Panasonic Toughbook 74 Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz/2GB/160GB/13.3 TouchXGA

Panasonic Toughbook 74 Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz/2GB/160GB/13.3 TouchXGA

Published April 27, 2009 at 07:05:14 AM, by Thai Tan

Panasonic Toughbook 74: One Tough Partner - Short Review

Panasonic’s Toughbook range of computers gets updated with the Toughbook 74. An upgrade from the Toughbook 73, this new model is able to achieve the same level of superior computing even in rugged conditions.

Features

The Panasonic Toughbook 74 features a spill-resistant keyboard as well as a tough magnesium case. This material not only covers the system unit but the LCD display as well. Because of its rugged construction, the Toughbook 74 is able to withstand abuse more than the regular wear and tear of normal laptops. Where ordinary consumer notebooks will get destroyed, the Panasonic Toughbook 74 will still remain standing.

Powerful Computing

The Panasonic Toughbook 74 has a business-powerful aspect to its rugged machinery. The unit comes with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo P8600 processor which provides a significantly higher speed compared to the Panasonic Toughbook 73. Whether you are braving the wild outdoors or just being a city slicker, take comfort in the fact that battery capacity is extended with around eight hours worth of juice before you need to charge. And with 4GB of RAM, everything is nothing short of fast. It also has 160GB hard disk space, which is double the size of the Toughbook 73. Optical drive options for this rugged computer include the DVD Super Multi Drive dual layer, too.

Security and Media

Since security is always a concern among laptop owners, the Panasonic Toughbook 74 comes with a SmartCard reader as well as a fingerprint scanner. A Trusted Platform Module security chip is also included in the unit.

The media capabilities of the Toughbook 74 are still extensive. There is the floppy drive option as well as a second battery or you can go for the combination DVD multidrive. Wireless communication and media are also present with internal wireless options along with HSDPA and EVDO. With all of these and more, the Panasonic Toughbook 74 can be a bit heavier compared to the Toughbook 73 but not significantly. The tank-ish Toughbook 30 now has a lighter yet still as rugged cousin which can withstand more than the regular notebook’s daily action.

Conclusions

Clearly, there is much to love about the Panasonic Toughbook 74. The ruggedized case is able to protect the laptop from less-than-ideal situations and the spill-proof keyboard ensures protection from the inside as well. It comes with built-in WWAN and a thoughtful carrying handle as well. Ports are also protected thanks to the numerous covers that come with it, and you can be sure that you get more than seven hours worth of computing with the superior battery life. With Panasonic’s long warranty period s well as lifetime phone support, a cry for help during dire computing situations is not a problem at all.

However, there are still a couple of things that leave the Toughbook market relatively small. For one thing, not everyone has several thousand dollars to spend for the expensive Toughbook 74. It can be quite bulky and comes packaged with a heavy and cumbersome AC adapter, as well as the lack of multimedia controls.

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Technical Specifications

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