Panasonic’s Toughbook CF-33 Might Be the Most Durable 2-in-1 Yet – Laptop Mag

Panasonic has been making super durable laptops for the last 20 years, so when we say that its new Toughbook CF-33 is its most rugged system yet, that's saying something.

Designed for use in the military, construction, government and emergency services, there's not much room for error either, becauseone point of failure could results in the loss of life. That's why the CF-33 features a hardened magnesium chassis, IP65 rating for water resistance and a drop resistance up to 4 feet while in operation.

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And in keeping with the times, the CF-33 also features a 12-inch 2160 x 1440 detachable screen, allowing it to go from laptop to tablet to presentation device in seconds, just don't forget to undo the heavy duty latches connecting its tablet body to its keyboard dock. The display also features touch sensitive technology so that users can operate the CF-33 while wearing gloves, and with a rated brightness of 1200 nits, there's no doubt about it having solid outdoor visibility.

For a super rugged system, the CF-33's specs aren't too shabby either. You get a 7th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU with vPRO, up to 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD. And since all the main components are found in the CF-33's tablet body, you can order it without the keyboarddock if you want. There's even a hot swappable battery system, so you pop in a fresh power pack without needing to turn off the computer.

I got a chance to check the CF-33 out myself at Mobile World Congress, and as someone who's tested Toughbooks previously, the most impressive thing about the CF-33 is its flexibility. The screen can easily be taken off, flipped around and reattached, and then whisked away using the CF-33's built-in handle. The ports hidden behind those big chunky gaskets can also be configured to suit your company's needs, as can its plethora of security options which includes NFC, and various smartcard readers.

But my favorite part is actually something simple: the pop-out holder for the Toughbook's IP-55 digitizer pen. It's part secret agent, part simply utility, and it all leads to making sure that when you really need it, the Toughbook will have your back.

While we're still waiting on official U.S. pricing, it should be coming to the States sometime in May. Based on European figures that start at $2992 for just the tablet, we're looking at around $3,050 U.S.

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Panasonic's Toughbook CF-33 Might Be the Most Durable 2-in-1 Yet - Laptop Mag