Affordable Rugged Computers: Toughbooks vs. Durabooks

Let’s face it, one of the most important aspects of buying a computer is the price -you want to make sure that you stay in budget. At the same time, you still want a laptop that meets the specs you’re looking for, and you definitely don’t want to end up with a computer you’ll constantly have to repair.

There is a lot to consider, and it’s a difficult decision to make. Therefore, to narrow it down a bit, we’ll look at choosing between a refurbished Panasonic Toughbook and a new Durabook.

Refurbished Toughbooks vs. New Durabooks

Which is more affordable? Honestly, it depends on who you ask and what you’re looking for. At face value, with a lower price, you might say that a refurbished Toughbook is a better "bang for your buck", however that is not necessarily true for you- it’s important to consider what exactly you’re getting with each and if they truly meet your needs. In order to help you decide what’s best for you, let’s dive in deeper.

Buying a Refurbished Toughbook

First, buying refurbished can be a risky endeavor if you don’t do your research beforehand. However, if you’ve run into us, chances are you have (yay!). Not to brag, but we’ve been in business for 25 years for a reason. We’re not only a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher, but our techs also hold multiple certifications. That being said, you can guarantee that the refurbished computer you buy from us will be stellar. 

The refurbished Toughbooks that we offer come in fully or semi-rugged, have i5 processors, up to a 2 TB SSD, 16 GB of memory, and up to 6000 nit screens. Not to mention, you can add-on options such GPS and fingerprint readers. 

The pros

As I mentioned earlier, one of the pros of buying a refurbished Toughbook is the lower price point. Additionally, with any software or hardware problems you run into, someone (most likely) has a solution, as the computer has been on the market for a while.

The cons

Your refurbished Toughbook might have some cosmetic imperfections (we always note this on our product page if this is the case), and it might not be compatible with certain hardware or software upgrades. Additionally, some parts might be hard to find.

A fair comparison 

For reference, a newer model Toughbook such as a (semi-rugged) CF-54 MK2, loaded with an i5 processor, 240 GB SSD, and 8 GB of RAM retails on our site (at the date of this blog post) for $1078.25. 

Buying a New Durabook

Everyone loves that new and shiny, fresh out of the box feeling. However, as nice as that feeling is, you still have to make sure you are getting the best quality product for your money. The good news is, with Durabook (aka Durabook Americas, who has been making rugged computers for over two decades) you do. The Durabooks we offer also come in fully or semi-rugged, and can be customized with i7 processors, up to a 1 TB SSD, 64 GB of memory, and 1000 nit (sunlight readable) High Definition screens. Plus, they have plenty of other add-ons such as GPS and webcams. Yeah, you could say they’re pretty awesome.

The pros

With a new Durabook, obviously it will look new, and you will be the first person to use it. More importantly though, the hardware and software on a new Durabook is some of the latest and greatest, and it will accommodate a much larger variety of programs and applications. Lastly, (while you most likely will not be looking at parts for some time) accessories will be much easier to acquire than for a refurbished computer, as they can be bought directly from the manufacturer (whereas older parts and accessories can be discontinued).

The cons

Besides being a little more expensive, a con of buying a new computer is that it might take a bit to get used to new software and/or a different operating system.

A fair comparison

A brand new, semi-rugged Durabook S14I-G2 Standard with an i5 processor, 256 GB PCIe SSD, and 8 GB RAM retails on our site (at the date of this blog post) for $1699.25. 

The Takeaway

In conclusion, an upgraded, refurbished Toughbook ends up with a cost quite similar to a new Durabook. Both refurbished Toughbooks and new Durabooks come in fully and semi-rugged, and offer great add-ons. However, while Durabooks offer newer processors and more memory, upgraded, refurbished Toughbooks offer bigger SSD’s and brighter screens. 

So the real question is, what features do you value most?

If you still need help finding your answer, we’re here to help. Just fill out our selection assistance form and we will work with you one-on-one.