14 DAY TRIAL // If you’re a professional working in dangerous environments, you might be eyeing a rugged tablet, so we should point out that the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 is a pretty worthy representative of the category.
The device has been introduced by the company back in January and now the Toughpad FZ-M1 will go on sale in the United States starting this month for a price ranging from $1,299 / €959 to $2,099 / €1,550.
These prices might seem a little over the top to you and they are, but Panasonic isn't marketing this rugged machine as a consumer device, rather the tablet has a specific niche to target.
For those of you who don’t know what this little beast is all about, the tablet arrives with a 7-inch display and takes advantage of 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The screen bundles a technology that allows mobile workers to make use of the device even in outdoor environments, while being in direct sunlight.
Furthermore, the ToughPad FZ-M1 comes equipped with a rugged, shock-resistant case that is capable of taking on vibration hazards, humidity and extreme temperatures.
The tablet has been rigorously tested and it meets the MIL-STD-810G, so it should survive drops of up to 5 feet / 1.5 m. It’s also rated IP65 for water and dust resistance. To achieve this goal, Panasonic has fully sealed the tablet case and has pushed for a fanless design.
Prices differ because customers will be given a choice in the processor department. The entry level model ($1,299 / €959) will arrive with an Intel Celeron N2807 Bay Trail processor, while paying extra ($2,099 / €1,550) will get you a version with Intel Core i5 Haswell CPU.
The base model is fitted with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of solid state storage, while the more advanced one has either 128GB or 256GB options plus up to 8GB of RAM.
The Toughpad FZ-M1 built-in battery should be able to provide users with 8 hours of run time, but Panasonic throws in an optional high-capacity battery that will add another extra 8 hours to the mix.
The list of specifications is completed by 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, micro SDXC card slot, two cameras (5MP on the back and 720P front-facing camera). Optional features include 4G LTE, NFC, SmartCard reader, RFID reader, magnetic strip reader, GPS and Ethernet.
Being a rugged product, you shouldn't expect the Panasonic to be super light. It weighs around 1.2 pounds so it makes for a pretty chunky 7-incher.
If you think the current version of the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 is way too expensive for your budget, maybe you should wait for the cheaper version that arrives with Microsoft Windows 8.1 with Bing to start shipping out next month.
