The Best Rugged Laptops for Field Service Work

When you work as a field service technician, you need a rugged computer that doesn’t slow you down. That means a laptop that has the power to get work done, and that's durable enough for use on-site. Here’s what you need to know when you’re looking for a laptop for field service.

(Looking for a rugged phone or tablet instead? Check out our articles on those subjects!)

Specifications

When looking for the right laptop, first consider the technical specifications. These tell you about the computer: its speed, how much memory it has, and much more. While there are many, many components inside a laptop, we've listed some of the most relevant below.

Processor/CPU – The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is responsible for the bulk of the actual calculations the computer runs. This means that having a stronger processor will speed up most things you do on the computer, from booting up to running programs. Processors are grouped by product line – for example, the ubiquitous Intel brand of processors has i3, i5, i7, and, most recently, i9 lines. (The i5 and i7 are most common.)

Memory/RAM – Random Access Memory (RAM), usually just called memory, is the “short term” memory of the computer, meaning it stores information for active programs and processes. The more RAM your computer has, the more programs you can have running on your computer without it slowing down. Modern computers measure RAM in gigabytes, with most computers falling between 8 and 16 GB.

Storage/Hard Drive – The hard drive is the “long term” memory of the computer, storing your files, programs, and anything else that stays on the computer when you shut it down. Modern computers have moved more and more towards Solid State Drives (SSDs), which differ from traditional Hard Disc Drives in that they don’t have a physical spinning disk, meaning much faster data access. Because of their lack of moving parts, SSDs are less likely to become damaged by moving or dropping a laptop. This makes them a good thing to have when choosing a machine for field work.

Graphics Card/Processor – The graphics card is a dedicated processor, similar to the CPU, but used only for the calculations that turn the internal language of the computer into the image on your screen. Gamers will know about graphics cards for their impact on a computer’s ability to display detailed graphics at high frame rates, but even on a work computer, a better graphics card means smoother media viewing. This will become especially important if your job includes editing images or video, or using programs that model things in 3D.

Battery – Naturally, the battery is an essential part of any laptop. Look at the battery life of any laptop you’re purchasing and consider how much you will use it and how often you’ll need to charge it.

Durability

Every computer has a CPU and a hard drive, but not every computer can survive a dip in the pool. When you’re looking for a computer to use in the field, you’ll be looking at laptops with the special technology necessary to keep them working in tough conditions. Here's what to consider.

MIL-STD 810G – This designation refers to the tests that the US Department of Defense uses to determine whether a piece of technology is ready to be used in a military environment. The same standard is used by many computer manufacturers to indicate that a laptop has passed some of the 30 laboratory tests used by the government.

However, just because a computer has the MIL-STD 810G stamp, that doesn’t mean that it’s been reviewed by an independent agency. There is no standard for how these tests are run, or who runs them, so you should check out any available documentation before trusting this certification. Nonetheless, it is still a good first indication that a laptop can endure the elements.

IP Ratings – IP, or “Ingress Protection,” ratings are a more detailed standard describing a computer’s resistance to outside elements, whether solid or liquid. The first digit refers to the computer’s resistance to solids, on a scale from 0 to 6. A one means you can’t fit your hand inside the computer, a six means the computer is vacuum-sealed against dust or sand. The second digit refers to the computer’s liquid resistance, on a scale from 0 to 9. A one here means the computer is resistant to water dripping on it from above, while a nine means resistance to submersion and even steam cleaning. 

Computers typically don’t go higher than a 5 on water resistance, so an IP65 rating indicates a computer that protected against dust, sand, and sprays of water, and that the computer has passed specific, industry-standard tests to prove it.

Where To Start

The laptop market is wide, and there is no way to list every computer you’ll want to look at. But, to get you started, we've listed some of the best laptops for use in the field in 2021.

Dell Latitude 7212 Rugged Extreme: CPU – i5-7300U, RAM – 8GB, HD – 256GB SSD, Graphics – Intel HD 620, Battery Life: 5 hours, IP65 rated

Getac B360: CPU – i5-10210U, RAM – 8GB, HD – 256GB SSD, Graphics – Intel UHD, Battery Life: 12 hours, IP65 rated

Panasonic Toughbook 55: CPU – i5-8365U, RAM – 8GB, HD – 256GB SSD, Graphics – AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150, Battery Life: 16 hours, IP53 rated

Durabook S15AB: CPU – i5-8265U, RAM – 16GB, HD – 256GB SSD + 2TB HDD, Graphics – Intel UHD, Battery Life: 9 hours, IP5X rated