Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5

Last Update: Review by IT-Reviews (added on 16/02/07)

Toughbook CF-W5 is the latest range from Panasonic offering light portable notebook with 268 x 210 x 44mm of size and 1.4 kg weight only. The Toughbook CF-W5 features 1.2-GHz Intel Core Solo U1400 processor,60GB SATA HDD, 12.1-inch display and 512MB of DDR2 memory. Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5 is currently priced at $1,769.

+ REVIEWS (last updated: 16/02/07)

IT Reviews has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5;
“Finished in metallic silver the wrist pads have a corrugated finish, which sounds odd but makes the Toughbook CF-W5 stand out from the crowd, as does the ridged magnesium alloy lid….As standard it comes with a 5,200mAh battery and, aided by the low-power CPU, it has some stunning battery figures; five hours while watching DVDs and a whisker under seven hours when using it for normal office work. Very impressive. If you want to use it on a journey to read an e-book then you will almost be able get through War and Peace, as it offers just under eight hours of life in this mode.”

LaptopMag has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5 (rate: 4.5/5) and writes;
“Our test unit was equipped with an optional Verizon Wireless EV-DO card. The CF-W5 can also be ordered with optional integrated radios that will work with Sprint’s EV-DO network or Cingular’s HSDPA network. In our tests, the CF-W5 delivered an average throughput of 670 Kbps, which is on the high end of Verizon’s claims of 400 to 700 Kbps. The connection was plenty fast for surfing the Web, downloading large files, and even streaming music and video…Pros: Superb battery life, Light weight, Durable construction, EV-DO connectivity. Cons: Small keyboard, Relatively thick, Needs more RAM for Vista.”

TrustedReviews has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5;
“Putting the aspect ratio to one side, the screen is a very good with surprisingly vibrant colours considering that Panasonic doesn’t employ a high contrast coating. One caveat to that statement is that it’s dependant on you viewing the screen head on, as there is noticable wash out in the vertical plane, although the viewing angle in the horizontal plane is superb. Realistically it’s the latter that is more important, since if you’re ever showing someone something on your notebook, they’re usually next to you rather than above or below you.”

Engadget has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5 (rated: 7.5/10) and writes;
“The keyboard is responsive enough, although it does feel a little cramped to use. We put this down to the fact that the keys are slightly wider than they are tall, and so the spread of keys takes a little getting used to…The 12.1in. TFT display has a native resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels (a traditional 4:3 aspect ratio). The screen has an anti-glare layer that gives it a matt finish, helping to maximise visibility when working in brightly lit conditions.”

VNunet has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5;
“The choice of processor also has the benefit of increasing battery life. In our Mobilemark productivity test, which simulates typical usage, the CF-W5 managed to keep going for an exceptionally impressive six hours and 22 minutes. As well as standard features like 802.11g Wifi and two USB2 ports, the laptop houses an unusual, but superb, circular trackpad below the keyboard that functions just like an iPod click-wheel. We were also surprised to see an internal DVD rewriter in a laptop of this size. The internal DVD rewriter only weighs 58g, much less than the standard 200g we usually expect.”

PCW has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5 (rated:3/5) and writes;
“Panasonic brands the CF-W5 ’semi-ruggardised’, which means it should withstand a 30cm drop. Additionally, the hard disk has air-bag type cushioning, which means your data should be safe even when dropped from a height of up to 76cm. Panasonic also states it can withstand a 100Kg mass on top of the laptop due to ribbed casing on the back of the LCD without the unit being damaged…Overall: A well built and attractive notebook that can take a knock or two, but the high price will deter many.”

Gadget Lab has a review of the Panasonic - Toughbook CF-W5 (rated:4/10) and writes;
WIRED: Responsive, Verizon-powered wireless access. Exceptional battery life is near the best in its weight class. TIRED: Despite military certification, still feels flimsy; we had to bust out a screwdriver to realign a misattached panel on the laptop’s underside. Underpowered, with bare-minimum specs and unacceptably low RAM.

CPU
1.2-GHz Intel Core Solo U1400

Operating System
Windows XP Professional

RAM/Expandable to
512MB/1.5GB

Hard Drive/Speed
60GB/5,400 rpm

Optical Drive
8X DVD-ROM/CD-RW

Display/Resolution
12.1 inches/1024 x 768

Graphics/Video Memory
Intel 945GMS /128MB shared

Wireless Networking
802.11a/b/g

Ports
Two USB 2.0, VGA, Ethernet, modem, mic, docking station

Card Slots
One Type II PC Card, SD Card

Weight
3.1 pounds

Size
10.6 x 8.3 x 1.8 inches

Warranty/Support
Three-year parts and labor limited warranty/24/7 toll-free phone support

MobileMark 2005
176

3DMark03
913

Battery Life (Wi-Fi On/Off) 8:04 / 8:28
Wireless Performance (15/50 feet) 7 Mbps/ 6.6 Mbps