Panasonic today launched the Toughbook G2 ruggedized modular PC.
The 2-in-1 tablet PC can function as a standalone tablet or as a clamshell laptop when inserted into the optional keyboard dock. There are eight programmable buttons on the tablet itself for shortcuts and launching applications quickly.
Its 10.1-inch, anti-glare display sports a 1920 x 1200 resolution and supports glove multitouch. Its 1,000 nits peak brightness allows it to work under direct sunlight.
The Toughbook G2 brings a big leap in performance compared to the first generation. Internally, it carries up to an Intel Core i7-10810U vPro processor, up to 32GB of memory, and up to 1TB of NVME storage.
Designed for industrial and harsh climates, the Toughbook G2 meets the MIL-STD-810 specifications. Its chassis, constructed using magnesium alloy and ABS plastic, can withstand up to a 5-foot drop. An IP65 rating means it will work in moist and sandy environments, and wider temperature and altitude tolerances ensure that it won’t choke during an expedition. Its ruggedness lends itself well to emergency services, production and logistics, and field research purposes.
The Toughbook G2 also stands out with its modularity. Users can swap out its battery and storage, or tack on an extra sensor like a barcode reader or an infrared camera. A modular approach gives it the flexibility to adapt to the customer’s needs.
The swappable battery is also a big plus. This ensures minimal downtime when working away from an outlet. Each battery lasts 18.5 hours, but that depends on a plethora of factors so actual mileage may vary.
Additionally, the ability to swap out the SSD eliminates the need for a protruding external hard drive when the internal storage is full. For extremely cold climates, the Toughbook G2 has an SSD drive heater to keep it running.
The tablet features a USB-C port, USB-A port, Ethernet port, and a nano-SIM slot. The keyboard dock offers an additional USB-C port and USB-A port. In addition to the nano-SIM slot, the tablet also supports an internal eSIM. Cellular support includes 4G LTE with satellite GPS.
The tablet is backwards compatible with the keyboard dock from the previous generation so enterprise customers can reuse their existing hardware.
The Panasonic Toughbook G2 is available now through Panasonic partners or the company’s main site.