TV with DVR & Internet: $89.90/mo
- Average user rating:
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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4.0 stars
"Great laptop if you need the things that make it unique"
Pros: It's big, heavy, awkward, and inconvenient. I love it! I leave it in my truck all year round, baking it in the summer and freezing it in the winter. It always works and is always ready to go.
Cons: Heavy. Doesn't have all the latest whiz-bang features found on some other laptops. Only one USB port.
Summary: I purchased the ToughBook used (got a bargain) and then added a one gigabyte memory module, giving it a total of 1.25 gigs of RAM memory. I also replaced the hard drive (bought a drive caddy on eBay to simplify the process) and now use a 320-gigabyte hard drive. (It isn't one quarter full yet.) Both upgrades were simple to do.
I then reformatted the old hard drive and installed Ubuntu Linux on it. I can now swap operating systems within a few seconds by opening the hard drive cover, pulling out one drive, inserting the other drive, and closing the cover. Total time requited: about ten seconds. (Power down first!)
I have spilled coffee on this laptop and then flushed it off with running tap water in the men's room. Result? No damage. It works well. Try that with any other brand of laptop!
This laptop admittedly is heavy and bulky. It is the exact opposite of today's "netbooks." But if you need an industrial grade PC that will withstand abuse, the Panasonic Toughbook is an excellent choice. It is expensive but I figure I probably would have needed to purchase two or three laptops by now to replace the broken/damaged ones. Instead, this ToughBook has taken all the abuse and is still running. I think I saved money by only having to make the one purchase.
My ToughBook is now getting a bit old but I haven't seen anything I would want to purchase for a replacement, other than a new ToughBook.
