Panasonic Toughbook W4: Tough or Just Tough Enough?

For the average business person who travels more then usual their most important business tool is their laptop. But for business any old laptop just won't do. They need a laptop that is durable and light, has good battery life, multimedia capabilities, and excellent connectivity.

Recently a new ultra light laptop from Panasonic has emerged that was designed and marketed as extra-durable, able to withstand assorted dings and drops that mobile executives often subject their laptops too. I had the chance to test this new laptop, the Toughbook W4.

The Toughbook W4 weighs slightly under 3 lbs. (2.8) and measuring 1.0-1.8''(h) x 10.6''(w) x 8.3''(d). With a full magnesium alloy case and ridged, protected design the W4 is definitely worthy of the Toughbook moniker, and certain to turn a few heads with its sleek and sophisticated look. The W4 was equipped with an Intel Pentium M 1.2GHZ processor, a 40GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, a combo DVD / CD RW drive, 12.1" LCD display, integrated hi-speed Internet, Wireless 802.11 b/g adapters, two USB connectors and Windows XP.

I tested the W4 in my home office and at my local Barns & Noble. The W4 easily connect to WiFi networks at both my home office and Barns & Noble, letting me quickly check my email and browse the Web. The W4 has a keyboard that is the smaller then normal because of its size, and consequently you might find yourself hitting the keys above and below where you're aiming. It takes a little time to get used to it, but once you do, typing is easy. The screen is bright and vivid, but I found the latch to be slightly more difficult and less comfortable while opening and closing the unit due to it being almost recessed into the laptop.

The W4 performed admirably and better then expected. It handled typical office chores like reading/writing email, browsing the web and creating documents very well. However, don't expect it to set any speed records or play the latest graphic intensive video games. The Intel 915GMS integrated video controller performed well during DVD playback, but was unable to keep up with a game of Quake.

One of the major drawbacks with ultra light laptops can be disappointing battery life. Often times you find yourself running out of juice after just two or three hours. Not with the W4. I was able to get an impressive 5+ hours without the use of an extended battery. By far the best performance of any laptop I've used in this class. Another impressive feature is the inclusion of an integrated DVD/CD-RW optical drive. Most often in laptops in this category are forced to make optical drives external add-ons that require you to plug them in. This can be a real hassle if you want to watch a movie or burn a CD while traveling or in a meeting. Just another thing to carry around and lose.

After using the Panasonic Toughbook W4 I'm thoroughly impressed with not only its durable, but its computing power, small size, good battery life and integrated DVD/CD-RW drive. Making for a very complete all-in-one device I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for a small, all-in-one computing package. You can find the Panasonic Toughbook W4 at Panasonic.com for an MSRP of $2,149.