Price in U$D 2899
Price in Pak N/A
Specification
CPU |
2.26-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P9300 |
Operating System |
MS Windows Vista Business |
RAM |
3GB |
RAM Upgradable to |
4GB |
Hard Drive Size |
160GB |
Hard Drive Speed |
5,400rpm |
Hard Drive Type |
SATA Hard Drive |
Display Size |
14.1 |
Native Resolution |
1200X800 |
Optical Drive |
DVD+/-RW DL |
Optical Drive Speed |
8X |
Graphics Card |
Intel GMA 4500MHD |
Wi-Fi |
802.11a/b/g/draft-n |
Bluetooth |
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR |
Mobile Broadband |
EV-DO Rev. A |
Ports (excluding USB) |
Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; Modem; VGA |
USB Ports |
3 |
Card Slots |
PC Card; SD/SDHC Card reader |
Warranty/Support |
Three-year standard limited/24/7 toll-free phone |
Size |
12.8 x 9.9 x 1.9 inches |
Weight |
3.7 pounds |
Pros
- Surprisingly light
- Good performance
- Excellent battery life
- Available 3G wireless broadband
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Expensive
- No webcam, fingerprint reader, FireWire, or multimedia keys
- Cramped Shift and Enter keys
- Disappointing built-in speakers
- Polarizing design touches
Bottom Line
The business-rugged Toughbook F8 delivers more power, outstanding battery life, a 14.1-inch screen, and an onboard optical drive in a 3.7-pound package. But it will cost you.
Design
With its angular two-tone chassis, the Toughbook F8 looks bulky for a thin-and-light, an impression confirmed by the machine’s 1.9-inch thickness at its rear (the case tapers to 1.3 inches at its front). But Panasonic assures us that the Toughbook F8 is the lightest 14.1-inch widescreen machine with built-in 3G wireless broadband and an onboard optical drive. Indeed, lifting it by the integrated handle, which cleverly folds flush against the front edge of the notebook, we were surprised by how light it is—a scant 3.7 pounds to be precise, a welcome reprieve from the 4- to 5-pound heft of many other 14.1-inch thin-and-lights. Credit the magnesium alloy case, which shaves weight while adding more rigidity to protect the screen and other components.
That said, the design might not be to everyone’s liking. Seeing the chic-sleek direction of models, like the new Apple MacBook and HP EliteBook lines, the chunky Panasonic seems a bit Transformer-esque. We’re also not sold on the circular touchpad. In addition to being visually distracting in your peripheral vision—circles scream “Look at me,” which is why advertising and packaging designers love them—it delivers annoyingly little usable mousing surface, especially when you take into account the scroll area.
Keyboard and Ports
The unique placement of the optical drive under the palm rest gives Panasonic more room for ports on the side of the machine, but also pushes the keyboard much closer to the screen, which takes getting used to. The keyboard itself offers full-size letter keys and provided good tactile and audible feedback while typing, though the smallish right Shift and Enter keys may take some adjustment. We’re also disappointed that Panasonic failed to include dedicated multimedia or even volume controls; you’ll have to use the controls provided in the application for the former and Function-key combos for the latter.
Panasonic included just the basic ports: three USB, headphone, mic, VGA, Ethernet, modem, and a mini port replicator connector. You won’t find FireWire, HDMI, or eSATA here, nor did our configuration have a webcam or fingerprint reader—two essential items for business computing these days. (Panasonic said a fingerprint reader will be available in future models.) The Toughbook F8 does include a PC Card II slot and an SD/SDHC Card reader, though.
Display and Audio
The 14.1-inch widescreen has a resolution of 1280 x 800, which is comfortable to work on without squinting. The panel is bright, and while the satin-finish anti-glare coating seems unobtrusive, we did notice that color display type (such as the story links on CNN’s homepage) was not as crisp as on other 1280 x 800 panels we’ve seen. Viewing angle performance was acceptable side to side, but abysmal in the vertical plane; the screen needs to be open to just the right angle to get the best view, which could be an issue on an airplane tray table. On the plus side, color reproduction in DVD titles such as Pirates of the Caribbean was natural, though scenes were a bit dark even with the panel’s brightness cranked up all the way.
Audio from the up-firing stereo speakers was disappointing. The sound was thin and tinny, and downright grating at peak volumes. The speakers are fine for personal Web use, but not for music. If audio is an important element in your presentation, bring along a set of powered speakers.
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