Panasonic Upgrades CPU and Storage on Rugged Toughbook 19 Hybrid PC

Panasonic announced today that the venerable Toughbook 19 has received a much-needed update. When we reviewed the notebook in 2009, we gave it 4 stars and an Editor's Choice, praising its light weight, responsive touch screen, bright display and strong graphics performance. Our only complaint was the friction on its touchpad. Thankfully, the latest Toughbook 19 features an improved touchpad, as well as a new Intel 3rd Generation Core i5 CPU and expanded storage, while maintaining the line's fully-rugged durability (MIL-STD-810G and IP65 rugged certified).

Panasonic boasts that the Toughbook 19 can survive a six-foot drop, and that it is fully resistant to dust and water. What's more, the notebook features improved battery life -- Panasonic claims that the Toughbook 19 will last 10 hours on a charge. 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and optional 4G LTE or 3G Gobi mobile broadband ensure connectivity at all times. To ensure peace of mind, the system is backed with a three-year limited warranty, including parts and labor.

The improved Toughbook 19 is available now, starting at $3,549. A full list of improvements and specifications is below.

Panasonic Toughbook 19 Improvements:

  • 2.6-GHz Intel Core i5-3320M vPRO CPU with Intel Turbo Boost up to 3.3-GHz
  • 500 GB, 7,200-rpm hard drive (shock-mounted flex-connect with quick release)
  • 10% longer battery life (10 hours per MobileMark 2007 testing)
  • USB 3.0 port
  • Interlink VersaPad touchpad
  • Ambient light sensor automatic shuts off backlighting to enhance battery life
  • Improved battery calibration tool can run while the computer is in use

Panasonic Toughbook 19 Full Specifications:

  • 2.6-GHz Intel Core i5-3320M vPRO CPU with Intel Turbo Boost up to 3.3-GHz
  • 4GB of DDR3L-1333-MHz RAM, expandable up to 8GB
  • 500 GB, 7,200-rpm hard drive (shock-mounted flex-connect with quick release)
  • Optional 128GB and 256GB reinforced flex-connect SSDs
  • 10.1-inch XGA sunlight-viewable LED 1024x768 touch screen
  • Intel HD Graphics 4000
  • 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR (Class 1)
  • Optional integrated 4G LTE mobile broadband
  • Optional integrated 3G Gobi 3000 mobile broadband
  • VGA, USB 3.0 (x1), USB 2.0 (x1), and FireWire ports
  • MIL-STD-810G certified (6-foot drop, shock, vibration, rain, dust, sand, altitude, freeze/thaw, high/low temperature, temperature shock, humidity, explosive atmosphere)
  • MIL-STD-461F certified
  • IP65 certified sealed all-weather design
  • Magnesium alloy case
  • Replaceable screen film for LCD protection