Ultimate Guide: Discover the Toughest Laptops for Professionals

Whether you’re a student taking your laptop with you to class, or a worker who uses a flagship laptop in a construction area, it’s important to choose a laptop that can handle it all. Thankfully, many laptop manufacturers have begun to test their products against military durability standards. This means you can get similar protection from water, dust, drops, and shocks to the ultra-tough laptops used by military and government employees.

You can even find rugged laptops with enterprise-level security software, which lets you password-protect your hard drive to keep your personal information safe.

Also: The best rugged tablets

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What is the best rugged laptop right now?

We’ve tested and researched some of the best rugged laptops on the market. Our top pick for the best rugged laptop is the Getac S510 for its highly configurable options for shock, drop, moisture, and dust resistance as well as options for multiple storage drives, touchscreen, and even dual SIM, 4G/5G LTE connectivity, and GPS tracking. Keep reading below to find out more about the Getac S510 as well as our other top picks for the best rugged laptops.

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The best rugged laptops of 2024

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Pros

• Thinner and lighter than previous models
• Highly configurable
• Optional salt fog and electrical hazard certification
• Impressive 48-hour life with optional second battery

Cons

• Very expensive
• Not consumer grade

Getac S510

Best rugged laptop overall

The Getac S510 is a sleek update to the brand’s exceptionally rugged laptops. It’s thinner and lighter than its cousin, the B360 (which we’ve tested) , weighing in at a modest 5.18 pounds and measuring an almost demure 1.5 inches thin. But just because it’s slimmed down, that doesn’t mean that Getac has skimped out on protection.

It still features robust military-grade protection against drops up to 3 feet, shock, moisture, and dust. With optional certifications, you can get your S510 protected against salt fog corrosion and electrical hazards. And along with an array of expected I/O ports like Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and USB 3.2, you can customize the Getac S510 with GPS tracking, 4G/5G LTE connectivity, dual physical and eSIM support, a fingerprint reader, and RFID card reader technology for enhanced log-in protection for sensitive information.

If you need a battery that lasts, the base configuration gives you almost 24 hours of life on a full charge. But should you need even more power when you can’t reliably recharge, a second battery can be added for up to 48 hours of total battery life.

Getac S510 tech specs: Screen size: 15.6 inches | CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 165U | RAM: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 2TB SSD | Graphics: Intel Integrated or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | Battery life: Up to 48 hours with optional second battery | Resolution: 1080p | Touchscreen: Yes, optional

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Pros

• 22-hour battery
• Dual-battery option
• Handles extreme temperatures

Cons

• Very expensive
• No AMD option

Panasonic ToughBook 40 Mk2

Best rugged laptop for battery life

When you’re working on location or traveling for your job, you need a laptop that can keep up, even when you can’t reliably plug in to recharge. The Panasonic ToughBook 40 Mk2 allows you to configure it with either a single or dual battery, giving you up to 22 hours of use on a single charge. This makes it perfect for mobile professionals who may need to visit work sites for inspections or scout new locations for construction.

Review: I torture-tested this $4,000 rugged laptop, and it gives the Dell Latitude a run for its money

ZDNET laptop reviewer Cesar Cadenas got to go hands-on with the ToughBook 40 Mk2, and said he was not only impressed by the battery life, but also how easily it handled multitasking things like typical office work, video streaming, and web browsing. He even threw it in the freezer for 30 minutes to see just how tough the ToughBook really is (answer: very).

Panasonic ToughBook 40 Mk2 tech specs: Screen size: 14 inches | CPU: Up to Intel Ultra 7 165H | RAM: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 2TB SSD | Graphics: Intel Integrated or discrete Intel Arc GPU | Battery life: 22 hours | Resolution: 1080p | Touchscreen: Yes

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Pros

• 12-hour battery life
• Spill and shock resistant
• Built-in blue light filter
• Antimicrobial screen coating

Cons

• Can’t upgrade RAM or storage

Acer Chromebook Spin 512

Best rugged laptop for students

Laptops for students can take a lot of abuse, from getting shoved in backpacks to falling off desks. The Acer Chromebook Spin 512 is designed with MIL-STD-810H protection against shocks and drops as well as a spill-resistant keyboard. The 12-inch display has a built-in blue light filter to help reduce eye strain and fatigue and is made with Corning’s Gorilla Glass for enhanced protection against cracks and chips.

It also has an antimicrobial coating to help stop the spread of germs, which is important in classroom settings where students may have to share screens for certain lessons. And with the 12-hour battery life, students will be able to get through an entire school day before they need to think about plugging in.

Acer Chromebook Spin 512 tech specs: Screen size: 12 inches | CPU: Intel Processor N200 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 64GB eMMC | Graphics: Intel Integrated UHD | Battery life: 12 hours | Resolution: 1366 x 912 | Touchscreen: Yes

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Pros

• Excellent display
• Dual display design
• Powerful components
• Great durability

Cons

• Very expensive
• Dual screen takes time to acclimate
• Short battery life
• On the heavy side

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED

Best rugged laptop splurge

If money is no object in your quest to get a durable laptop, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is an almost perfect, high-end model for professionals and students. It features Asus’ revolutionary dual-screen design, giving you a 15.6-inch main 4K OLED display and a secondary 4K ScreenPad. This offers you the same benefits as a multi-monitor desktop setup in a single unit. The ScreenPad can be set up with shortcuts to your most-used apps and files, shortcuts for brushes and effects in Photoshop, or monitoring CPU usage and component temperatures.

