Toughbook 19 Convertible Tablet Gets Core i5-540UM CPU

What's better than an ultra-rugged notebook that can withstand nearly anything? An ultra-rugged notebook that's quick and powerful. No one understands that better than Panasonic, which has just upgraded their Toughbook 19 Convertible Tablet PC to include one of Intel's newest and quickest CPUs, the Core i5-540UM.

If you don't recall, that's one of the company's new Ultra-Low Voltage Core 2010 chips that were unveiled just yesterday, clocked at 1.20GHz (2.00GHz in Turbo Boost mode) with four threads and 3MB of L3 cache. This allows the Toughbook 19 to be perform far more quickly than most rugged machines in the same category, yet maintain long battery life that is crucial in the field where AC power is hard to find.


There's also an optional Gobi2000 3G mobile broadband chip for connecting to both CDMA and GSM networks, and the integrated GPS keeps users on the right track. It can even be upgraded to work with WiMAX towers, and it actually goes beyond the MIL-STD-810G certification with the ability to withstand a six-foot drop. The company has equipped this convertible PC with a shock-mounted hard drive, magnesium alloy case and UL1604 Class I Division 2 certification, making it capable of operating in hazardous and mission-critical environments. There's even an IP65 certification that allows it to work even through dust and rainstorms, so there's a fair chance this unit will actually last longer than you when it comes right down to it.

Other specifications include 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 10.4" LED display, optional touch screen, 160GB SATA hard drive (128GB SSD is optional), a case that weighs just 5.1lbs., up to 9 hours of battery life, a VGA output and a variety of ports to go along with a 3-year warranty. The newly revised Toughbook 19 is shipping now starting at $3399.

Panasonic Toughbook 19: Select Features and Specifications

• Genuine Windows ® 7 Professional (with XP downgrade option)
• Intel® Core™ i5-540UM vPro^TM Processor
  • 1.2GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.0GHz
  • Intel Smart Cache 3MB
• 2GB SDRAM (DDR3), expandable to 8GB
• 5.1 lbs
• 10.4” LED backlit display
• 2-1,000 nit LCD brightness
• Concealed Mode
• Touchscreen display or optional dual touch display (Digitizer + Touchscreen)
• 160GB SATA (shock-mounted & quick release) hard drive
  • Optional 128GB solid state drive (SSD)
• Fully-rugged
  • MIL-STD-810G (6 foot drop) and IP65 certified
  • Full magnesium alloy case
  • Spill-resistant
  • Shock-mounted flex-connect HDD with quick-release
• Embedded Connectivity
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR (class 1)
  • Optional Gobi™ and WiMAX mobile broadband
• Up to 9 hours of battery life
• 3-year limited warranty, parts and labor
• Interfaces
  • Port replicator
  • External video (VGA)
  • Headphones/speaker
  • Microphone/line-in
  • Serial
  • USB 2.0 x 2
  • SD card (SDHC)
  • PC card
  • ExpressCard
  • 10/100/1000 Ethernet
  • 56K Data/Fax Modem
  • Dual antenna pass-throughs
  • FireWire
• Optional integrated features
  • Camera*
  • GPS receiver
  • Backlit keyboard (emissive or rubber)
  • SmartCard reader
  • Fingerprint reader
  • HDD and battery lock

*Camera replaces the second memory slot located on the bottom of the PC

Pricing and Availability

The Panasonic Toughbook 19 is available immediately, starting at an estimated street price of $3,399, from authorized Panasonic resellers.

The Toughbook 19 includes a full three-year limited warranty, parts and labor, providing coverage wherever the unit may be deployed.