14-inch touchscreen laptop should appeal to construction professionals who need powerful 3D graphics for complex 3D BIM models
Panasonic’s new Toughbook 54 is being pitched as the thinnest and lightest semi-rugged laptop in its class. It is also the first rugged laptop to feature CAD-focused 3D graphics – thanks to an AMD FirePro M5100 GPU – which should be of particular interest to construction professionals who increasingly need to use powerful 3D BIM software on site.
With a full magnesium alloy case with handle and resistance to spills and drops, the mobile workstation is designed for a semi-harsh indoor or outdoor environment. It features a 5th Generation Intel Core i5-5300U vPro processor (2.3GHz up to 2.9GHz), up to 16GB RAM, dual drives and 11 hours of battery life (18 hours with an optional hot-swappable second battery).
The machine comes with a 14.0” IPS 1080p full HD display. There’s an optional 1000 nit Touchscreen, which is said to offer the smooth operation of a capacitive display but still allow users to choose to keep their gloves on if they need.
The Toughbook 54 is 0.7”(L) x 13.6”(W) x 1.2”(H) in size and weighs 4.6 lbs for the performance and gloved multi touch models.
Panasonic is currently working with key software developers for CAD certifications.
