Panasonic introduced the Toughbook 53, a 14-inch High Definition LED display, semi-rugged notebook. Starting at only 5.6 pounds and delivering up to 10 hours of battery life, the Toughbook 53 provides mobile professionals, such as inspectors and claims adjusters, a highly reliable and versatile device that delivers high performance computing. The latest in the line of products that created the semi-rugged category, this new notebook is the first Toughbook device offering optional 4G LTE mobile broadband and a host of other features designed to improve productivity and maximize return on investment.
Desktop-Class Performance with Rugged Reliability
The Toughbook 53 is powered by a second generation Intel i5 or i3 processor and maintains the ruggedness Panasonic's customers have appreciated with the current semi-rugged line. The Toughbook 53 is designed to survive 30″ drops on six faces, features a spill-resistant keyboard and passes nine MIL-STD-810G tests. The Toughbook 53 is also the first Panasonic notebook to support a high definition LED display and offers an optional 2-800 nit sunlight-viewable Panasonic CircuLumin touchscreen plus an adjustable backlit emissive keyboard, making the Toughbook 53 the ideal candidate for use in any lighting condition. Panasonic has also increased the size of the touchpad by 25% while giving it multi touch with zoom and scroll capabilities. The Toughbook 53 also offers USB 3.0, VGA, HDMI and an SDXC slot for even greater flexibility.
“The next-generation Toughbook 53 was designed with a substantial amount of customer input and is the result of Panasonic's goal to offer the most functional and reliable devices for today's mobile workforce,” said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Solutions Company. “The Toughbook 53 is ideal for mobile professionals in industries such as insurance, construction and field service, where a standard commercial-grade laptop does not provide sufficient durability. Panasonic has added enhanced features to this new device providing added flexibility for professionals who spend a significant amount of time working from the road.”
Embedded Wireless Connectivity
The Toughbook 53 offers a variety of embedded wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, optional Bluetooth 2.1 and Gobi2000 3G mobile broadband technology from Qualcomm. The device is certified on the Sprint and Verizon Wireless 3G networks, allowing workers to stay connected at all times. The 53 is also the first member of the Toughbook family to offer embedded support for 4G LTE networks, with certifications coming later this year.
Integrated Options for Mission-Critical Computing
The Toughbook 53 also delivers an optional dual antenna pass-through for in-vehicle use in passenger cars and light-duty trucks, perfect for professionals whose vehicles regularly serve as mobile offices.
The Toughbook 53 also offers options for an integrated webcam, plus fingerprint and SmartCard readers for enhanced security. Enhanced connectivity includes options for FireWire, 56K modem or 2nd LAN port.
Pricing and Availability
The Panasonic Toughbook CF-53 is available in three configurations:
- Panasonic Toughbook 53 i3 model $1,599 (August 2011)
- Panasonic Toughbook 53 i5 model $1,899 (June 2011)
- Panasonic Toughbook 53 touchscreen model $2,499 (July 2011)
Panasonic will continue to sell the 15.4″ widescreen semi-rugged Toughbook 52 i5 Discrete for customers who require a larger screen and the video performance of a discrete (dedicated) graphics chip.
