Will your old case fit your new 16-inch MacBook Pro?

The 16-inch MacBook Pro won't fit in your existing hardshell case

If you're thinking of upgrading to the new 16-inch MacBook Pro from a 15-inch model, and you have some kind of hardshell case or other protection that fits snugly against the body of the MacBook, you should know that your case won't fit the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The new computer is a bit larger all around than previous models, and so you'll need to wait if you want this sort of protection for your MacBook Pro.

This also applies to many notebook sleeves, including Apple's own leather sleeve. Because many such items are built not to be much bigger than the computers they're meant to hold, a lot of sleeves, especially those made of leather, also won't fit.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro should be just fine in bags, backpacks and other larger carriers

If you use a bag, briefcase, backpack, or another carrier to haul your laptop around with you, then you're probably fine. If your bag has a section for a laptop in it, you might need to find a new place to carry your MacBook in the bag. That depends on whether the compartment is made for a specific size computer.

More often than not, bags will have a laptop sleeve meant for laptops "up to 15 inches," and not sized for a specific model. The good news with the 16-inch MacBook Pro is that, though it's technically larger than the 15-inch computer, it's still smaller than many other laptops with similar screen sizes. That means it's likely to fit in bag and backpack compartments meant for 15-inch computers.

Apple currently makes the best sleeve for the new MacBook Pro

Because of the way Apple has announced the 16-inch MacBook Pro, you might have to wait a bit before some of the more form-fitting cases arrive on shelves. But if you're in the market for something like a laptop sleeve, Apple has you covered.

As they have for a few years now, Apple is offering a leather sleeve for the latest MacBook Pro. It comes in three colors, Midnight Blue, Saddle Brown, and Black. It's also very pricey. But it's slick, and importantly, the only real option for such a product that you have at this time.