PanasonicToughbook30
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Durable faceoff and torture test: Panasonic's Toughbook 30 vs. GammaTech's Durabook D15RP
It seems like a bit of a rip-off -- if you want a laptop that won't shatter when its shiny little form slips out of your fingers as you run to your next meeting/target you have to pay a hefty premium to get something dull and durable. And, if that weren't bad enough, you then have to live with something big, boxy, and ugly. Panasonic's Toughbook line defines what many think of as a rugged laptop, but its bulk, heft, and cost give it niche appeal. It's not the only option out there for a notebook that can take a beating, though, with the semi-rugged Durabook from GammaTech offering a package that's a little more comfortable to use and, perhaps more importantly, a lot less expensive. But, which of the two is right for you? (Assuming, of course, that either is.) Just how durable are these things? And, which one didn't fair so well in the water test? Read on to find out.
Panasonic's latest Toughbook 30 unboxing and hands-on
In preparation for a feature on rugged, semi-rugged, and generally brawny laptops that should be appearing here in the coming weeks, Panasonic was kind enough to send us a little overnight love in the form of a Toughbook 30. That it was packaged in a box labeled "handle with care" that was itself bundled in another box full of foam peanuts didn't exactly make us think "durable," but as soon as we got our hands on that magnesium alloy case with its rubberized edges we knew we were dealing with a serious laptop. More pics and impressions of this and other macho machines coming soon. %Gallery-45841%
