Nearly two years ago, Panasonic announced their new 4K Toughpad, a monstrous Windows tablet sporting an outstanding 20-inch 3840 x 2560 LCD.
Last night, during Microsoft's device showcase, many of this year's latest and greatest devices were out for play as well as this 4K Toughpad. We had never seen one in person, so it was quite a blast to be able to handle one. Later that night, Microsoft's Juha Alakarhu used it for a Lumia presentation on the world's largest observation wheel, the High Roller
Want one? Unfortunately, this pricey, professional-level tablet will run you $6,000 USD.
Panasonic 4K Toughpad
- 20-inch 4K 3840 x 2560 LCD, 15:10 aspect ratio
- Intel Core i5-3437U 1.9GHz or Intel Core i7-3687U 2.1GHz processor
- Standard NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M GPU or NVIDIA Quadro K1000M GPU
- 2GB dedicated VRAM
- 256GB SSD
- 16GB RAM
- HD 720p webcam with microphone, 5Mp rear-facing camera
- 5-foot drop rating (bottom side), 1-foot drop rating (26 drops), Magnesium alloy chassis and GFRP rear case
- USB 3.0, SD card (SDXC), Mini DisplayPort, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, headphone/speaker jack and docking connector
- 7"(L) x 13.1"(W) x 0.5"(D), 5.6 lbs
So who is this for? Panasonic Toughpad certified is for business, enterprise, or those with very specific work needs. This tablet is not, by any means, a consumer device (although consumers could surely covet such tech).
Ideally, those that work in media, like magazines, photography, film, design, etc. could benefit from a portable, 4K display that also runs full Windows for imaging, video or apps. The device only has a 2-hour battery life, but this not likely to go on the plane or bus with you, making that an acceptable tradeoff.
Surprisingly, at only 5-pounds (2.54 kg), the 4K Toughpad is quite light and easy to handle.
Niche device? Absolutely. However, that display is easily one of the best we have ever seen on a computer. Then again, for $6,000 you would expect that to be standard.
