Smell on mine was not very noticeable (and my sense of small is strong), and faded after a few days.  Nice, well-made low-end case with one flaw.  The fabric loops holding the D-rings that connect to the shoulder strap are insufficient to the task.  I fixed mine with grommets ($7 kit from home depot).  If you want a reasonable low-end case, and don't mind a little fixing, this is it.

Also - it has a slot in the middle to hold a laptop.  But only smaller laptops up to 13" wide will fit.  If yours is bigger, it goes in one of the outer areas.