| Laptops and Notebooks Reviews : Panasonic |
 | Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 - Intel Pentium M 738 LV / 1.4GHz - Centrino - Intel® 855GME - RAM 512MB - HDD 40GB - 10/100 Ethernet - WLAN 802.11a/b/g - Win XP Pro SP2 - 13.3" TFT 1024 x 768 (XGA)
Panasonic C-F 29 Reliable & Solidismo -- 2010-06-17
Unlike the experience of some, I found my Tiger Direct refurb CF-29 to be, well... a Toughbook. No scratches, dents, screen great, keys all fine. The thing weighs like 7 pounds,and you can knock it off a table still running. It's the real military, cop car, type in a blizzard box, and yes, it did cost around 3K new. The latch will keep this baby closed no matter what, until you decide to open it.
I do construction, so it's about the same as hauling around a cordless screw gun. The handle, I bet you could stand on, makes it actually easier to carry than my wife's regular laptop. Hers I have to do with two hands or put it under my arm like a big book. No lie, it is heavy (but also heavy duty) I have used it outdoors, and I would say it's OK for all but bright sun.
Mine was not advertised to be a touch screen, but thanks to some devoted fanatics at "The OFFICIAL Panasonic CF-29 Toughbook Thread", I learned that mine actually was touch. (All right, truth be told the ribbon cable had become unattached behind the screen, but I was without the expertise to do the repair surgery, so I only got what I paid for) There I also learned that one could swap in a DVD player, add GPS, Phone card, bigger hard drive, even do SATA with a little modding, but I find if I use it for normal work, it's fine like it is. Even though I treat it respectfully, I like the idea that I can handle it about like I would a steel worker's lunch box.
What amazes me about this thing is the battery life. I use it periodically throughout my work day to hit the web, do a spreadsheet or two, check e-mail etc, sometimes logging off my office wireless network between uses,which I am guessing shuts off the wireless card, thereby saving battery. (The Toughbook sits beside my desktop, ready for my trips to the field, and I constantly use the XP files synchronization feature to keep my files current) I never shut it off, and at the end of the day, it often registers 3+ hours use remaining, which I confirm when I get home and use it some more before going to bed. Most days I don't even bring the charger to work.
It's cool. My wife's HP gets hot enough underneath to be uncomfortable, and this one does to a lesser extent when it's charging, but otherwise it's just mildly warm. And silent. It has no cooling fan. so it makes no noise, to me remarkably pleasant. (must have been great for those stealthy CIA spies who no doubt owned this before I did)
I hate touch pads, and when I type on many laptops,(especially when typing in a browser) my hand, resting on the laptop always hits the touch pad area, screwing up whatever I'm doing. But on this thing,no problemo. My old man sized hands just sit there on the ample "deck" area and I can peck away with nary a wiggle from the old pointer. Besides the ram, my other upgrade to get around the touch pad is a wireless mouse for 25 bucks that runs off a little USB transmitter I leave stuck in the second USB port on the back. It's a little Microsoft brand, and the Transmitter is short enough to allow the back port(s)cover to snap closed over it. Me like.
How about speed and multitasking? This CF-29 was state of the art in 2003, so you decide. Mine came with 512 megs ram, so I dropped the 40 bucks and got a gig of PC 2700 laptop memory. I use cad, which loads OK and does fine,(even before the ram upgrade) except when rendering a really mongo file. Then its watch the little hour glass. As to multitasking, before I added ram, it would easily do a bunch of internet windows, keep a word processor and a spreadsheet going. Now, after adding the ram, I don't think about it. The box is well suited to work within the parameters of XP Pro. I'm not gaming, doing photo editing, watching streaming video etc. though U-Tube videos, or news briefs run just fine.
So here's the thing. I believe I could use this for the next umpteen years until I get tired of XP or lugging it around, or finally drop it in the lake next time I dump my Hobie Cat. Otherwise, I bet it's still going to be going strong. It was built to be rock solid reliable, no matter what, and that's exactly how I experience it.
Lucky - no mas -- 2010-04-11
Like the dog with one eye, three legs and a missing tail that answers to the name Lucky, wellll I got lucky or should I say I received Lucky when my "TOUGHBOOK" showed up at the door. Like a long lost puppy this lapdog looked like it had been drug behind a truck, left out in the rain and never put away. Yes ole Lucky was missing some parts (no CD drive) and the ears(corners) were clipped. But what could I expect when the advertisement stated "factory authorized refurbished A". I now have a better understanding of the word "refurbished" although I am not clear what "A" means. Some of the reviewers are happy with their "TOUGHBOOK". Luck of the draw I guess. I have fond memories of "Old Blue" or is it "Big Blue". Yes, the THINKPAD is looking good again. It has now been nearly two weeks since UPS confirmed the returned "TOUGHBOOK" to the vendor (Tiger Direct) and my account has yet to be credited. (I pray often for everyone at the AMEX dispute department). Never a truer statement Buyer beware.
Faithfully,
"RR"
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 | Panasonic Toughbook 74 - Core 2 Duo P8600 / 2.4 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD Multi Recorder, GMA 4500MHD shared video memory (UMA), Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN : Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft) - TPM - Vista Business / XP Pro downgrade - 13.3" TFT 1024 x 768 (XGA)
Takes a Licking and Keeps On.... -- 2009-09-19
I have dropped this thing on the back deck more times than I can recall...managed to crack one part of the outside casing...but NO DAMAGE to the workings AT ALL. We have taken it everywhere, from the mountains to the beach, across several states, in the car, with no protective sleeve or anything lke that.
I have a 2-yr old and one on the way, so I take this with me wherever the kid leads, to keep up on stupid things like social networking, email, and Internet shopping. Of course it is far more capable than what I use it for.
With embedded mobile Verizon Broadband, we take it on every single trip...sometimes even locally. (And it often gets better reception than our Verizon cell phones...) It is great for a quick reference..."What was the address of that new lunch place again?" "This is a nice neighborhood; what school district is it in?" "Where is the closest chain coffee shop?" as well as for using mapping/driving directions websites and checking weather no matter where you are or where you are headed.
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