I've done two laptops + phone + tablet + power supplies + e-cig + its supplies all in a bag through Pre, never been asked to take stuff out except once going through the TSA-style security post-preclearance at YYZ where I was told my iPad and laptop had to come out.

Two laptops in one bag at Precheck
 

New one for me today. Going through Precheck @ DFW C20, I put my backpack containing two full size laptops on the belt. When the image came up on the agent's screen, he asked if I had 2 laptops in the bag, I said yes, he said he had to pull one out and run the bag and the 2nd laptop through separately. Said the image wasn't clear enough with the two machines on top of each other.

I've probably cleared Precheck 40-50 times with the double laptop, and this was the first time I've encountered this. Was this a one-off from a bored agent, or have others here run into this?

it's at the TSAs discretion
if they cannot see it clearly who's to argue?

It appears as if they were professional about it. I had the same issue in STL a few months ago, and the guy pretty much held my bag for a few minutes. It took me specifically asking before he told me why. The guy behind me commented "I thought you didn't have to do that anymore" to which I replied "Guess they don't follow the rules here." The STL TSA agent heard me and wasn't happy.

You were wrong. The guy was following the "rules".

If they can't see the image for whatever reason, they pull out whatever is blocking the image and run the two items separately.

Seems sensible.

I should have clarified...

Communication is the key. Had the STL TSA agent asked me right away about the bag(or the two laptops) I would not of had an issue. It's when he held my backpack to the side for a few minutes without saying a word is what pissed me off.

At EWR Terminal C TSA Pre last Friday, TSA agent explicitly stated to those of us lining up that if we had two laptops in a single bag, one needed to be removed.

It's because they've all seen the TV commercial.

He was professional, and the rescan only took an extra minute or two. Mostly I'm annoyed because I just bought a new backpack, which I mostly like but where removing a laptop is a bit less convenient than my previous bag. If I had expected removing one of the two computers would be a regular thing, I might have opted for a different bag, but never having encountered the request before (except when Pre- was closed), it wasn;t something I expected.

So you have extrapolated one incident in 40 or 50 trips through Precheck into it being a regular thing? Hmm... :confused:

I regularly have 2 laptops in 1 backpack, however, it's the "Checkpoint Friendly" type that has a lay-flat section. I'll put the bigger one in the separate compartment, unzip it to lay flat and the smaller one in the main bag section with all the other junk I carry.

Just came SFO-SYD, SFO Intl recheck had no issues with Thinkpad and MB Air. Don't do it too often. Just one of those things if they want them separate.

No, I have posted on Flyertalk to try to find out, based on the huge volume of collected experience here, if this is becoming a regular thing or not. :D

Just went through Pre at RIC. Was told that I absolutely could not have a laptop and my iPad in the same bag, that this has always been the policy for TSA Pre everywhere, and that I should never do it again.

Been going through Pre for three years now and have never heard of this policy before. I chalk it up to lazy x-ray operators who don't want to click an extra button to look closer.

Two laptops and a tablet all on top of each other, in addition to a DSLR, phones and chargers underneath: no issues at EWR precheck.

I did once leave my tablet in a bag at LHR (I was somewhat tired after a TATL), that forced a rescan of the tablet AND bag, in addition to explosives swabbing on _every_ single device I was carrying.