Rugged PC Review: DURABOOK Z14I fully-rugged laptop
Updated version of Durabook’s powerful fully-rugged laptop takes on the established competition with modern design, impressive build and protection, and vast built-in customization potential.
The super-duty Z14I is a contender in the fully-rugged laptop class and Durabook clearly aims to put the pressure on the heavyweight competition […], all targeted at customers who need more durability and substantially more ruggedness than any standard consumer notebooks can provide.
The DURABOOK Z14I is a full-size notebook with a 14.0-inch wide-format screen. It measures 14.0 x 11.0 (plus another inch and a half for the handle) x 2.0 inches, and our nicely equipped review unit weighed in at a not unsubstantial 8.75 pounds. That’s a good deal thicker and heavier than a standard consumer notebook, but about par for the fully-rugged class, and downright sleek by military gear standards. While early DURABOOK laptops often had a simple and kind of generic look to them, the Z14I conveys toughness, purpose, and understated elegance all at once.
Brief Summary: The DURABOOK Z14I fully-rugged laptop
With the updated second generation of its Z14I fully-rugged laptop, Durabook now has a thoroughly modern tool for customers who require high-performance computing power out there in the field, in vehicles, on the shop floor, or wherever else a tablet or a handheld or even a semi-rugged laptop just won’t do. It’s a big, attractive, impressive machine with a very bright, reflection-free 14-inch wide-format display, great connectivity, good battery life, and excellent performance.
In terms of ruggedness, the fanless DURABOOK Z14I meets or exceeds fully-rugged class standards. The laptop’s 6-foot drop spec provides a good safety cushion past most common drop scenarios, and its IP65 ingress protection rating means it can handle anything short of full immersion.
Designed for the extreme conditions faced by military, industry, field service personnel, and similar demanding deployments, the DURABOOK Z14I, with its aluminum-magnesium alloy chassis and bottom, large protective bumpers, and exceptionally solid construction should hold up for a long time.
With the DURABOOK Z14I, Durabook has a strong and very competitive offering in the hotly contested market of fully-rugged laptops. And it is a machine that offers exceptional versatility and expandability. — Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, January 2022
Read the full review here: https://www.ruggedpcreview.com/3_notebooks_durabook_z14i_2022.html.