Rugged Computer Product User Reviews

Excellent stability of hardware and software. Nice LCD screen, and compact dimensions. Cons: LCD screens wings are low quality and somtimes they catch crack and break."

"I love this rugged laptop. I am a mobile equine veterinarian in a very dusty environment and this computer runs my practice. It has been extremely dependable and withstood situations like ant hills that would have ruined most other laptops. The screen is very readable even in most outdoor environments. This model now has a bigger hard drive which it needed. I have had one of the rubber feet fall off and a port cover break. The port cover is a bit disappointing as that is part of keeping it fully rugged. Longer battery life is always desirable in a portable computer. Overall I am extremely happy with my computer and would definitely recommend to anyone who needs a computer that will withstand harsh treatment."

"I like everything about this model. The only thing that is slow to learn is the mouse window. I have to keep tapping to get the mouse where I want it to go. Maybe it is me…I am not sure."

"I like the ruggedness of this machine. I also like the bright display and long battery life. The keyboard is a little cramped, but overall I am pleased with my purchase."

"Very resistant to abuse! I have had mine in a truck for over 2 years and 150,000 miles of dirt roads and bumpy highways - temperatures from 120 °F to 0 °F. Have not had any problems. I would like a larger screen and key board with a number pad, but that is not what I ordered — would look to see if available if I get a new one."

"The best features are: touchscreen, keyboard, and stylus entry; movable screen that allows the PC to be used as a notebook; and large battery time. Manufacturer could have made the power plug location different. It interferes with the stylus. Also, the ports are so rugged that it is difficult to get a good connnection at times since the rubber interferes with the connectors."

"I like the ruggedness of the machine. Screen is a little weak in sunlight. Biggest issue, is the limited hard drive size and processor speed."

"I can take it into the field and not worry about banging it around, getting it wet or being concerned about putting it on the ground. Make one of the USB jacks big enoungh to fit my Sprint air car without having to use an extension. I would love my next one to be blue!"

"Rugged has been key. This has been across the Pacific Ocean twice, down the west coast of the US, up around destruction island and into the straights of Juan de Fuca numerous times. Has fallen off the nav station, been banged around, waves and rain on it, you name it. Has never let us down. Only downside is size/weight, but worth it to survive and be reliable."

"I LOVE my computer. It goes out in the field with me daily running my entire veterinary practice on it. So it gets out in wind, dust, rain - you name it. Even ant hills!! It is exposed to water, soap, blood, tooth dust and never misses a beat. It has fallen out of my truck more than once - no problem. It has some battle scars on the case but that's it. It is almost 4 years old and no other computer could have held up like my Toughbook. My only issues have been the touchpad wearing out and needing replaced, keys with worn off letters, the power port cover needing replaced (which of course happened 30 days after the warranty ended). I would definitely appreciate if touchpad replacement came with instructions. It was not difficult to do. Panasonic was not willing to give this information without purchase a very expensive manual for a $30 part! That said, Panasonic is the only brand laptop I would recommend to veterinarians out in the field. It is the Timex of laptops!!!"

"My lap top has gone to the Caribbean and to England with me. Heavy but that comes with being tough. battery life second to none. accessories too expensive. sound better than all others, I would like to adress the little fold down plug that covers the usb and charge holes. I have snagged and hooked it too many times finally last week it snapped off with the flimsy bendy plastic hinge, Next time, fold it up so it stays out of harms way, PS learn from the MAC's BEST charging system ever with magnets to attach."

"This computer was an excellent investment. I am a wireless communications consultant that travels extensively. I use my CF-30 for programing various radios. Requirements for my field include serial port and ruggedness. Most all radio programming interfaces are serial port. Due to the climbing in and out of several vehicles every day, ruggedness and battery life is a must. If my CF-30 was a little more compact and lighter, it would be my primary computer. But at this time I still carry a smaller primary computer for day to day reports."

"The on/off switch sticks. It constantly needs to be blown out."

