Panasonic loves to show off just how tough their Toughbooks are. And why not? After all, they are just about as sturdy as a computer can be, while remaining what we consider to be a conventional laptop. So when they drag a fully ruggedized Toughbook behind an ATV we try not to ask “Why?” rather we appreciate the laptop for being ridiculously resistant.
It looks like the ATV test was too easy though because now Panasonic is dragging a Toughbook 19 (basically their most durable system) behind a snowmobile. The 19 is flung about at high speeds, taken over jumps, buried in the snow, and just generally abused, but–spoiler alert–it survives. And the whole time the laptop wasn’t even turned off, it was sleeping (or maybe hibernating). When it’s opened up at the end it goes right on playing the video we see at the start.
A little over the top? Sure. Unlikely scenario? I’d say so. Awesome? Confirmed.
Not the most practical display of fully rugged computing I’ve seen, but if you have a mission critical computer that need temperature, vibration, and impact resistance, it looks like this one can get the job done.
The Toughbook 19 starts at $3000.