Computing in Tough Conditions? Panasonic Toughbook
By now, most of us have heard at least a little about high quality, ruggedly built Toughbook computers from Panasonic. These laptops are said to be able to cope with any environment and any rough treatment you can give them. But are they really worth their high price?
It’s perfectly normal to wonder if a laptop computer like this is worth what you’ll pay for it. After all, everyone wants to save as much as possible for their business. Let’s take a look at what a Toughbook can do for you and your company, and see if it’s worth the price.
The Toughbook is probably set up to deal with a harsh environment better than just about anything else on the market. It comes in several different types, depending on what kind of conditions you need your computer to deal with. Fully rugged laptops are the toughest.
These machines can be dropped from distances of almost a meter, exposed to water and sometimes even fully immersed, covered in mud, and used in dusty conditions. They can be used in machinery that creates vibrations which might destroy an ordinary computer, and Toughbooks have stood up to everything the US military had to throw at them.
Of course, a Toughbook might be built like a tank, but that doesn’t mean it looks or weighs like one. These notebooks are small and light for their ruggedness – just two and a quarter kilograms, or about five pounds. That makes them a lot easier to carry around.
More recent models have touch screen and stylus options that make working much easier without a keyboard, and have solid metal latches to keep them closed. Equipped with bright screens that help them work under any lighting conditions, these computers are easy to see, even in pitch black or bright sunlight. Displays often rotate, and are built to resist cracks, scratching and more.
If you need to log data in the field, choose a Toughbook, and custom order it to have the hardware and software you really need. There are models that make typing in gloves a lot easier, and models that make it easier to type in dim conditions. All connectors and ports are sealed against water and dust, making them functional in every environment.
Worried about damaging your Toughbook in a fall? Don’t be – the case is made of a strong, durable magnesium alloy that’s stood up to manhandling by tigers and elephants, and the shock mounted hard drives mean that internal damage isn’t much of a risk, either. These computers don’t offer top of the line performance, it’s true, but they do offer durability and an incredibly low rate of replacement and repair.
Add in a computer that has the latest wireless technology included, and a battery that just won’t quit, and you’ll have no problem transmitting data from even remote locations. Don’t worry about not getting access to an outlet – many Toughbooks have up to eight hours of battery life. These computers are definitely built to last, and worth the investment.