Panasonic Toughbook 52 - Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz - 15.4" TFT

Description: This configuration of the Panasonic ToughBook 52 is a 7.5-pound, rugged notebook computer.Compared to other durable notebooks on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $1,405.The 15.4 inch widescreen has a native resolution of 1280 x 800, which is fairly standard among laptops.Built around the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU.This notebook has a 160GB hard disk drive and 2 GB of memory.

Pros: Has 7-hour estimated battery life.This is longer than the average notebook on the market today, but is to be expected for a notebook of this price.An anti-theft security tether can be fastened into the built-in lock slot.

Cons: Has a 7.5-pound weight, which is considerably heavier than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the HP EliteBook 2530p, at around $1, 445, has only a 3.2-pound weight.Also, this notebook has only a 160GB hard drive.This is not out of line with the product's price, but is smaller than the average notebook on the market today.Graphics-intensive applications (such as texture-rich games, DVD playback, and video editing) will hinder performance on a system that relies on shared video RAM.

Suitability: A durable notebook, suited for for industrial use.The sturdy frame and other features are part of this system's rugged design which make it more suitable for outdoor or industrial settings.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Internet from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled laptop.The good battery performance will keep your system running longer without plugging in.Comes with a DVD writer, allowing you to convert home movies from your digital Handycam onto DVDs.

Value: In general, this notebook's features seem a bit weak, even for its very inexpensive price.However, if you were to judge strictly by how large the screen is, the average price of durable products with a similar screen size is considerably more -- right around $2,071.

Suggestions: (1) Given this device's Wi-Fi capability, you may want to get a wireless access point for your home, so that you can browse the Internet more conveniently from any room.(2) For help in deciding if this is the right computer for you, see CNET's buying guide for notebooks.

CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.

• Manufacturer: Panasonic
• Part Number: CF-52GGNBXAM

• General

• Platform Technology Intel Centrino 2 with vPro Technology
• Built-in Devices Stereo speakers, Wireless LAN antenna
• Embedded Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2) Security Chip
• Width 14 in
• Depth 11.3 in
• Height 2.1 in
• Weight 7.3 lbs
• Localization United States
• Notebook type Rugged, Mid-size laptops (6-7.5 lbs.)
• Screen type Widescreen
• Wireless capabilities IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11 n (draft), IEEE 802.11g

• Processor

• Processor Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 / 2.26 GHz
• Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core
• 64-bit processor Yes
• Data bus speed 1066 MHz
• Chipset type Mobile Intel GM45 Express

• Cache Memory

• Type L2 cache
• Cache size 3 MB

• RAM

• Installed Size 2 GB / 4 GB (max)
• Technology DDR2 SDRAM

• Environmental Parameters

• Environmental standards EPEAT Silver

• Storage

• Floppy Drive None
• Hard Drive 160 GB
• Storage Removable None
• Hard drive type Portable

• Optical Storage

• Type DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM - Integrated

• Optical Storage (2nd)

• 2nd optical storage type None

• Card Reader

• Card reader type Card reader
• Supported flash memory cards SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card

• Display

• Display Type 15.4 in TFT active matrix
• Max Resolution 1280 x 800 ( WXGA )
• Widescreen Display Yes
• Features Anti-glare, Anti-reflective

• Video

• Graphics Processor / Vendor Intel GMA 4500MHD Dynamic Video Memory Technology 5.0
• Max Allocated RAM Size 1024 MB

• Audio

• Audio output type Sound card
• Audio codec AD1883
• Audio output compliant standards High Definition Audio
• Audio Input None

• Input Device(s)

• Input device type Keyboard, Touchpad
• Features Scrolling, Volume control

• Telecom

• Modem None

• Networking

• Networking Network adapter
• Networking / Wireless LAN Supported Yes
• Wireless NIC Intel WiFi Link 5100
• Data link protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
• Networking standards IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n (draft)

• Expansion / Connectivity

• Expansion Slots Total (Free) 1 ( 1 ) x PC Card - Type II, 2 Memory, 1 ( 1 ) x ExpressCard/54
• Interfaces 1 x Display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 1 x Headphones / speakers - Output - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Audio - Line-in/microphone - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Docking / port replicator - 100 pin docking, 1 x Serial - RS-232 - 9 pin D-Sub (DB-9), 4 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45

• Miscellaneous

• Features System password, Hard drive password, Administrator password, Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
• Compliant Standards AES, ACPI

• Power

• Power device form factor External
• Voltage Required AC 120/230 V

• Battery

• Technology 6-cell Lithium ion
• Installed Qty 1
• Battery capacity 5200 mAh
• Mfr estimated battery life 4.5 hour(s)

• Operating System / Software

• OS Provided Microsoft Windows Vista Business / XP Professional downgrade
• OS Preinstalled Windows XP
• Software WinDVD, B's CLiP7, Adobe Reader, Recovery DVD, Drivers & Utilities, PC Information Viewer, PC-Diagnostic Utility, B's Recorder GOLD9 BASIC, Hard Disk Data Erase Utility

• Manufacturer Warranty

• Service & Support 3 years warranty
• Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts and labor - 3 years

• Sustainability

• EPEAT Compliant EPEAT Silver
• Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 4.9

Panasonic

Manufacturer profile

• Website: http://www.panasonic.com/
• Address: Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, Secaucus, NJ. 07094
• Phone: 800/662-3537