Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 Pro Reviews

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 is a very durable companion with a great build quality and a very bright display. The case, which is made of a magnesium alloy, is not only well-built but is also drop resistant. The case of the FZ-G1 did not even have a scratch after our test. The wide range of operating temperatures is also a real benefit if you want to use the tablet outdoors and the IP56 certification completes the package. The Toughpad works really well outdoors. You can even see the display content in bright environments and the integrated WWAN modem basically ensures connectivity all over the world. Only the limited performance on battery power is a small drawback, but it is a necessary compromise to realize the good battery runtimes. The noisy fan is annoying in quiet environments, but that should not really be a problem outdoors. Panasonic offers a great tool for craftsmen, dealers, warehouse workers and other jobs that require sufficient performance for large data but also need a device that can survive a drop or water. The tablet is also interesting for outdoor staff. It is however too expensive as a childproof multimedia device and too noisy for the classroom or the office. Microsoft's Surface Pro 2 is better suited for these environments, while the HP Elitebook Revolve 810 is a compromise between design and durability.

The Panasonic ToughPad FZ-G1 rugged Windows tablet is tough enough to survive the worst, but runs with the best tablet PCs on the market.

The ToughPad FZ-G1 lives up to its name and is well suited to outdoor use. You are paying quite a premium for that rugged design, but it’ll earn its keep on building sites and other environments that would be too harsh for a conventional laptop or tablet.

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 is very much part of a complete field use ecosystem with specialist accessories including a vehicle dock from Gamber and Johnson that features an array of breakout ports. Indeed, given the Toughpad’s robust credentials, you rather hope for more standard features – surely a microSD slot alongside the Sim card wouldn’t have been too difficult to include? This all plays into the BYOD (build your own device) approach which allows for very specific features to be added. If all you need is a tablet with moderate protection, a decent battery life and a few handy ports, then you might be better off looking at the HP Elitepad 900 with its smartjacket, assuming you can live with an Atom CPU. That said, the HP's stylus has yet to show up so there's no telling if it performs better than the wayward digitiser on the Toughpad. As a one-off purchase though, the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 could prove tough to justify given its price, but its target market will surely feel the benefit of volume discounts. If stylus use is important then it could prove challenging but as a rugged tablet, it'll survive a soaking and it is certainly robust just don’t be fooled by that metallic finish, there’s a fair bit of plastic here too.

The price is high, but the rugged build and thoughtful design make this the ultimate tough tablet

This powerful and hardy Windows 8 tablet is perfect for those working in harsh environments