"I find my CF-30 suits my lifestyle. I am on the go a lot and can take the computer along without having to exercise the usual level of care and concern. I do not have to worry about dust or a splash. The battery life is excellent and the XP Pro has been very reliable. The wireless reception is just OK , the sound is what you would expect "functional". The handle is great , SD card and USB slots fairly accessible. The single battery has been adequate for my purpose."

"I ordered the machine with extra RAM to get up to 4GB, but when I got it, I had to install Windows 7 to take advantage of the extra ram. Windows 64bit compatibility isn't great yet, lots of blue screens. Memory management issues causing blue screens etc. Sometimes blue screens on removal of power cord. Many of the hotkeys don't work yet because Panasonic has no drivers for them. Build quality of the machine is very good. However some minor complaints: narrow vertical viewing angle on LCD; should provide extra rubber port covers during order, as a few have already come off; and main battery rattles a little in it's bay, some extra foam on the battery might help this."

"It could use faster hard drives. Two out of eleven touch screens have gone bad in the first 2 years."

"I have been using this computer for at least 3 years in and out of a vehicle. I have had no problems with it. It is very reliable and easy to use both in and out of a vehicle. Weight is the biggest issue with it. It is very heavy to carry when traveling."

"Battery life is good. The rubber boots that cover were you plug in your charger and were the USB plugs in always brake off. I own 10 CF-30's — three of them have had to have new keyboards; six of them of them new hard drives. The customer service in the US is great through Panasonic. The customer service in Canada is terrible — no phone backs after you make a complaint. Sometimes I think I know more than the IT guys. They are not willing to send hard drives in the cases. The States sends the whole hard drive case and all. When the States say it will be somewhere at a certain time, it's there. In Canada it can take up a week after it was promised."

"I am very pleased with the Panasonic Toughbook CF-30. I bought it 2 years ago from Group Mobile for a motorcycle trip. I packed it with me on a 13,000 mile motorcycle trip from North Carolina to Fairbanks, Alaska and the Arctic Circle and it did great on the whole trip with no problems. Rough roads with a lot of vibration and shock and kept on working"

"We like that it is rugged enough to take outside in the woods, beach, etc.; in the van over railroad tracks and other hard to reach places. I wish the touchscreen was more sensitive to touch versus a stylus."

"I love my new Toughbook 31! It is similar in durability and weight to the Toughbook 30, but it is a lot faster and the battery last longer."

"The Toughbook 31 is a little on the heavy side at about 8 pounds, but it is very rugged and performs like a champ. I like the sunlight readablilty of the display."

"The well of the USB port is so deep that my secure flash drive and portable storage device won't make a connection with the computer. I do like the speed, performance, and long battery life."

"After looking at several models of lap tops, we decided to purchase the toughbook 52. The reputation of the toughbooks was great from everyone we talked to about them. Our Fire and Police Divisions all use the Toughbooks in their vehicles and have minimal issues with any of them. At this time, we have only been using them just a few days and find them to be a great computer. Using them with the docking station and separate moniter/keyboards in the office makes them a great all around option for those that work in the field and office."

"I really like having a carry handle on the laptop. I also value a bright, high contrast screen and long battery life. This machine is fast enough that it doesnt feel sluggish in the dock at my desk. I only wish it was a little lighter and thinner."

"It is as fast as I need it to be, solid and very reliable. I never had the dreaded blue screen in two years. It was the best choice I have ever made in buying a computer. When the time comes to buy a new laptop I will buy this same model if it is still on the market. I love the way all the ports have covers to keep out dust and the built-n carrying handle. And with four USB ports I can connect everything I use. I work in the construction field and this computer can handle life in a pick up truck quite well."

"Excellent. No issues."

"I would only comment that I had to purchase a different device with additional components or wait an extremely long time for the delivery of my ordered configuration. As always I found the Group Mobile staff very helpful and communicative. I also appreciate them finding an alternate configuration which expedited the delivery to me."

"I really like the durability of this unit."

"Excellent workhorse laptop for our hydroacoustics field surveys. It has been a big mistake for Panasonic to opt-out of the AMD/ATI catalyst mobility driver program. Driver quality, battery life, and user experience are suffering. Panasonic engineering is amazing. These is a purely political issue that needs to be corrected."

"I purchased the Toughbook 52 for our Security people. I have not had any complaints."

"It is easy to use and has a good battery life."

"I love the built-in wireless, screen size, and locking doors on conections. The one thing I don't like is my docking station, too big."

"Very happy — has all the features I need. Especially the built-in DB-9 RS-232 port. Very important in my industry."

"So far everything seems great."

"No big problems, it works well with a few minor glitches. Sometimes it will freeze for unknown reason. With 3GB of RAM it often take longer than it should to start. Once in a while the wi-fi device will not function properly. These can be either software issues or hardware problems. As I stated they are not a big problem but an annoyance except when it freezes, because sometimes I have to force shut it down and restart it. This particular problem has occurred several times. Usually when it freezes it will start to function again after a short time on its own. Other than these issues it is a great machine and I am happy I have it."

"I have never regretted this purchase, ever. I've had it about a year and have yet to have a problem with it."

"I am thrilled with the outdoor/sunlight visibility. The screen could be a touch bigger, but overall it is awesome."

"We have been very satisfied with the brightness of the screen and ruggedness of the computer while still being user friendly like a regular laptop. I would like it to be more drop resistant."

"Weight is good and the protected ports are much better than my older CF-73. Battery life is extraordinary! I would have preferred to have it ship with Win 7 64-bit rather than 32-bit, reinstalling the entire operating system and drivers is not what I had in mind when getting a new computer."

"I travel frequently and visit a lot of construction sites. I was getting tired of replacing my commercial laptop a few times a year and decided to buy something sturdier. My CF-74 has held up great! I have had it for about 18 months now and haven't had any issues with performance or durability."

"Like the fact it comes with a built in handle, still has an RS-232 port ( in addition to 2 USB ports) This laptop still works after 2 years of truly portable use. Panasonic should have overmolded rubber on the 4 corners - on one of mine the plastic cracked."

"Needs better sound system."

"It seems the touchscreen is not very sensitive. Thats it."

"I like the light weight and the strap makes it easy to hold and use when I am on the move. I do wish it had an optical drive so I could play DVDs without having to connect to an external drive."

"The Toughbook C1 meets a lot of my requirments for use on construction sites. I like the handle and the weight is acceptable. It would be better if it had a camera though. It has a webcam, but it also needs a camera on the opposite side, like the Motion C5/F5, where you can hold it up, see the image on screen, and take a picture."

"I really like this convertible tablet computer. It seems more durable than other business tablets I have used in the past. It is also lighter and very powerful. The hot swappable batteries are also a great feature."

"Solid construction and surprisingly light weight. It has a great keyboard, but the touchpad is a little small. The semi-rugged construction and performance make the Toughbook F8 pricey, but it is a good choice for business travelers who are hard on their laptops."

"I think Panasonic reached it's goal of ruggedness at a price/performance point with this model."

"Light weight with a HANDLE!"

"Instant first impression out of the box - this thing is LIGHT! I had to check the specs to be sure: more than a 13" Mac Air which I also use, and less than a 13" MacBook Pro. And very substantially less brick-like than the CF-52 which I’m replacing. The power supply has been on a diet too. Perhaps not as rugged as the CF-52, but the overall weight difference in your bag is well worth that sacrifice for heavy-duty business travel. The resolution is excellent; the screen is impressively large given the size of the computer thanks to a thin bezel. 3 USB ports are a plus, as is the solid feel of the keyboard. Good dock connector too. The scroll pad is MUCH better than I expected. Love the handle, but would have liked a built-in camera and the sound quality is OK, but not wonderful. The computer boots quickly, and runs fast. Battery life is good although it won't set records. I'm very pleased with my choice and would buy the same again. And did I mention that it is light?"

