Panasonic Releases "Business-Rugged" Toughbook Notebooks in the US

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Roughly a month after announcing the new 7 series Toughbook notebooks in Japan, Panasonic officially released the new &quot;business-rugged&quot; Toughbooks here in the United States. While the new 7 series wasn't designed to handle the same environments as the Toughbooks used by the US military, the 7 series was real-world tested to withstand the drops, bumps and spills faced by &quot;truly mobile professionals&quot; while maintaining ultraportable and thin-and-light standards.

The ultraportable W7, the tablet alternative T7, and the thin-and-light Y7 feature Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 802.11 wireless, Bluetooth 2.0 and optional high-performance built-in 3G mobile broadband solutions from AT&amp;T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless (EV-DO Rev. A). Like all Toughbook notebooks, the business-rugged 7 series notebooks are drop- and spill-resistant, have strong
magnesium alloy cases and chassis, shock-mounted hard drives and LCDs, and internal flexible connectors for additional protection.

The Panasonic Toughbook Y7 is available now at an estimated street price of $2,449.00. The mobile broadband-ready Panasonic Toughbook W7 and Toughbook T7 will be available in December, 2007 at an estimated street price of $2,099. All Toughbook notebooks can be purchased from authorized Panasonic Toughbook resellers nationwide. Please visit www.panasonic.com/toughbook for more information.

We had an opportunity to spend some time with all three of these new Toughbooks at a special press event last night. Although the 7-series isn't built for deployment in a warzone it's safe to say that Panasonic has three winners on their hands. If you're shopping for a business notebook in the $2,000+ price range you'll be hard pressed to find more durable, full-featured notebooks than these. Full specifications and features for each model are listed below:

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Panasonic Toughbook W7

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500, 1.06 GHz
• 1 GB DDR2-533 SDRAM standard, expandable to 2 GB
• 80GB HDD, shock-mounted
• Integrated DVD Super MULTI drive
• 12.1&quot; 1024 x 768 XGA anti-glare TFT active matrix color LCD
• TPM Security Chip v1.2
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g
• Genuine Windows Vista Business (with XP downgrade option)
• Dimensions: 1.4&quot;/2.0&quot; (H) x 10.7&quot; (W) x 8.5&quot;(D)
• Weight: 3.0 lbs
• Battery life: 7 hours
• Mini Dock Box Replicator (accessory)
• Wireless on-off switch (WWAN, WLAN, Bluetooth)
• Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
• Optional integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA)

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Panasonic Toughbook T7

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500, 1.06 GHz
• 1 GB DDR2-533 SDRAM standard, expandable to 2 GB
• 80GB HDD, shock-mounted
• 12.1&quot; 1024 x 768 XGA anti-glare TFT active matrix color LCD with touchscreen
• TPM Security Chip v1.2
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g
• Genuine Windows Vista Business (with XP downgrade option)
• Display Image Rotation software
• Dimensions: 1.5&quot;/2.3&quot; (H) x 10.7&quot; (W) x 8.5&quot; (D) (including hand strap)
• Ergonomic hand strap
• Weight: 3.3 lbs
• Battery life: 5-9 hours
• Mini Dock Box Replicator (accessory)
• Wireless on-off switch (WWAN, WLAN, Bluetooth)
• Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
• Optional integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA)

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Panasonic Toughbook Y7

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor L7500, 1.6 GHz
• 1 GB DDR2-533 SDRAM standard, expandable to 2 GB
• 80GB HDD, shock-mounted
• Integrated DVD Super MULTI drive
• 14.1&quot; 1400 x 1050 SXGA+ anti-glare TFT active matrix color LCD
• TPM Security Chip, v1.2
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g
• Genuine Windows Vista Business (with XP downgrade option)
• Dimensions: 1.4&quot;/1.8&quot; (H) x 12.2&quot; (W) x 10.0&quot; (D)
• Weight: 3.7 lbs
• Battery life: 5 hours
• Mini Dock Box Replicator (accessory)
• Wireless on-off switch (WWAN, WLAN, Bluetooth)
• Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
• Optional integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA)

 

How does the T7 (the tablet one) swivel around into tablet mode and what type of digitiser does it has?

 

to shock mount a hard drive in something so thin.... amazing.

 

Thanks a lot for the news Jerry. This is what I have been hoping for all along, as I am crossing my fingers to see NBR reviewing these units. Any chances that will happened?

So far it seems the Panasonic ultraportables have been too exotic for most people in the US to even know about them.

What about the 2 lbs 10.6" Panasonic R7 - any news about that one?

I was also wondering about the specs. In Japan the R7/W7/T7 is also available in a 1.2GHz U7600 version and the Y7 is available in a L7700 1.8GHz version. Do you know if these will be introduced in the US?

