Questions of CF-19 Mk5

hi, guys. I want to buy a CF-19 Mk5 and have some questions

1st>Maxium 8GB ram?

2nd>Mk5 will run very hot on body(long time use high CPU broost, like 5 hours over 80% cpu useage)?

3th>will it prossable to mount 2 harddisks, like one pcie ssd and one sata HDD?

I prefer to use the CF-19 Mk5 for my main PC, and i want it run OS on ssd and storage mass data on 1tb HDD. i5-2520 support 16GB ram and Panasonic offical spec say CF-19 Mk5 maxium support 8GB ram,I confuse! i plan to install vmware or virtualbox and run least one VM(win7 32bit or linux), so 16GB ram is a better idea. And the Mk5 seem to be the first model of CF-19 use the rega normal voltage cpu, Mk 1-4 use the "UM" cpu, so without fan, i want to know when it run long time with high CPU useage,will the whole body very hot?

Thank you guys for view or reply this, and I apologize for my poor english. And I from China ,so it not easy and cheap to get any of Toughbook, so just want to research more infos.

 

What conditions are you using Toughbook? Rain, Mud, dust, or clean conditions? Indoor or outdoor?
Are you using AC adapter or battery only?
16gb may run in it. Guys have added more ram than Panasonic says in CF30's.

 

Actually， I mainly use it indoor maybe some times in rain. I use CF-T8(japanese model) and offical say maxium ram is 4G and like you say I use 5G now. So thanks for your reply and maybe the best way is have a try after I get it!

 

I have a CF-19MK5 and I have 8GB memory installed. I have noticed that it does run much hotter than than the other older MK's. Later on I will see if I can up the memory. I have a spare 8GB chip and will see if it will see it.

 

So I can tell you it will take at least 12GB.

 

My complain on this unit is; the screen has so much contrast which has a wash out effect. What I have done. I replaced the screen from CF-19MK3 and now! I love it.

ohlip

 

That washed out effect must be from the Circuluim screen.
I swapped the entire top on my CF19 mk4 with a mk3 top in order to make it dual touch. I really like it now.I won't own one that is not dual touch.

 

I agree with you Teo. My MK3 seams much brighter. Also I don't like the 1/4 black border all the way around it. The MK8 I use at work does not have this but it's not dual touch. Not sure if that makes a difference.

My 19 is a....
CF-19ADUAX1M
Description: Win7, Intel Core i5-2520M 2.50GHz, vPro, 10.1" XGA Dual Touch, 320GB(7200rpm), 4GB, Intel WiFi a/b/g/n, TPM, Bluetooth, Dual Pass (Upper:WWAN/Lower:WLAN), No Drive, Toughbook Preferred

I agree Shawn, the dual touch is much better . I have also up graded it to 64bit, 240GB SSD, GPS and now 12GB memory.

 

As of to date, I am hunting those harness for dual touch as I do have extra digitizer panel here. I do have a unit too with dual touch though.

ohlip

 

I think I have a dual touch harness here...I will have to look.

 

nice to sure it have more than 8G ram !

I like toughbook have more like desktop PC that can replace and add so much and part of devices, even that "got old" hardware replacement still make fun. and it's great to know Mk5 not that "hot".

i wonder that Mk5 without USB3.0 bulit-in. but i sure the chipset is support USB3.0. so anyone try Mk5 mount to dock and USB3.0 can be use on dock port ? (if that work can be with the express to USB3.0 extent card)

 

still nobody try dual harddisk? i know, now we can choose the hybrid-disk(harddisk with ssd chip) and make a ram-disk to accelerate, but still not that good compare to SSD.

And I understand the design of CF-19's HD easy-way replace or take-out, but it make a security issues that somebody can be easy to steal the HD just a second when we absent(like take a pee)! So I think encrypt whole HD or data partitions is necessary! Anyone agree?

 

My mk5 has 16gb RAM. And yes, sometimes it's hot )

 

@BaRRmaley

perfect 16GB ram

 

"fever" is easy and fast solution, pull some ice-water to it!

 

Here is a good review of a mk5.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/review-and-user-experience-with-a-cf-19-mk5.677334/

Drive encryption can be set in the BIOS.

Keep it a single hard drive. Attempting 2 hard drives will just cause a motherboard failure. Large SSD's prices are dropping. I use a medium size SSD and a large USB flash drive that I keep in my pocket.

I could not find a desktop dock that supported USB 3.0.

As I have said many times here on the forum..
..............A Toughbook is like a large truck, slow and heavy duty. Toughbooks are not racecars and can not be made into one.

 

@ Shawn yeah, I have review your link before. And I just like the guy use in general purpose and sure deal with the "not perfect parts". Like your say , most toughbook user wasn't looking for the high performance, me too.

I'm sure the harddisk can be encrypt by TPM chip, but what I concern is some errors happen on the HD or toughbook or sometimes necessary direct access the HD from other computer, the encryption by BIOS set may not be able to decrypt from other devices. I prefert a general encryption(Windows bulit-in,Linux encrypt, truecrypt-alternative software
) software the can be decrypt in other devices or platform.

i can deal with single HD with a SSD, and come up a idea for the sensitive datas can sync backup to the encrypted SD card, of cause they can be much or huge. I just consern the SSD maybe sometime have a fatal errors(I have used a intel 40GB series 320 SSD,and somedays just crash the whole structtion with warning) crash all important datas.

 

Very good point about TPM.

 

i installed a 250 gig samsung EVO ssd about two years ago in a business laptop ...
it is used on a daily basis in the office and out in the field .
large amounts of *critical* data are stored and manipulated daily .
there has been no failure or "screw ups" ... believe me , if there was even a hint of a problem , the owner would let me know immediately .

yeah ... stick with a single large ssd ... much less hassle and problems .
(i use mine as a single large drive ... no special partitions)

security is and will always be a concern ...
if your data is that critical and in an environment that is of questionable security ... encryption is about the most practical solution .

"somebody can be easy to steal the HD just a second when we absent(like take a pee)!"
easy fix ... take the '19 to the bathroom with you .

 

I do just that all the time.
Is Toughbook powder coat chemical resistant? Reminds me of scene in James Bond movie..
You may need to check into better paint or better aim.

 

how about change name for toughbook to "tub-top ro "bath-book"

 

how about "toilet terminal" ?
or ... "commode calculator" ?

@ shawn ...
the powder coating is fairly resistant to abrasion and chemical attack .
i don't think the panasonic specs include "whiz resistance" .

 

Performance is not speed. I'm seeing this a lot. Look up definition of performance.
My definition:
Long life.
Rugged.
Dependable.
Able to use many interfaces. i.e. 5400 rpm,7200 rpm, ssd and fairly recently the large sdhc.
Durable rugged dependable tool.

Building the unit for optimum performance for any particular Mark may not mean 16GB ram.

Heat is the COMMON issue.
As the CF-19 does not have a fan, heat is regulated by what "you put in it".

Stay cool,

Jeff

 

I prefert that Performance is not only speed,include

speed, make it work faster and handle more purpose software.

long battery life, let us work as long enough time without power supply and work anytime

rugged, make it use more place with us in anywhere

dependable, good quality will without errors and strike

extension, GPS, WWAN, fingerprint reader, camera, dock and so on,let it be competent more jobs and fun.

comfortable, at least good enough keyboard, touchpad, touchpad screem, monitor resolution and size, and weigh whole body size and so on...

 

Panasonic fully rugged toughbook was designed like a desktop. You can expand to any option of your choice or sometimes beyond those mfr. option.

ohlip