"The F-9 works just great for what I use it for, largely research on the internet, reading, and writing. It is very light, so exceptionally easy to carry around. It is a Toughbook so it requires no case and anyway has a very handy collapsing handle. It is very quiet, plenty fast, picture quality in all manner of environment is great, and the keyboard action is superb. I do a lot of hard traveling and my laptops get banged around a lot. This is why I bought the F-9, and will continue to buy Toughbooks whenever I need a new machine, which is not so often since the machine lives up to its name. It is not as light and dependable as a pencil and paper, but then again it does so much more, so the extra two thousand dollars was well worth it. Oh yes, I can also play DVDs on it, and the battery actually lasts long enough to watch three or even four. I like it just the way it is and would not consider another machine for even a second."

"So far, so good! I'll bet this one will take a drop onto a tile floor better than my HP did, but I'm not in a big hurry to test it out. I will take Panasonic's word for it, for now."

"Our delivery drivers scan package barcodes to confirm receipt, as well as capture recipients' signatures on the tablet computer. If a recipient refuses a package due to potential damage, the delivery driver can use the built-in camera to photograph the package and document damage. I like Panasonic products."

"The hot-swappable battery design is my favorite feature. By using two batteries in the device, I can run it for 6 hours at once, or dock a battery and run it for 3 hours while charging the second battery. They are hot-swappable, so I can change them without ever having to turn the the tablet off. If multiple H1s are in use, I recommend buying extra batteries and charging docks in order to have continuous, uninterruped use of the tablets."

"The H1 Health is a great rugged device for healthcare. It is durable enough to survive the clumsiest doctors and nurses where I work. I have seen it withstand drops from patient beds and tables. It is also water resistant, which is nothing short of essential in medical environments."

"We selected the Panasonic H1 Health because in the hospital industry we have a lot of areas that cause considerable wear and tear to our computers. These devices seem to have a longer shelf life."

"I like the weight (less than 4 lbs) and the 6 hours of battery life."

"The CF-U1 is a great mobile computing device for anyone who needs a fully rugged device, but doesn't want the bulk of a full size notebook."

"It is surprisingly light, and the 9-hour battery provides for a full day's work in the field. If you want a full-sized laptop then the Toughbook U1 probably won't be the best computer for you, but if you can live with the 5.6" touchscreen and the small keyboard, you'll get a very tough PC for your money."

"Performance is fine, but I am not crazy about the screen. The display has a 4:3 aspect ratio. This means there is very little room on the CF-W8's desktop, and it has a maximum resolution of only 1024x768."

"The units work well for our environment. They are light but semi-rugged. It would be nice if the camera is a higher resolution."

"I have dropped my Duo-Touch II countless times. It is a very durable tablet computer. The battery life needs to be improved."

"Overall computer performance is fine. I ordered it with an office dock and vehicle dock. I have had constant problems with the docks not "recognizing" USB plugs. This has't been completely resolved. The handrest is starting to come loose. Considering how much this computer cost, I wouldn't buy it again knowing what I know now."

"I work outdoors a lot, so I definitely appreciate the all-light viewable display technology. It spends a lot of time in my car as well. The GD-Itronix vehicle dock makes it easy to dock and undock the computer. Both the dock and the computer have held up well to the vibration and other abuses I subject them to on a daily basis. This laptop is also a lot faster than the GoBook VR-1 that I used before I purchased the GD6000."

"Good screen, touchpad. Rubber seals on ports are hard to get plugs around and seem like they won't last. My fingers catch on the bottom of adjacent keys when I'm typing and it seems like they may break. I've only been using the computer a week or two."

"Compared to our recently retired Itronix, the GD8000 weighs noticeably less, has a larger and noticeably brighter screen, and appears to have a better radio, that connects and stays connected in some of the more metal-congested areas of our facility. Haven't tried it out in bright sunlight yet. We are not big touchscreen users so that hasn't been tried yet. Windows 7 so far runs all our old XP proprietary software."

"The Itronix GD8000 is NOT cheap, but it comes down to getting what you pay for. The laptop is rugged, fast, and customizable, making it a good fit for government industries, as well as the very accident prone."

"Oops! I left mine out in the rain. I'm happy (and relieved) to report it still works just fine. They meant it when they said it was built for extreme conditions."

"Its compact size makes it highly portable. It is a very durable little notebook. Battery life could be better. I like the touchscreen."

"Seems really heavy for such as small notebook. The small keyboard is not conducive to typing fast. The standard battery has a very short life."

"Needs more memory, and the option to upgrade the processor and memory in the field."

"Need it to be electrical rated to Class 1, Div. 2 when using a fiber connection card."

"The main reason for using this particular system is the availability of the expansion bay."

"Getac A790 is extremly rugged machine with excellent performance. The best part is lots of options like PCIe port, car battery charger, etc."

"I was very pleased with the b300. The only thing I would do different would be to make the front flat (the handle sticks out), so it would fit better in the mount. The screen is awesome! So bright I seldom use the sunlight view mode."

"I'm amazed at how well this computer is sealed! It's a good size and weight, and the backlit keyboard is one of the best I've seen."

"I love my B300. It has excellent battery life and is super rugged."

"So far so good. Will keep you posted on how well it does in the field after I have a few months of wear and tear."

"Needs a decimal point button along with the numeric keypad. The screen protector material is very expensive to replace. More dpi resolution on the screen would help ease eye strain. Lighter weightwould be nice. It also would be nice to have some GPS software to make full use of the GPS function. The on-screen text keypad is very small and a larger pop-up keypad like the iPad would be nice."

"I love my E100. The backlight on the keyboard is really great. And I love the 5 year warranty. Hopefully won't need to use it, but nice to know I'm covered."

"My E100 is very rugged and the display works well outdoors."

"Already dropped it and it still works like a pro!"

"The M230 keyboard was a little cumbersome at the start, but it's easier now. I love the backlight, though and it's perfect for the environment I'm working in. So far, I'm very happy with my purchase."

"Everything good except fingerprint scanner hard to do."

"I've had the unit for about 2 weeks now, it seems build sturdy enough, the touch pad is a little sluggish. 1 of the bottom screws fell out, 3 were loose. It may be a Windows setting issue, however I cant seem to get it out of hibernation, without shuting it down (holding the power button for a few seconds) and restarting."

"Fast and easy to take on the go. Encountered a little rain on the last day out and it didn't skip a beat."

"My P470 works great, but I wish I had gone for the sunlight readable display option."

"I ordered 3. One has been sent in to GETAC for service; it does not work."

"The Getac PS236 handheld works great. Very light and the touchscreen is easy to use."

"I've been surprised at how good the battery life is on the PS236. I'm able to work in the field all day without a re-charge now so I'm quite pleased."

"I purchased the Getac PS535F for its size & components within that size. This unit has, in my opinion, the finest GPS system I have ever used. My experiences with GPS included two high quality brand name stand alone units (GPS only) one GPS unit/software for a laptop, as well as one of the first PDA's equipped with GPS. The PDA was hardware, was flimsy, compared to the Getac. The Getac PS535F is built Mil-Spec hardened. You know that, when you first pick it up. Everything, including the screen is protected, you can't ask for much more in the Hardware end of the product. I also appreciate the Software end of its design. With enough programs to start you out, and zero bloat ware. NONE! Two Gigabytes for your own software allows you to side by side test, with out having to remove a program to add another. This Unit will be used for serious non-professional Mapping work, in off road use, to add to my map data base. A great unit. And I would buy it again, if needed."

"I like having the unit ruggedized with the GPS receiver incorporated. The SiRF III chip has worked well for us in the past so that's great to have. The size is just right for us. The battery life is ok, but a 10-hour one would be better for our field day. The processor speed is ok, but we had a Dell PDA that had a 624mHz processor which was nicer. The rubber around the edge came off too easily at the bottom of the unit and had to be sent back for repair. We were very unhappy about that, but it seems ok now."

"Camera should be at least 5 megapixels."

"The anti-glare screen on my PS535 PDA is a definite pro and the battery life is impressive. My only complaint is the weight. I wish it was a little bit lighter."