Last but not least, there is no mentioning of the chipset platform, but I assume it is Intel GM965 (Santa Rosa) as the Japan versions?

A lot of question, I know. But I have been dying to see some exposure of these units here on NBR.

For those who would like to get a feel of how the R/W/Y-series look in real life, see these links:

R6 Videos (there's a very interesting durability test video):
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=186795

Y7:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=186796

W5:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=186797

 

I'm surprised they only included a touchpad with these notebooks. A trackpoint should be on every business class notebook.

Also, whats up with the macbook white? I really doubt anyone that using their notebook for work would want a white notebook.

 

You can't always have everything. On the ThinkPad X61, it only has the TrackPoint. On the similar sized W7/T7 it only has the TouchPad. It is already quite an achievement to have such a small 12.1" notebook with a built-in DVD - and only weighing 3 lbs whilst still being one of the most rugged ultraportables out there.

As for the color. You mean silver? Well many business users in Japan don't have a problem with it. But you have a valid point. I assume that's why they introduced the Jet Black version of the R-series.

 

We certainly hope we can get some review units in the near future. Yes, the Toughbook line has been a bit to "exotic" (and expensive) for most Americans. But now that the 7 series brings the price down to the $2,000-$3,000 range I think many more businesses will be interested.

I think the trackpoint/touchpoint/pointing stick is a hit-or-miss feature. For every consumer/business user who MUST have it there is one who doesn't care and one who NEVER uses it.

It's silver, not white, and silver is becoming popular for whatever reason (personally, I prefer black). The Toshiba Portege R500 is likewise all silver and it's a popular thin and light business ultraportable.

 

Is it such a good idea to place the DVD-Drive on the palm rest.... Won't the user always be applying pressure on the dvd panel?

 

I was initially concerned about this as well, but upon close examination at the press event last night it appears that the optical drive "lid"/palm rest is remarkably sturdy.

Of course, we reserve final judgment until we can get a review unit in house for closer inspection, but I'm not too concerned at this point. Panasonic has a lot riding on the "Toughbook" brand name, so I'd be very surprised if the optical drive is fragile.

 

For those wondering what chipset it has, I found this on Panasonic's website.

 

I'm already in love with the W7 !

Do you know if it has a full size keyboard? If so it may be my next lappy!! (in an other life tho $$$)

 

The W and Y series have had the special DVD drive placement since they were first introduced many years ago, so if there was an issue, I'm sure they would have fixed it by now. In Japan these are often referred to as semi-rugged business machines and are generally built to take some abuse with the full magnesium alloy casing. So I don't think you need to worry about applying pressure.

Great. For a moment I thought the US models came with older chipsets than the Japanese models.

I agree and I am crossing my fingers you will review all of the latest 7-series notebooks, including the R7. The only thing I am a bit disappointed about is the use of PC4200 RAM - not that I think it makes a big difference performance wise.

In the meantime, I dug up some old reviews of some of the former models:

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2288
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2517
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2794

It seems NBR has had their hands on one of these Panasonic notebooks after all, since the review of the W2 was made by Brian.

 

When my Mom gets ready for a new notebook, I will strongly consider the Toughbook Y7 for her. Good battery life, decent-size screen, very lightweight, and most importantly...very durable!

 

how do you guys think the W7 stacks up against the SONY TZ91

 

Two quite different ultraportables.


W7: 12.1" 4:3 screen, business semi-rugged, 3 lbs, Santa Rosa.

- The Panasonic is much tougher and durable, but also heavier and quite a bit thicker than the TZ. It is directed at business users, hence the standard aspect screen. Faster graphics.


TZ91: 11.1" widescreen LED, fairly fragile, 2.26 lbs (smallest battery), SSD option.

- The Sony is lighter, slimmer, has an excellent screen, but is more fragile. Most people would find the TZ to have a nicer design. Battery life is probably comparable to the W7 if you choose the standard battery.


For work/reliability I would take the Panasonic. For pleasure and the "wow factor" I would take the Sony.

 

why doesn't panasonic's touch pad have more fanfare is there any known issues or with this laptop period it seems so under the radar and thanks a lot that's the best breakdown I've been able to get in 2 weeks I'm almost sold on the W7 but it seems no one cares about this laptop on the internet lol

 

I know what you are saying. It might feel like no one cares about the R/W/T/Y-series on the internet, but that's not completely true. There is quite a faithful crowd in Japan that adores these notebooks - and for good reason.

However, in the US and Europe these notebooks are quite exotic and rare, as they are not being sold or marketed agressively. The pricing of these, through importers, are often quite high as well. But I hope that Panasonic with the new 7-series is making a comeback in the international markets.

