Panasonic, the makers of the famous Toughbook line of rugged and semi-rugged mobile computers, has announced the availability of three new models for the Malaysian market. The company also opened a new Toughbook configuration centre in Johor, which will serve the entire South East Asian region.
The three new Toughbook models in Malaysia are the Toughbook CF-MX4, Toughbook CF-54 and the Toughpad FZ-X1. Each are uniquely designed and catered for a specific industry, with Panasonic’s deep knowledge in the rugged notebook market clearly showing in its new models.
For example, the Toughbook CF-MX4 is not just an extremely light “business-rugged” notebook capable of withstanding a 76cm free-fall drop test and a 100-kgf pressurized vibration test, it is also designed to work efficiently for healthcare professionals. The 12.5-inch Full HD IPS display is touch-enabled, and the notebook sports a stylus with integrated housing for easy and quick patient data input.
The CF-MX4 is also packed with respectable hardware. Powered by an Intel Core i5-5300U with vPro technology and 4GB of RAM (max 8GB), there’s also a 128GB SSD inside (upgradeable to 256GB). There’s space for 2 USB 3.0 ports, RJ-45, VGA-out, HDMI, audio/mic jack and a memory card reader. It runs on Windows 8.1 Pro, but is both upgradeable to Windows 10 and downgradeable to Windows 7 Professional. Oh, and it weighs just 1.14kg.
The CF-54 HD, on the other hand, is designed for the automotive diagnostic industry and field service workers specialising in mainly indoor repairs and maintenance. Beneath the handsome exterior, the CF-54 HD sports a 14-inch 1366 x 768 LCD panel, and is powered by an Intel Core i5-5300U vPro processor with 4GB of RAM. There’s also a 500GB hard disk drive, 3 USB 3.0 ports, HDMI-out, LAN port, VGA-out, and SD card slot. It may look bulky and heavy, but the CF-54 HD weighs a mere 1.99kg.
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There’s also a “flexible configuration area” where customers can opt for a DVD drive, second battery, Smartcard reader or a PC card, as well as a “”flexible configuration port” that lets customers add a second LAN port, d-GPS, USB 2.0 or rugged USB port.
Finally, there’s the Toughpad FZ-X1. Built for those on the move such as the transportation & logistics, postal services, utilities, retail, and manufacturing sectors, the FZ-X1 is more of a smartphone than a tablet. Featuring a 5-inch 720p display with daylight-readability and Glove & Rain modes, the FZ-X1 is built for stability, safety and security above anything else. That’s why it is not only IP68 and MIL-STD 810G-rated with an operating temperature between -20 to 60 degrees Celcius, but its software is also pegged at Android 4.2.2, with no automatic updates from Google.
Other notable specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB storage, 4G LTE, hot-swappable battery, twin speakers with up to 100dB output, and an integrated Barcode reader all in a package that weighs 432g.
Panasonic’s Toughbook pedigree is evident in all three models. Besides passing international standards, these devices must also pass Panasonic’s own internal standards, some of which are more stringent. Both the CF-MX4 and CF-54 HD are capable of withstanding drops of up to 76cm – the CF-MX4 uses a tough magnesium alloy while the CF-54 HD uses a robust honeycomb-style magnesium casing with carry handle. All Toughbooks come standard with the industry’s most comprehensive 3-year warranty.
All three Toughbook models are now officially available in Malaysia. Being enterprise-grade ruggedised models, these devices aren’t cheap – but with a customer base made up of police forces, defense ministries and mission-critical officers, it is clear the Toughbook pedigree is trusted for a reason. The retail prices of the devices are as below:
- Toughbook CF-MX4: US$2,349 (about RM9,960)
- Toughbook CF-54 HD: US$1,949 (about RM8,260)
- Toughpad FZ-X1: US$1,499 (about RM6,350)
Besides that, the company also announced that it has opened a new Toughbook configuration centre in Johor. One of only five in the world, the centre will serve to shorten lead times for customised order fulfilment in the ASEAN region. The centre, located within Panasonic’s existing manufacturing plant, will have local buffer stock and equipped with implementation support. The company also aims to turn the centre into a regional service centre within the next few years.
For more information about Panasonic’s Toughbook range, visit its regional website here.
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