Panasonic’s latest Toughbook computer is a rugged tablet 2-in-1 tablet with a detachable keyboard and a modular design. The Panasonic Toughbook G2 has a 10.1 inch display, support for up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with vPro, and three modular expansion areas that you can use to customize the computer or swap out components on the go.
The Toughbook G2 isn’t cheap though – it’s a professional device with a professional price tag. It’s available starting today for $2,999 and up.
Pansonic’s Toughbook line of computers are rugged devices designed for field workers who need a machine that can survive bumps, falls, rain, and other harsh conditions. The latest model has been MIL-ST-810H and MIL-STD-461G tested, features IP65 water and dust resistance, and has a rugged body with reinforced locking port covers and an optional rotating hand strap plus a kickstand/handle if you pick up the optional keyboard add-on.
The tablet has a 10.1 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel capacitive touch display that works even if a user is wearing gloves. It has a removable battery and optional support for a “bridge battery” that allows for hot swapping the primary battery without rebooting the computer.
It has a 1080p IR webcam with Windows Hello face recognition support, an 8MP rear camera, a front-facing speaker and dual microphones.
The Toughbook G2 is available with a choice of Intel Core i5-10310U vPro or Core i7-10810U vPro processors, 16GB or 32GB of RAM, and 512GB or 1TB of PCIe NVME solid state storage. And optionalfeatures include a 4G LTE modem, GPS, and the keyboard cover.
But the tablet’s most unusual features are the three expansion areas that allow you to add optional “xPAK” modules. Panasonic will offer 9 different modules:
Top Expansion Area xPAK options:
- Barcode Reader
- 2nd USB-A port
- 2nd Ethernet port
- True Serial Dongle
- Thermal Camera
Rear Expansion Area xPAK options:
- Insertable SmartCard
- Contactless Smart Card
SSD Expansion Area xPAK options:
- 512GB OPAL SSD
- 1TB OPAL SSD
One down side to making a modular, rugged computer like the Toughbook G2 (other than the high price tag) is that it’s not exactly svelte. The tablet measures 11″ x 7.4″ x 1.1″ and weighs 2.9 pounds (or 4.9 pounds with the keyboard).
