Do you spend more time outdoors and on the road than at your desk? Are you overwhelmed by the “rugged” jargon in today’s IT world? How do you choose between a fully rugged or semi-rugged notebook computer and what factors play into your decision? Notebook computers have evolved into sleek and powerful devices that can do everything a desktop PC is capable of. In today’s world, more mobile professionals are replacing their large and bulky desktop PC’s with modernized, sleek, and ruggedized notebook computers. The first step in purchasing a rugged notebook is determining your requirements, we don’t want you to pay for something you don’t need, that is where we come in, we will help you by advising a solution to suit your business needs. Keep reading below for valuable inside information into the world of ruggedized notebook computers — plus, our choice for the best semi-rugged notebooks of 2016!
There are three generally accepted levels of ruggedization: semi-rugged, fully-rugged, and ultra-rugged. These “rugged” levels describe a product’s ability to survive drops, vibration, dust, immersion, and extreme temperatures. The two most common values cited are from the Ingress Protection (IP) Code, a system for classifying the degrees of sealing protection provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment and MIL-STD-810, a series of testing guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Defense for military and commercial equipment. The first digit of the IP code indicates the degree that persons are protected against contact with moving parts and the degree that equipment is protected against solid foreign bodies intruding into an enclosure. The second digit indicates the degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against the harmful entry of various forms of moisture such as dripping, spraying, and submersion. The higher the two digits, the more rugged the notebook is classified.
What kind of hazards will your notebook PC be subjected to? What is your usage environment for this laptop, will it be used in the rain, dust, snow, or wind? Will it be mounted in your car and driven on bumpy roads causing extreme vibration? Much depends upon how the rugged notebook is to be used in determining whether to purchase a fully rugged, semi-rugged, or ultra-rugged device. If you need a durable, no-nonsense mobile computer that will last a long time, yet is sleek, powerful and lightweight, we highly suggest a semi-rugged notebook. Semi-rugged notebooks will offer a magnesium case, a shock or gel-mounted hard disk drive, and features such as a spill-proof keyboard. A semi-rugged notebook typically withstands harsh temperatures as well as extreme vibration and will even handle a certain amount of water on the keyboard. With semi-rugged notebooks, you can expect nothing less than resistance to impact, drops, scratches, droplets, spills, and altitude. Below we have listed our best semi-rugged notebooks of 2016.
The semi-rugged Toughbook 54 notebook is thin and light, yet built with a rugged magnesium allow case with built-in handle for easy portability and durability in the field. The Toughbook 54 semi-rugged notebook sports a bright, 14-inch display and weighs in under 5 pounds at just 1.2 inches thick. Inside the Toughbook 54 is an Intel Core i5-5300U vPro processor, 4GB to 16GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive (with optional solid-state drive choices), and the ability to add a second solid state drive. The Panasonic Toughbook 54 comes in four different options to meet the vast customer demand, Lite, Prime, Gloved Multi Touch, and Performance models. The Toughbook 54 is a reliable and versatile tool for mobile workers in demanding markets such as video production, insurance, utilities, construction, field service, public safety, and government. Learn more about the Panasonic Toughbook 54…
The Getac S410 is a full-size, full-featured semi-rugged notebook specifically designed
for use in a variety of field applications including field service, public safety, manufacturing, military applications, professional services, and in-vehicle use. The Getac S410 is built tough enough to be used outdoors and on the job, with an integrated handle to carry the device for simple portability in the field. All of the ports on the semi-rugged Getac S410 have protective covers to guard from dust and rain. The Getac S410 is powered by an Intel Core i3 processor, or optional i5, or i7 processor for great speed and performance when using processor-intensive applications. With such a powerful Intel processor, the Getac S410 boots up in seconds for time-sensitive, high-priority operations. The S410 notebook comes with 4GB DDR3 RAM (expandable to 16GB) and a 500GB shock mounted hard disk drive. The S410 notebook features a 14-inch HD wide-screen, sunlight-readable display, which can be upgraded to 1000 NIT LumiBond display with multi-touch technology. Learn more about the Getac S410…
The Durabook S15AB semi-rugged notebook is a must have mobile computing tool for workers in hazardous environments and those taking frequent trips into the field away from the office. The Durabook S15AB rugged notebook features a brilliant 15.6-inch LCD display with full HD resolution, Intel 5th generation Broadwell U series CPU platform, up to 16GB of memory, plus advanced security features. The Durabook S15AB carries an exceptional price point, ideal applications for this rugged notebook S15AB include the automotive industry, government and police, and various field service applications. The Durabook S15AB is powered by an Intel Core i5-5200U 2.2GHz processor, 8GB DDR3 RAM (expandable to 16GB), and a 1TB Hard Disk Drive. Durabook’s S15AB ruggedized notebook conceals two USB 3.0 ports, RJ-45 Ethernet, HDMI, 15-pin VGA and 9-pin serial port. Learn more about the Durabook S15AB…
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