Oct/Nov 2006

Intel's advanced Centrino Core Duo processor technology is finding its way into the ruggedised laptop market; and in the case of the new Mk III version of Panasonic's CF-51 laptop, the resultant machine comes in at a very affordable trade price of just £1,100.

The Core Duo version used in the CF-51 is the T2300, which runs at 1.66 GHz, and is paired with the very small Intel 945 GM laptop chipset. Standard RAM is respectable if not spectacular at 512MB.

The ToughBook has a rugged magnesium casing, and is said to have been tested for repeated dropping from a height of 30cm, as well as for continuous opening and closing of the display cover. The display's back panel and case underside are reinforced by thin but strong magnesium-alloy sheets, meaning that despite a large 15in display and extensive hardware features, it weighs just 3.1kg.

Security is said to have been improved with the inclusion of an integrated TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip, which is soldered on the system board and is said to allow safer authentication than a software solution

 

Other features include four USB 2.0 ports, two PCMCIA plug-in card sockets, an SD memory card slot, a "combo" (DVD-ROM and CD-R/RW) drive, and Intel Pro Wi-Fi capability. A Bluetooth wireless interface is optional.