Portable computing device with a housing secured by a magnetic element and related method

A housing for a portable computing device, the housing configured to be hingedly coupled to a lid portion of the portable computing device, the housing comprising:

• a uni-body top case defining an inner surface and a wall extending therefrom, the wall defining a pocket, wherein a magnetic element is positioned within the pocket of the wall, the magnetic element including a magnet configured to produce a magnetic field and a shunt configured to direct the magnetic field through an opening of the pocket;
• and
• a bottom case configured to couple with the uni-body top case and cooperate with the uni-body top case to define a volume configured to accommodate one or more components of the portable computing device, the bottom case including an attractor positioned at an inner surface of the bottom case and configured to magnetically couple with the magnetic element to secure the bottom case to the uni-body top case.

A method of forming a base portion of a portable computer, the base portion configured to be hingedly coupled to a lid portion of the portable computer, the base portion comprising a top case and a bottom case, the method comprising:

• inserting a magnetic element in a pocket of the top case, the magnetic element comprising a magnet configured to produce a magnetic field and a shunt configured to direct the magnetic field through an opening of the pocket;
• and
• securing the bottom case to the top case by magnetically coupling the magnetic element to an attractor positioned at an inner surface of the bottom case, wherein the bottom case cooperates with the top case to define a volume configured to accommodate one or more components of the portable computer.