The market for Android tablets might not be competitive or attractive as it was before. After all, not even Google is interested in providing a separate tablet-centric experience like Apple does with iPadOS. However, there are several companies that are still betting on the segment and on the search giant’s software. The most memorable names are Samsung and Huawei, but Panasonic is also there with its lineup of rugged tablets, the Toughbook series. Today, the company unveiled Panasonic Toughbook A3 Rugged Tablet with a lot of features to justify its name.
Panasonic Toughbook A3 specifications
The Panasonic ToughBook A3 flaunts a 10.1-inch LCD display with 1920×1200 pixels of resolution and a peak brightness of 800 nits. The tablet also offers 5 configurable physical buttons around the bezel as well as a volume rocker and a power button. Among its key selling points, the Toughbook offers dual-swappable batteries and a built-in stylus. Other features include full-sized USB-A and Type-C ports as well as dual SIM support. It’s pretty much a complete package for users needing a strong durable table. It fits perfectly for first responders, emergency service personnel, and field service agents.
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To keep some of its characteristics, the A3 introduces IP65 water and dust resistance and is MIL-STD-810H compliant. The device also comes with a Panasonic Compass Suite for enterprise management tools. It includes a barcode scanner, a smart card reader, and a second USB-A port for the client’s specific needs. The device boasts a 5MP shooter on the front and a single 8MP camera on the back. Under the hood, the tablet boasts the mid-range Snapdragon 660 SoC. It is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of Internal Storage. It also offers support for microSD cards. The software part is a big disappointment. The device ships with the 2018’s Android 9 Pie and that is a shame. We’re just a few months away from getting full-fledged Android 11. Panasonic should have provided at least Android 10. Apart from the outdated software, the tablet offers all major Global Navigation Satellite Systems.
Two swapping batteries, but you’ll be swapping them more than expected
To keep lights on, we have two mediocre batteries with 3,200mAh rated capacity. Why do we think it is mediocre? Well, that’s just too few for a 10-inch device. At least there are two swappable batteries in the package. Things get worse when Panasonic is selling a separate 5,500mAh battery for the table which can push the usage time to 15 hours on a single charge. The company could have shipped the tablet with that 5,500mAh battery but decided to sell it separately. Charging duty is done through a proprietary AC adapter.
The Panasonic Toughbook A3 sells for £1,182 ($1466) in the UK. The device will go on sale in August.
