Panasonic Toughbook CF-52
A reassuringly well-built laptop that is suited to outdoor business use
The Panasonic Toughbook range is best known for its fully-ruggedised industrial laptops. However, the CF-52 (£1551 inc. VAT) takes a slightly different approach.
Its semi-rugged casing can be used on building sites and site maintenance, but won't offer the same degree of protection as some more specialised laptops.
The main difference is a lack of bulk and, while the ports have rubber stoppers to protect from dust and water, this isn't a sealed unit. You'll find exposed elements, such as the optical drive and SD card reader lacking protection.
The design is simple and looks like a standard issue briefcase. The body is made from magnesium-alloy and is incredibly sturdy.
MusicRadar Rating
Pros
Robust design. Decent performance. Good battery life
Cons
Basic feature set
Verdict
Sturdy but not completely safeguarded in all conditions, this is nevertheless a well-built laptop
Review Policy
All MusicRadar's reviews are by independent product specialists, who are not aligned to any gear manufacturer or retailer. Our experts also write for renowned magazines such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm. All are part of Future PLC, the biggest publisher of music making magazines in the world.
Specification
Dimensions
355.7 x 286.8 x 50.7
Display resolution
1280 x 800
Display size
15.4
Graphics memory
384
Graphics memory type
Intel 965GM
HDD capacity
80
Installed RAM
1024
Memory speed
667
Operating system
Windows XP Professional
Processor speed
1.8
RAM type
DDR2
Weight
3.3
