Brik Book for Mac

A case you can personalize with LEGO

From $59.99 Manufacturer Jolt Team, brik.co Requirements 13/15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (models before 2016), 11/13-inch MacBook Air

LEGO-compatible Brik Book is a shell for your MacBook that adds a surface you can build designs on from bricks. Deciding what to build might be the most challenging step. Jolt Team sell Briks (their own equivalent of LEGO bricks) in a range of colors, and on their online Pixel Art Design Gallery, they offer countless sample designs, from a classic Mac Hello script to Libra scales. A basic set comes with a recreation of the white Apple logo, and extra sets are available at additional cost. The case itself comes in gray, clear, and blue, with other colors available at certain times (red and green were available over the holidays, for example).

Attaching the Brik Book to the back of an 11-inch MacBook Air is an easy feat, but some initial legwork is needed to properly assemble the cover art. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn’t include instructions for all of the designs available on the website. As a result, assembling the design seemed overwhelming at first, but ultimately, we found it rewarding.

Removing a poorly positioned Brik is not that easy. Jolt Team does offer a Brik removal tool, but only includes it some select packs as standard. The most effective strategy we found without one was to stack two Briks atop of each other then remove both from the grid. The total time needed to assemble most of the designs suggested on the website is under an hour, but a single ill-placed Brik can torpedo that estimate. Having said that, the Brik pieces stay firmly in place no matter what; they’re not in the business of just popping off. The Book fits crisply on the laptop and does not add substantial weight. It’s almost de-stressing to run our hands over the Brik Book’s outside; the texture is both playful and soothing.

If you want your MacBook to stand out from the crowd, this case will help to make yours a nice little conversation piece.

the bottom line. The Brik Book is a great notebook accessory, bringing a bit of fun to your MacBook. Muira McCammon