The NEXA laptop sleeve by Journey is a 4-in-1 protective case for your MacBook with incredible versatility. It takes a lot to make a laptop sleeve stand out, but NEXA has done a fine job with its included wireless charging pads for phones and AirPods. Not only does it protect your laptop and wirelessly charge devices, but it also doubles as a nifty desk mat or even a mouse mat for true 4-in-1 utility.
NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Price and availability
The NEXA 4-in-1 laptop sleeve is only available from Journey’s official website. In the U.S. it costs $109.99 for either the 13 & 14-inch or the 15 & 16-inch versions. It comes in two colors, Black or Dove Grey, pictured here. It’s also available in the UK for £79.99, Canada for $119.95 CAD, and Europe for €113,95.
NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Design and Build
The NEXA 4-in-1 boasts a tremendous design and a lovely finish and feel. Apple users will be impressed by the unboxing experience, which takes inspiration from Apple’s own boxes and features flush accessories packed into a neat housing, and of course, stickers.
For the most part, it’s a fairly regular laptop sleeve. The “top” side is made of vegan leather that naturally feels more synthetic than regular leather might. However, it also feels much tougher and durable, and more practical in mouse mat mode, which I’ll get onto later. This leather is very neatly stitched to the opposite panel, which is a much more textured grey finish. Both exude quality and it’s a slick-looking piece of kit. It’s only when you get to the mouth of the sleeve that you realize this is no ordinary laptop pouch. The aforementioned rear panel is extended and features a flexible flap that folds over to seal up the pouch, keeping your MacBook secure. And it’s here too where the magic happens. Within the extension are subtle but defined raised areas for wireless charging a phone and a pair of wireless earbuds.
NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Features
As a MacBook sleeve, the NEXA feels very protective, and I would have no problem lugging my MacBook around in this all day, throwing it into a bag, commuting, or anything else. Its smooth surfaces also wipe clean with ease, so it can brush off any grime from the slightly sticky table at the local cafe. You know the one I’m on about.
The NEXA features a USB-C 12V/2.5a port that can be connected to a plug socket (not included), or directly into a MacBook, as I’ve found most useful. Once plugged in, those two charging pads supply wireless charge to two devices simultaneously. The round one is a Magsafe compatible wireless charger for phones that delivers 15W of power, while the rectangular one can house any wireless charging earbuds including Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro, charging them at up to 5W.
Both use magnets to keep your devices securely in place, and there’s no hint of them being disturbed if you move the NEXA itself or anything in the surrounding area. The charging response is instant, and thanks to the aforementioned magnets you know your device is always aligned correctly and receiving juice.
Not content as merely a sturdy laptop sleeve with wireless charging, the NEXA triples, nay quadruples as a mousemat, and a nifty desk pad. If you sit the NEXA adjacent to your MacBook you’re left with a sizeable surface to situate a mouse on. Naturally, it’s about the same size as your MacBook itself. As such, this mode doesn't lend itself well to small spaces, but in the right environment, it’s perfect. The leather surface is definitely noticeably draggier as a mouse surface than my own highly-tuned gaming pad, but for a portable mousemat solution, it’s a sure-fire upgrade to nothing at all and very snazzy.
If you do find yourself limited on space, you can stow the mouse, pop your MacBook atop the leather, and use the NEXA as a mobile desk pad for any workspace. Just because it's more compact and the NEXA is a great travel companion, this is my preferred mode of use. What’s more, even if your devices don’t need to be charged, they sit flush on the magnetic pads neatly arranged and secure. Take it to any local artisan roastery and you’ll be the envy of every digital nomad in the room.
I’ve most enjoyed using the NEXA plugged into my MacBook, as this keeps everything nice and neat with the cables. You can, of course, plug your NEXA into the wall or a charging bank of sorts for juice too. The former will of course drain your battery, more so than simply plugging in an iPhone to charge. But it’s more convenient, turning one USB-C port into two and giving you that extra flair of a mousemat or a deskpad. If I had one complaint, it’s that the NEXA functions best in this configuration, but the included cable is much too long for this, and there’s a lot of excess. But this is such a minute detail it’s not enough to dent the five-star rating.
NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Competition
In so far as I can tell, the NEXA is completely unique as a MacBook sleeve that offers this much functionality. If you want a MacBook sleeve without any of the bells and whistles, then I’d recommend the Moshi Muse 3-in-1 from our best MacBook Pro cases roundup. The HYZUO Laptop Sleeve case is also very stylish. Apple also stocks the von Holzhausen MacBook Portfolio case, which is a bit more expensive and is made from 100% vegan leather, as well as microfibre made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles. None of these, however, entice me more than the NEXA.
NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Should you buy it?
You should buy it if...
- You want the coolest laptop sleeve money can buy
- You want a protective laptop sleeve made of premium materials
- You want a versatile sleeve that can charge your devices
You shouldn’t buy it if…
- You want a barebones MacBook sleeve
- You don’t need to charge devices wirelessly
- You don’t need a sleeve for traveling or working on-the-go
NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Verdict
The NEXA 4-in-1 laptop sleeve is an absolute triumph. I love the ingenuity of its design and the features Journey have packed in. The materials themselves are lovely and this is a well-built, rugged, and durable MacBook sleeve that still feels premium and quality. The charging is surprisingly useful and not gimmicky at all, with magnets and solid power delivery this is a genuinely excellent on-the-go charging solution for any MacBook user. It’s also a premium portable desk pad and a fine mouse mat to boot.