 

JabbaJabba I don't mean to be a pain but I have no one else to harass lol I can't decide between the Panasonic W7 and the Sony TZ91 I don't mind spending around $4000 the problem is their is no info on the W7 no reviews or forum threads I have a couple of questions lol if you can answer at least one I be more than thankful

1) How does the W7 screen stack up against the TZ91
2) The touch pad work similar to the iPod
3) How about performance and speed who wins this race
4) Should I order from Dynamism or U.S.
5) Who wins the battery war here
6) Does " strong magnesium alloy " get dents
7) May I have your thoughts on this
The fan-less design radiates the heat generated by the CPU without using a fan. This design reduces both the weight and operating noise of the PC, making it possible to use it comfortably in conference rooms and libraries without the annoying noise.
8) Any opinion on this flexible internal connectors and shock-mounted and removable hard drives
9 What exactly is an ultra-low voltage Intel Core Solo processor

if there is anything else you can tell me it would be greatly appreciated thanks

 

1) Although I have not experienced the W7, the screen in the TZ should be clearer/sharper/brighter. This I base on former reviews of the Panasonic notebooks and I don't think they have changed the screens.
The TZ screen uses LED backlight technology. The W7 does not. The screen on my former TZ90 was spectacular. The best I have experienced to date on an ultraportable.

2) I have never used an iPod, believe it or not.

3) It depends on the task at hand. If you choose a TZ91 with the SSD it will be faster when it comes to things like booting and other frequent smaller I/O operations. But note that even with the new Intel 965 chipset, the W7 is still not going to be a major performer. For many daily tasks, like office apps and Internet surfing, I don't think one would notice any significant differences between the TZ91 and the W7

4) There are quite a few importers both in the US and abroad. Dynamism is actually a US based company from what I know. They seem a be a bit expensive (although warranty is good) but I have only heard good things about them. There are many other suppliers to choose amongst such as icube.us, geekstuff4u, conics.net, pricejapan.com (can be very unreliable at times). I suggest you search on these companies and then make up your own mind. Some of the advantages of Importers of Japanese products can be that they offer normally unobtainable items or that their products are cheaper due to lower Japanese prices.

5) The TZ should have the longest battery life, but only with the largest capacity battery, which due to its lump raises the back of the notebook considerably.

6) I'm sure you can get dents, but the magnesium alloy should make it more resistant to them.

7) No comments other than I have read and heard that they can get a bit hot at times.

8) Shock mounting hard drives is a good thing.

9) ULV processors use less power than the mainstream normal voltage mobile processors. The benefit is mainly longer battery life.


I suggest you search the NBR forums and the internet for further information on the topics above. Many of your questions have been discussed extensively.

As for reviews of the W7, you are right. I haven't been able to find one either. But there are quite a few of the W5 and the rest of the R/T/Y-series out there. I recommend you to read these as the old models share most of the same characteristics with the new 7-series. Especially the physical attributes.

If you read through this thread you will also see that I posted links to reviews and video footage of quite a few of the Panasonic notebooks, including the W-series. These contain much relevant information and I suggest you read and watch them.

If you still have questions, you are welcome to PM me.

 

A couple additional thoughts along these lines:

* Note the significant difference in the specs of the screens. Panasonic has resolution of just 1024x768 on a 12" screen. The Sony has 1366x768 (or something like that) on a 11" screen. So the Panny has big pixels on a bigger screen and the Sony has microscopic ones on a smaller one. You would likely prefer one or the other in large part depending on how good your eyesight is.

* Track pad is just a normal laptop track pad that happens to be circular in shape whereas most laptops have rectangular ones. It is not multi-touch like the iPhone.

* Note that Japan-sourced Panasonic laptops have a Japanese or international style keyboard, with a layout which is a bit different from typical American keyboard layouts. This may or may not bother you. Personally, I could not live with an international layout (and thus when I was last shopping for laptops caused me to scratch Panasonic off my list).

Another comparison would be to the Sony Vaio G2 (which is quite a bit lighter weight).

 

JabbaJabba and esskay thanks for taking the time to answer my questions I was so sure I was leaning to the W7 but now you guys got me back to the TZ91 argh! lol

 

Does anyone know if the W7 will be released by Christmas? It still isn't showing up in any of the online stores...

 

btw Juneyah, I wasn't intending to steer you away from the Panasonics, just wanted to highlight a couple items for you. Also, given this announcement is about US releases of these laptops you wouldn't have the int'l keyboard problem I was describing. The TZ is a beautiful machine, no doubt -- though with my poor eyesight the small, high-resolution screen doesn't really work well for me.

 

I have exceptional eyesight, and when I saw the TZ at a Sony Style store, that's all I could think about. I guess you could get used to it, but pictures would be so tiny while you were browsing.