Panasonic’s Toughbooks 52 and 74 or Dell’s Latitude E6400 ATG are examples of laptops that rank in this group. They will do well in less-than-perfect conditions, like those inside a barn or machinery shop. But as durability rises, so does price.
The Toughbook 52 starts at $2,595 and comes with a 15-inch screen. The 74 has a touch-screen feature so it retails for considerably more, at $3,495. For a good look at these models, go to www.panasonic.ca. But, you’ll have to contact the company to find the location of a dealer near you. Not every Panasonic dealer handles them.
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Information on the Dell is available online, too, at www.dell.ca. It sells for $2,697 and up. Unlike the Panasonic, the Dell can be ordered online from the company’s website.
Fully-rugged laptops are the real tough guys of the computer world. They are also built to meet a U.S. military standard, albeit a higher one than the one for semi-rugged models. That means these computers might be more at home in a battle tank than a barnyard. They’re often found inside police cars and fire trucks because they can tolerate extreme temperature changes and very severe environments.
Generally speaking, choosing a fully-rugged model might be a little overkill for the average farmyard office, unless you have a habit of leaving your computer where the cows can step on it!
As you might expect, you likely won’t find a fully-rugged computer on sale at your local big-box electronics store. Even if you did, you’d find the prices pretty high. Panasonic’s Toughbook 30 is one of the lower-priced models in this category, and it comes in two versions. With the touch-screen feature it starts at $5,840. With an ordinary screen the price drops to $4,595.
For a good look at all the options out there when it come to rugged computers, there are several online magazines, like www.laptop.com, that offer consumer reviews. They often include comprehensive listings of all the offerings from the major electronics companies. But remember, not all computers mentioned on these websites will be available in Canada. Some models are restricted to the U.S.
Regardless of what computer you choose for that barnyard office, knowing the risks to it and planning ahead will reduce the likelihood of problems. That way you won’t find yourself asking a repair technician to help you recover your lost data from a lifeless hard drive.
