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: