How 'rugged' is a CF18 really?

If you dropped a CF18, how likely is it that the system would still work 100 percent?

I haven't dropped mine (!), but the more I compare my CF18 to my CF28 the more I worry about it's lack of ruggedness. Especially with the display housing. Those flimsy plastic covers on the sides and top of the CF18 display housing are quite poor and the screws don't even hold them in place properly (on mine anyway).

I have never used my system with the display housing rotated around into tablet mode, but the fixing of the housing into the normal position doesn't seem all that 'positive'.

If it wasn't for the fact that CF29's and 30's along with CF19's are nigh on impossible to get here in Oz at a decent price, I'd get perhaps a later model 29 but the CF18 apart from the wally-world plastic covers on the LCD housing is good on the size and weight factors.

Who else has critically appraised the ruggedness or lack of it with the CF18 design? Is this toughbook herecy?

Craig.

 

Its lighter than the cf-28 so that reduces the chance for damage
The side antenna covers are wimpy for sure
The single lid hinge/swivel seems very rugged though
I have not had a drop over about one foot so far but my cf-19 is holding up great

Alex

 

I would say that it is time for you to test and report back!

Throw it down... Run over it with the truck... And let us know what happens.

 

I have a few 18's, 6 foot drops ( with PATA SSD ) no problems

driving the mac store nuts by using it as a bowling ball and dumping water on it ... No issues except shocked mac weenies

the 18's are tough lil buggers but as was mentioned the antenna covers on the sides of the screen are the weak part ... but superglue is your friend or hotglue in a pinch

cant speak for everyone here, but I find them just as well built as the 19, 29 or 30 and as a matter of fact im looking at picking up a few more as loaners.

 

My CF-18 was falling from my little truck. After I an repair on the car I forgot the laptop on the roof. It was falling of as I drove an u-turn. Only some minor scratches

 

I can attest to how tough it is. My boss was using his CF-18 in tablet mode while we were dealing with a defendant on the second floor of his home. The guy realized he was going to jail and caught my boss off guard which consequently sent the TB out the window and into the street.

When we finally got down there is had smashed into the asphault and had been clearly run over at least once. The screen got some obvious scratches, but not too bad. The antenna cracked, but some epoxy fixed that.

Very tough

 

I've dropped my CF-18 twice, once when passing it to my brother from one couch to another, second time it fell off a cart I was pushing down the hall. Both times it was running and didn't skip a beat, but neither of those were big drops...
Heres an article about someone touring the Toughbook testing facility, theres some cool pictures of abuse in action and how well the various models handle it. I was pretty sure theres a video somewhere too.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2007/02/06/Zen-And-The-Art-Of-Toughbooks/p1

 

Nissan Titan, V8 full size truck, King Cab with extended bed...versus CF19 MK1...

CF19 won.

In short, and VERY SCARED to try, I was coaxed to drive my TITAN over my 19 to prove its bruteness. I was left with some dirt on the lid and nay a sign of being run over by a beast of a truck. I did not, however, try this in tablet mode, and probably wouldn't have the guts.

But, they are just as tough in my opinion as the 20/30 lines.

 

You certainly have some brass ones...

 

try it in tablet mode