Panasonic's 14-inch Toughbook F9 plays both rugged and lightweight cards
By Darren Murph 
posted June 9th 2010 3:31PM
posted June 9th 2010 3:31PM
PANASONIC INTRODUCES TOUGHBOOK F9 BUSINESS-RUGGED LAPTOP
World's Lightest 14" Class Laptop Delivers Desktop Performance with Intel Core i5 Processor
Secaucus, NJ, June 9, 2010 – Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today introduced the thin-and-light Toughbook F9 business-rugged laptop. The new device weighs in at a mere 3.6 pounds, making it the industry's lightest 14" class laptop. The Toughbook F9 features an Intel® Core™ i5 processor, 320GB HDD, high resolution (1440 x 900) widescreen display, optional Qualcomm Gobi2000™ mobile broadband and an integrated handle. Highly mobile professionals will also benefit from the Toughbook brand's legendary reliability.
Core i5 Performance
The Toughbook F9 includes a standard voltage 2.40GHz Intel Core i5-520M vPro™ processor with Turbo Boost Technology (delivering speeds up to 2.93GHz) and has Intel Anti-theft and vPro technologies to improve hardware-assisted security and manageability capabilities that enhance IT's ability to maintain, manage, discover, heal and protect networked computing assets.
The new device, which delivers up to seven hours of battery life, also features a high resolution (1440 x 900) 14.1" WXGA+ widescreen display with LED backlighting and a DVD multi-drive.
Embedded Mobile Broadband Options
The Toughbook F9, like all Toughbook mobile computers, helps maximize mobile productivity through a variety of embedded wireless technologies. The device combines the latest Intel WiFi chipset (Intel Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 AGN) and Bluetooth® v2.1 +EDR, with an option for WiMAX (4G) or Gobi2000™ (3G) mobile broadband technology from Qualcomm. Gobi2000 simplifies multi-carrier wireless deployments for IT departments and allows a company's mobile workforce improved connectivity options while traveling at home or abroad and adds GPS capabilities for easy integration with mapping software.
"Mobile workforces need the type of desktop-class performance offered by Intel's Core i5 processors to maximize productivity," said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Solutions Company. "But performance is useless if your laptop can't survive the bumps, drops and spills experienced by highly mobile professionals. The Toughbook F9 marries a high performance Intel processor with industry-leading light weight, long battery life, mobile connectivity and unrivaled reliability to deliver a best-in-class mobile computing solution."
Business-Rugged Reliability
The new Toughbook® F9 business-rugged notebook successfully survived drops of 30" (just over the typical height of a desk or table) to the base of the unit while operating. Further, using Mil-Spec methodology, the device also survived 26 drops (to every side, corner and face) from 12" to a non-yielding surface.
The unique Panasonic spill-resistant keyboard design protects against liquid spills of nearly 7 ounces (200 cc), and both the lid and base of the device are designed to withstand more than 220 lbs (100 Kg) of compression. In addition, Panasonic's commitment to quality-at both the component and finished goods level-results in a total of more than 500 checks and tests during and after production plus 100% burn-in testing.
Panasonic Toughbook F9: Select Features and Specifications
· Genuine Windows 7® (with XP downgrade option)
· Intel® Core™ i5-520M vPro™ Processor (2.4 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz)
· 320GB shock-mounted, flex-connect, removable HDD
· 2GB RAM (DDR3-1066MHz), expandable to 6GB
· 14.1" widescreen (1440 x 900) WXGA+ LCD with LED backlighting
· Anti-glare screen treatment
· DVD Super MULTI Drive with Dual Layer Support
· Up to 7 hour battery life
· 3.6lbs
· Business-rugged
o 30" operating drop (to base only)
o 26 sides 12" drop (non-operating)
o 220 lb pressurized vibration
o Magnesium alloy case
o Spill-resistant keyboard (protects against 7 ounces spills)
· Embedded Connectivity
o Optional integrated WWAN / Gobi2000™ mobile broadband
o Optional WiMAX
o Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 802.11a/b/g/n
o Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR (class 1)
· Optional Integrated Security Features:
o Fingerprint reader
o SmartCard reader
· 9.9"(L) x 12.8"(W) x 1.0"/1.9"(H) front/rear
Pricing, Availability and Support
The Panasonic Toughbook® F9 will be available in the United States beginning July 1, 2010. The device will be available starting at an estimated street price of $2,899 from authorized Panasonic resellers.
Every Panasonic Toughbook notebook includes a standard three-year limited warranty and free access to U.S.-based phone support for the entire life of the product.
For more information on the Toughbook F9 and other Toughbook mobile computers, go to www.toughbook.com.
Follow the Toughbook Brand
The Panasonic Toughbook brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Toughbloggers.com.
About Panasonic Solutions Company
Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology. Panasonic Solutions delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. Products and services within the company's portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC).
All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice.
Information on Panasonic Solutions Company's full line of products can be obtained by calling 877- 803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/business-solutions.
