Getac V200 review

Getac sells a wide range of ruggedised mobile products, from laptops and tablets to compact handhelds. The V200 is a convertible tablet, much like the Dell Latitude XT2 XFR, and packs impressive power and features into its hard-wearing chassis.

The V200 is tested to military standards for resilience. The magnesium-alloy chassis is staggeringly tough and its impact-resistant design will effortlessly take everything you can throw at it.

Flawed covers

With an ingress protection rating of IP65 the chassis is also well protected against infiltration from dust and water. Unlike the Dell and Panasonic's lockable port covers, however, the rubber plugs used here can snag on external objects and be pulled open unexpectedly, which isn't ideal.

At 3.3kg, this is one the heavier ruggedised laptops, but while it lacks the built-in handle of the Panasonic, its textured finish makes it comfortable to carry. Battery life isn't that impressive, however, delivering less than four hours of use.

Usability is excellent, as with the Dell, but the keyboard features an indented Control key, with the Function key in its place, which can take some getting used to. Nevertheless, the board is otherwise impressively smooth and responsive.

As with the Dell and Pansonic, the Getac's 12.1-inch display is multi-touch compatible, letting you open and manipulate files using your fingers or the included stylus. Unlike the Dell, however, the screen uses resistive technology as standard, allowing use even when you're wearing gloves.

While it lacks the responsiveness of the Dell's capacitive panel, interaction is suitably smooth. The screen is also incredibly bright, making it readable in even the brightest conditions. Unlike the Dell, however, the screen features a hazy quality often seen on resistive panels.

Where the Getac stands out is its impressive power for such a rugged laptop.Although bettered by the HP and Panasonic, the use of a high-powered Intel Core i7 CPU means office software and tools for fieldwork are dispatched with effortless ease, even when multi-tasking.

Benchmarks

Battery life: 219 minutes
MobileMark 2007: 239
3D Mark 2003: 1916

Extra features are equally pleasing. The 320GB hard drive provides capacious storage for this type of machine, while a rotatable camera above the screen can be used to record front or rear-facing video in the office or when working out and about.

The tough chassis and striking power of the V200 make it a great machine for extreme outdoor use. With its resistive screen suiting use in even the coldest conditions, it makes a great alternative to the Panasonic Toughbook CF-31.

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