"Works well and the small size is really handy, but I would prefer to have more controls. I use the camera a lot in the field and it's amazing."

"The feel of the keypad could be improved."

"This is a great computer. Rugged, easy to use, set up was great. Love the new touch screen. Just purchased a new PC for my desk and wish I had waited and purchased the S400 to use with a monitor in the office. Everyone wants to use this laptop. The touch screen is easy to use and very resonsive. Have not seen anything I would change yet. It was purchased to use outdoors, but I can see it replacing the owners desktop pc. He is very happy with it and using it daily, which is something new for him. Great little machine with superb power and a lot of perks!"

"Fast and reliable."

"I spoke with the manufacturer to find a reseller. The manufacturer went over features I would like to have and gave me the part numbers to upgrade the computer. You had the only exact match of the part numbers for the upgrade. Several other resellers could do the upgrade, but didn't say what products were going to be used. With your company, I knew i was getting the right parts."

"Large wide screen is great. We were tired of the hinges failing on our tablet PCs. One would not think a semi-rugged notebook is needed in a medical office, but after 4 years on elctronic health records and multiple tablets, we seemed to have a more durable and servicable alternative. We look forward to replacing all of our tablets with S400s"

"Feature rich. Good price point."

"So far a very good rugged laptop. The only problem when receiving this item was the D-Drive was not installed. After speaking with the sales rep Justin Harry, the problem was resolved and the D-Drive was shipped. The laptop is small enough that it does not take up a lot of space in the cruiser. Keyboard is easily maneuvered, making it simple to do reports in the vehicle."

"I would like the ability to have more ram installed to facilitate upgrading of the operating system. As it is, I am stuck with win xp, because I do not have enough ram to upgrade to win7."

"Up until now we have used 7 machines of this type and found them very impressive. Very important for our application is ultra-bright, sunlight readable LED display. It provides excellent viewing in any lighting condition. We like high brightness, sun readable monitor and compact ruged design of this model. We think, that it will be desired for customers to have not usable for concrete application features like GPS, CCD camera, fingerprint access, etc. as options (not included in standard configuration). It is just to save some money for budget projects and volume OEM orders."

"Excellent display in direct sunlight. Fairly lightweight for its size. The keyboard is a little awkward to use with the rubber."

"We like high brightness of monitor (1200 nit). For improvement of model we suggest: to have fixed buttons (4-5) in monitor, to have 2 batteries for hot swapping, to have 1200 nit brightness as standard option, and to have a lightweight and not very expensive communication ports expander."

"This is an excellent computer - fast, heavy-duty, powerful. Overall satisfaction is high. My only "negative" comments are 1) I have a rubber keyboard that is somewhat difficult to use (hard to type fast and sometimes letters are either missed or they are duplicated); and 2) there is no fingerprint scanner for security - that would be awesome."

"I've used this computer for a while now and it has been great. I use it in the slate form a lot more than I anticipated so I'm very pleased that I went for the V100 instead of a standard laptop."

"When I started up my V100, I was surprised at how quiet it is. It's worked very well for me so far."

"Overall, I think this model combines the best features in mobile computers today. The ruggedness is excellent, I have not had any problems from drops, spills, dust, or anything else that I could have put this computer through. The features such as, convertible to tablet make this computer the most flexible. I have used it in all configurations without problems. The touchscreen is bright in all conditions and very responsive to input through stylus, or finger touch. The screen hinge is robust and stable, keeping the screen steady whether on my lap, or in a moving vehicle. I do miss having an internal optical drive, but with a computer this size it is not feasible, so the lack of an optical drive is understandable. I have had issues with some of the port covers wearing out through use. Getac's website does not show any place to purchase replacement covers. My only other complaint is the lack of RAM available. With only 2GB maximum, it hinders upgrading the OS."

"I travel a lot with my Getac 9213 notebook and it's still doing great. Good value and it's very light for being a ruggedized computer!"

"Great security features and battery life. Not as fast as I expected, though."

"Unit is great. needs attachment point for stylus."