Remember when you had a Sony Walkman CD Player? Remember when you pushed lightly onto the top and the horrible sound it made? Well thats what I see happening here.
@Jaylittles531
No, I don't remember that
@WinniThePooh
I do. This is a hotible desgin..
I never thought I would say this but look at apple computers they have great desgin compared to this.....
@Jaylittles531 with their 'toughbook' namesake on the line, that CD drive bay better be protected pretty well. Seems illogical to put a weak point where your hands are going to be resting, anyway.
@Jaylittles531
It's meant to be a strictly business computer.
And do you base your information on pure conjecture or actual knowledge? considering how well regarded the Let's Note / Toughbook series they wouldn't make a design flaw like that.
The last time I used one was 2007 but it was one of the most well built laptops i've ever tried material and strength wise. My friend is still using the same laptop today after 3 years of traveling the world with hardly a scratch
@theonlysmr go to the next apple store and drop a few Macbooks (preferably "pros") ;)
@Jaylittles531
Except that this lid is significantly thicker and made out of magnesium alloy, not plastic. The drive is probably safer there than a traditional plastic drive on the outside of the case.
@Muu
You're unlikely to cause much damage whilst resting your hands on the laptop. When the screen is closed this design protects the drive lid - even if you bash the edges of the laptop a bit, you should still be able to operate the drive properly.
With a normal side-opening tray, a few dings will disable the drive. It's happened to me more than once, unfortunately :(
@Muu
I'm left handed, you insensitive clod!
@Jaylittles531
Muu, I have to agree with you. What's up with putting the DVD drive in an area where liquid can be spilled directly into it? Sure it protects the drive when the lid is closed, but it better have some really effective drains, since DVD/CD has a real serious problem with laser diffusion/diffraction when the humidity level rises between the lens and the media.
Hopefully we will see much stronger computers , including their screens. And by the way, I always wanted to see a toughbook be blended
I'm sorry, but what? This is stylish?
The specs look great, but the chassis looks like something built in 1998.
@jordanjay29 Nowhere in the post does the author say "stylish."
Ever heard of form following function?
@jordanjay29 specs look great?
No Megahertz, no retina screen thing, and it isn't optimized for the clouds.
There isn't even magic. I'd rather get an iPhone 4.
All well and good but will I be able to play starcraft2 while fending off a mountain goat in the alps. :P
I like this toughbook trend, more offerings to choose from plz. But a hard drive on a toughbook? is there an SSD option or what?
Why can't I see anymore?
They're still using those fugly circular touchpads?
@MikeZ I can appreciate that someone coming from a rectangular touchpad to a circular one may fear losing functionality. But as someone who made this move, it really only took a few hours and there isn't much difference. There are also advantages, for example when I scroll on the circular edge I have a better sense of where my finger is on the touchpad since the circles edge moves inwards as I move my finger vertically. I don't feel I lost any space either. I'm writing this on a Panasonic Toughbook.
Chuck Norris seal of approval.
It is a lovely piece of design and I really really want it.
But barring my numbers coming up, or getting a highly paid job where I need a computer outdoors I will never be able to justify getting it to myself.
That makes me a little sad.
I've had my Let's Note for 5 years now. In that that time I have dropped it about 12 times, been caught in the rain and spilled orange juice on it. Today it's just about as good as the day I bought it minus a few paint chips. Let's Note is the only laptop for me.
2800 for this?
I've been using one for the last few months, I'm ordering a number of these purely on weight. The specs are good, they are no where near their bigger brothers like the CF-19's, but they were never designed to be. We will be using them in aircraft, so the 'semi-ruggedness' will suit us fine for what we need. TBH, the only disappointment is the screen brightness is only 500nit.
That is the nicest looking Toughbook I've seen yet. Good job, Panasonic!
I don't understand why they don't use SSDs...
It's like the DELL Latitude rugged notebooks, they have a shock mounted hard drive... it seems like it would be more effective to just use SSDs and be done with that problem...
@filotti These laptops already cost thousands of dollars more than a comparable non-ruggedized laptop...to put a still rapidly-developing technology like SSDs which cost around $300 just for 80GB, wouldn't do well for them.
What's with the circular touchpad? o_O
@soren121
I actually prefer the circular touchpad over the traditional square touchpad. I own a Toughbook and with the circular touchpad, you can easily and intuitively scroll up and down web pages and documents with it using a circular motion.
@chilipalm Hmm...you would think it'd be odd to use a circular touchpad mapped to a square screen.
Anyone calling this expensive, ulgy or horribly designed doesn't understand the purpose of these computers.
@angelusp Also for clumsy persons like some of us :D, the only downside for this machine is the pricetag.
sure the dvd tray is good and all, but what u fail is the design and cirular touchpad.. and we all know that white gets dirty easily. so no thanks. though they should design more dvd tray like this..
Am I the only person who thinks this render was made in MS Paint?
@Ackbar652 Yes.