Panasonic Connect North America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, has announced enhancements to the Toughbook 55 laptop, its award-winning semi-rugged laptop. Based on direct feedback from valued customers, the latest Toughbook 55 offers faster performance, more versatility, and comprehensive support and service offerings anywhere the job takes them. 

The third generation of the Toughbook 55, the Mk3, harnesses the power of the 13th Gen Intel CoreTM i5 and i7 Processor with Intel vPro Technology and up to 14 cores. It also features a secondary NVMe OPAL SSD, delivering high bandwidth and low latency, which is especially useful for automotive technicians performing intricate vehicle diagnostics and maintenance. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 further enhance connection speeds and options so workers can retrieve, analyze, and transmit data in real time.

The latest version boasts 92dB speakers that include dual array microphones for those operating in loud environments, and now harnesses artificial intelligence to reduce background noise pickup. The superior audio capabilities help improve speech recognition accuracy during critical interactions in the field. A new interface to the programmable keys provides a more intuitive experience for assigning shortcuts to applications and common actions. The customizable colour-selectable keyboard offers four preset options and the ability to create custom colours, further tailoring the experience to the mobile worker’s preferences. 

“Continuing to enhance our end-to-end solution offerings exemplifies Panasonic’s unwavering commitment to empowering mobile workers who operate in the most challenging conditions,” says Dominick Passanante, vice-president, mobility business, Panasonic Connect North America. “Designed with direct input and insights from our customers, the Toughbook 55 doesn’t just meet expectations. It redefines what mission-critical tools should be and elevates the customer experience now and into the future.” 

Mission critical workers now have access to an expanded array of user-upgradeable expansion areas (xPAKs) with a new USB-C and USB-A xPAK available this February, which brings the total number of USB ports on the Toughbook 55 Mk3 to five. This convenient addition empowers mobile workers to connect multiple accessories, such as external keyboards, without cumbersome adapters. The enhanced contactless smartcard reader xPAK adds support of more contactless cards in order to meet professionals’ ever-evolving security and identification needs, simplifying authentication procedures. 

Securing and deploying new technology can be challenging for organizations due to limited IT resources, tight budgets, and a shortage of staff to manage hardware and software. Now, with Toughbook as a Service (TaaS) Program, Panasonic offers a subscription model to customers and provides a budget-friendly OPEX solution to help organizations stay current with the latest technology. 

To help customers easily set up and maintain solutions, Panasonic offers staff augmentation and last-mile deployment services that alleviate burdens by providing on-site deployment assistance, Toughbook product engineering expertise, and customized solutions to meet specific customer needs. These services are entirely customizable and flexible, catering to organizations at various stages of their technology journey. 

The Toughbook 55 Mk3 i7 is available for purchase now, and the i5 will be available for purchase in February 2024. For complete product details and to learn more about the lineup of accessories, please visit Panasonic’s website. 

*Tested by an independent