-resistant fabric with internal padding to ensure your laptop is kept safe. All for a pretty reasonable cost, too.

You might want a basic sleeve for your ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 and this Case Logic Ashton 13-inch model is just that. It’s fairly slim, making it more of a scratch and ding-resistant case than a fully protective bag. The Ashton is designed to be slipped inside a larger backpack and has a zippered main compartment for your laptop along with a zippered outside pocket for any accessories you might bring with you.

The TomToc 360 is a popular laptop sleeve thanks to its minimal design and availability in plenty of colors outside of just Gray and Black. The 16-inch laptop model is a fantastic fit for the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2. This is designed to fit inside a larger bag if you want the best protection. There’s a small layer of padding inside including additional padding around the perimeter to minimize corner damage in case of a drop.

The Adventurer is a heavy-duty laptop case made by case titans Pelican. It comes in black, has an internal mesh compartment, and has several layers of protection. This includes a neoprene interior, foam padding, and a hard shell coated in 900D nylon. It is rather expensive but gives you the peace of mind that you’re buying from a trusted brand. It also has a handle for carrying it around.

I’ve always endorsed Lenovo’s ThinkPad series for its machines' great performance and reliability. The ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 are fantastic machines and deserve to be kept in good condition with the use of a case or bag even if they aren't the best of the best. This list has great fits for the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 Gen 2. Whichever you pick, you're getting a good quality protection solution for your laptop.

My personal choice of case is the TomToc 360 Laptop Shoulder Bag. This case has plenty of space for either laptop and accompanying accessories. It is relatively affordable and offers a shoulder strap which some of its contemporaries lack.

If I had a big budget for a big backpack, I’d pick the Peak Design Everyday Backpack V2 20L due to its stellar build quality, large compartments, and handy keychain attachment system. Its magnetic cover for the large top opening and the zippers on either side help make it easy to get large items out of the main compartment.

For those after the most bang for their buck, it’s hard to beat the Bagasin Laptop Sleeve. It will fit either laptop along with some small accessories like a mouse and charger, and looks good enough to not stand out against the rest of the options, design-wise.

Ryan-Thomas is a PC repair technician by day, computer science student by day, and commerce writer by... day?