A checkpoint-friendly backpack for allowing a laptop computer stored in a dedicated portion thereof to provide a clear, unobstructed, and distinct image thereof when X-ray screened at an inspection station without having to remove the laptop computer from the dedicated portion. The backpack includes a dedicated compartment and a non-dedicated compartment. The non-dedicated compartment stores items other than the laptop computer. The dedicated compartment stores only the laptop computer itself, is hingedly attached to the non-dedicated compartment at a common edge, is free of metallic snaps, zippers, and buckles, is free of pockets, and has a non-screening mode where it is replaceably fastened in side-by-side relationship to the non-dedicated compartment by a non-metallic zipper so as to facilitate unfastening the dedicated compartment from the non-dedicated compartment, and a screening mode where it is unfastened from the non-dedicated compartment and unfolded therefrom to lie unobstructed, flat, and substantially coplanar with the non-dedicated compartment on the inspection station so as to allow the laptop computer stored in the dedicated compartment to provide the clear, unobstructed, and distinct image thereof when X-ray screened at the inspection station without having to remove the laptop computer from the dedicated compartment.