A compact tablet-and-keyboard combo that’s hard to kill
At 10.1 inches, the Panasonic Toughbook G2 ($2,999 alone; $3,594 with keyboard) is considerably smaller than most other Windows tablets like the 12.3-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 7 or Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable, yet it’s much heavier at 2.9 pounds. On the other hand, try taking one of those tablets out in pouring rain or dropping it from shoulder height, and you’ll be sorry. With its detachable keyboard, the G2 qualifies as a rugged laptop for first responders and field workers, able to shrug off tremendous abuse. It can also be fitted with optional modules—Panasonic cites 36 possible combinations—ranging from a barcode reader to a thermal camera that lets firefighters find hidden hotspots in a smoldering structure. It just misses Editors’ Choice honors, partly because we think its 12-inch Toughbook 33 sibling is easier to read, but it’s a formidable ally for soldiers, police, and emergency crews headed into harm’s way. There’s a Slate That Leads a Life of Danger… The Toughbook G2 is a top-to-bottom overhaul of a 2013 tablet called the Toughpad G1, with a 10th instead of 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB instead of 2GB of RAM. (You can replace its Core i5-10310U vPro CPU with a Core i7-10810U, upgrade its 512GB solid-state drive to a 1TB unit, and double its memory to 32GB when ordering.) Our test unit came with the $595 backlit keyboard. A Philips screwdriver lets you install the top-edge expansion modules—Panasonic calls them « xPAKs »—which range from $65 for an additional USB port to $1,050 for the thermal camera. (Photo: Molly Flores) (Photo: Molly Flores) Measuring 1.1 by 11 by 7.4 inches, the tablet is made from magnesium alloy with ABS and elastomer edges. The closest competitor we’ve tested, the 11.6-inch Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme Tablet, is 0.96 by 12.3 by 8 inches and weighs about the same. Snapping the Toughbook G2 into its keyboard dock increases system size to 2.1 by 11.3 by 9.3 inches and weight to 4.9 pounds. (Photo: Molly Flores) The Panasonic’s IP65 ingress protection means it’s impervious to dirt, dust, and pressurized water jets, though not immersion in water. A sliding privacy shutter covers the 1080p webcam above the screen. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera on the back for snapping shots at job sites. The webcam supports face recognition, but when I tried using Settings > Accounts > Sign-in Options to register my face with Windows Hello, the system activated the rear camera instead. Below the display you’ll find the power button, volume up and down buttons, a Windows key, and a screen rotation button. Two buttons below the screen and one to the right are programmable for functions such as launching a utilities menu, turning off the display, or taking a picture. Behind a latched door on the right edge are USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C ports and an Ethernet port; the AC adapter connector is behind a sliding door at lower left. A tethered stylus snaps into a holder at right. (Photo: Molly Flores) The keyboard has its own power connector and USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as an undocking latch and a pull-out carrying handle that serves as a kickstand to keep the heavy tablet from toppling backward when used as a laptop. There’s no HDMI port, but you’re not likely to be using the system at a desk with an external monitor or giving presentations from it. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth are standard; 4G LTE mobile broadband with GPS, compatible with the FirstNet first responders’ network, is optional. (Photo: Molly Flores) Can’t Make a Dent in It I didn’t torture the Panasonic to the limits of its endurance, but I dropped it from three to four feet onto a carpeted floor, both as a tablet alone and with the tablet docked with the keyboard.
