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robh

Panasonic Toughbooks

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After years of getting hand me down Dell notebooks my company has decided that the downtime resulting from crappy computers has finally justified buying new ones for us. We are looking at the toughbooks and I was wondering how many people are using them. What are your likes, dislikes? Any recommendations as far as what to spec out on one? Things to most certainly make sure I get and things to avoid. We use Allen Bradley RSLogix500, RSLinx, Panelbuilders32 and RSView ME. As well as Omron CX-Programmer. From what I have read these are the holy grail of notebooks and they are priced like it too. I don't think I need one that is rated to withstand being ran over by an A1 Abrams tank, but I am looking for it to be rugged. Thanks

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Do a forum search for "toughbook" and you'll return severl previous posts discussing the benefits some ahve found to using the toughbook. If I could get our corporate IS pryed away from Dell and Compaq I'd love to be trying one out.

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I tried to get a former boss of mine to buy a Toughbook when he accidently drowned my Dell laptop during a machine start-up. He replaced it with another Dell because he could buy 3 Dells for the price of a Toughbook AND he thought that people at customer plants would try to steal it. I was concerned that he would drench the new one so I told him that he couldn't borrow my laptop anymore since he didn't go for the Toughbook. I wish there was a Toughbook with a 17" screen. There's enough water around my current plant that I'd love to have the spill-proof factor!

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I have had them. They tend to be slow and heavy and the screens aren't very good. Basically, you pay three to four times more than your typical laptop for about the equivalent of a "Walmart" laptop just to have a metal casing. I wouldn't hesitate to buy 3 or 4 regular laptops over a Toughbook, and that's considering that I'm using the things in an iron foundry. My current laptop is unfortunately a Dell. But they do sell a version with rubber padding all around, a shock-proof hard drive, and a daylight readable screen. It's called "semi-rugged". It's the "ATG" series. Other than that, it's just an ordinary "Latitude" series. As I recall, we were surprised that it was only $300-$400 more than the exact same office grade "Latitude" version. I've done my fair share of coffee spilling, getting dust all over it, etc. So far it's still holding up after a couple years although I've generally been surprised at how well it has done. About the only thing I didn't like about it is if you use a docking station or do anything else that requires access to the ports in back, you have to remove the rubber back cover. After a while, I stopped putting it back on.

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We had 50+ CF-50s for several years and now have at least that many CF-51s (now replaced by the CF-52). They're decent and reasonably rugged. I've used them in light rain, for example. I don't think they're as rugged as Panasonic used to make them (or perhaps other lines). From an administrative perspective they're a bit of a pain since they aren't consistent on OEM hardware between lots. In other words, you could have several CF-52s ordered under the same configuration that run different hardware/drivers. Dell is the only vendor that I know of that standardizes on components within models (in the "business" line) - so you get the same issues with their "Inspiron" models, for example. All in all, we've had them break just like Dell laptops and any others. I tend to be a Dell fan in general. I also like IBM and Panasonic laptops, but they are more expensive.

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Where I am currently working they have Dell ATG at the moment, I am not that impressed, they dont seem that much better than a 'normal' laptop. One has already died after about 9 months due to screen problems, and the keyboards are not that robust, the one I am using now has some keyboard damage, ok its still usable, but dosnt look good. So I am not sure that they last any longer than a normal Dell in the real world. Came across the toughbook on another site a few years ago, they are pretty bomb/idiot proof, but the thing that struck me was the weight, when you are lugging it round the site with tools, leads and all the other 'junk' that goes with plc programming its not what you need. On my last contract we used Siemens FieldPG's which will also run all the other software as well, unless you need Siemens S7 the cost would be prohibitive, but they are quite nice machines, and seemed to be standing up quite well. Personally I use a fairly old (in PC terms) Toshiba laptop, yes the case is a bit scratched and it dosnt look that good now, but its stood the test of time, and has been reliable. Also it has a genuine serial port which is pretty well essential for S5 v6.6 and one or two other bits of 'heritage' software. So on balance for plant use I think I would buy the basic Dell laptop, make sure I had a couple of spares in the cupboard, ready to run, and accept the fact that they are going to get broken on occasions. Also that way you keep up to date on specs

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I feel compelled to comment because I'm a toughbook user.. no, make that a toughbook enthusiast. First of all, Panasonic has several product lines that all share the "Toughbook" name. Personally I think that's a bad strategy. The only ones that deserve to be called Toughbooks are their "fully rugged" line.. The CF25, CF27, CF28, CF29, and the current model, the CF30. All the other ones probably have some degree of ruggedness, but probably not what would you would expect. I only deal with the fully rugged ones and have no desire to try any of the others. Ok with that said, everything Paulengr has said is true about the "fully rugged" line. They're comparitively slow, heavy, expensive, and the screens are lousy. If those are your performance metrics, then don't buy a toughbook. They aren't for everyone.. Heck I would go so far as to say that they aren't for ANYONE, other than those very few people that put reliability, impact resistance, weather resistance, and the couple of other features that toughbooks have (touchscreen, backlit keyboard, vehicle mounting, etc) above all else. I'm in that tiny minority. I think they're ideal for field service applications, or anywhere else that you REALLY, REALLY need that slow CPU and lousy screen to keep working, no matter what.

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