Review:Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15: A premium dual-screen laptop for creatives

Both the main display and ScreenPad are Pantone-validated for color accuracy, providing you with up to 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut as well as Delta E < 2. If you need even more space to work, you can connect an external display to the laptop with the Thunderbolt 4 port; and you can also use the Thunderbolt 4 port to quickly transfer files between storage devices and your computer or to charge mobile devices.

The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is built with an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid state drive. It comes packaged with a stylus to take full advantage of the touchscreen inputs as well as a removable wrist rest for better comfort while typing, drawing, or editing. And if all of this wasn’t enough, the laptop is tested against MIL-STD-810G standards for moisture, dust, and drop resistance to protect the delicate components from environmental damage and accidents.

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED t ech specs: Screen size: 15.6 inches | CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | Battery life: 5 hours | Resolution: 4K | Touchscreen: Yes

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Pros

• Great battery life
• Spill resistant keyboard
• MIL-STD-810 shock resistance
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card

Cons

• A bit expensive
• No 4K display option
• No touchscreen option
• No Intel option

Asus TUF A14

Best rugged laptop for gaming

If you’re a gamer looking for a durable laptop that can handle commutes to tournaments, daily wear-and-tear, and the occasional spill, the Asus TUF A14 is a great option. It’s built to MIL-STD-810 standards for shock and drop resistance, which means that if it falls off your desk or gets knocked around in your backpack, you won’t have to worry. The keyboard is also spill-resistant, saving delicate electronics from accidental water or soda splashes.

The rest of the TUF A14 build is just as impressive. It sports an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, a 1TB SSD, up to 16GB of RAM, and either an AMD Ryzen 7 or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX CPU for plenty of power and storage for playing just about any game in your library or on your wish list. The 14-inch display produces excellent 2K resolution and the battery gives you up to 10 hours of use on a full charge.

Asus TUF A14 tech specs: Screen size: 14 inches | CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | RAM: Up to 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | Battery life: 10 hours | Resolution: 2560 x 1600 | Touchscreen: No

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What is the best rugged laptop?

I chose the Getac S510 as the best rugged laptop for its highly customizable configurations for a wide range of applications like emergency response, construction, and even in mechanic’s shops and manufacturing plants. It’s built with an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 CPU, which uses AI to boost multitasking efficiency, and features robust military-grade shock, drop, moisture, dust, and electrical hazard resistance to protect delicate electronics and sensitive information from damage.

Which rugged laptop is right for you?

Beyond the usual laptop features – like screen size and price – you get to choose just how durable you’d like your rugged laptop to be. Manufacturers try to make the choice easier by dividing systems into “semi-rugged” and “rugged” – the former meeting many everyday durability requirements, while the latter provides additional levels of protection for the harshest conditions.

All of these systems will have passed testing for military-spec ruggedness (MIL-STD-810G or the more recent MIL-STD-810H standards) and some level of ingress protection (from dust and liquids). Semi-rugged laptops typically have IP52 or IP53 ratings, while more rugged models will sport IP65 scores that indicate greater dust and water resistance.

In addition to the level of ruggedness, other things to consider in your purchase include the resolution and brightness (measured in nits) of the screen, along with touchscreen sensitivity. Some rugged laptops have extra-bright displays of 1,000 nits or 1,300 nits, so they can be easily viewed in bright sunlight, and rugged touchscreens can often accept touch input through work gloves.

Don’t forget to research the brand’s ecosystem if you’re going to need docks, mounting solutions, or other accessories to complete your purchase.

How did we choose these rugged laptops?

Laptop manufacturers helpfully label these systems as “semi-rugged” or “rugged,” with a few niche companies devoting their entire business to rugged portables. This makes it easier to separate rugged laptops from ones that may have some ruggedized features but aren’t marketed to those who need specialized systems.

The rugged laptops listed here are from major manufacturers in the space (Dell, Panasonic, Getac), including some with which ZDNET staff have had hands-on experience. For more on how we test laptops, check out our comprehensive laptop testing methodology .

What does “rugged laptop” mean?

A rugged laptop, sometimes listed as a “ruggedized” laptop, is a computer that is built specifically to handle extreme situations and weather conditions. Many rugged laptops are water- and dirt-resistant, resistant to drops and shocks, and can operate in both very hot and very cold temperatures.

These kinds of laptops are great for anyone who has to work outdoors for any length of time, such as people at construction sites, on geological surveys, and in the military.

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What does “military grade” mean?

A laptop that is listed as “military grade” doesn’t necessarily mean that it was developed for use by the Army or other military branches. Rather, it has been tested against military standards for dirt and water resistance as well as resistance to shocks, drops, and operating temperatures.

Laptops meant for military use are more rigorously tested against a laundry list of conditions, while commercially available laptops labeled “military grade” are only tested against a few of the MIL-STD-810 standards.

Does Apple make a rugged laptop?

At the time of writing, Apple does not have a ruggedized version of any of their MacBooks for sale, either through their official store or authorized sellers. You can, however, purchase rugged cases like the Urban Armor Gear for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Ibenezer case for the 13-inch MacBook Air, or the Pelican 1085 hardshell carrying case.

More rugged laptops to consider

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2

This rugged laptop still has an impressive display: a 13-inch 2K (2160 x 1350) IPS, anti-glare display with Dolby Vision™, 450 nits, and integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics.

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Getac B360

I got the chance to test out the Getac B360 and saw first-hand just how tough it really is. Weighing in at a hefty 5.1 pounds, it’s both MIL-STD-810H and MIL-STD-416G certified for shock and moisture resistance and can be customized for salt fog and Class I electrical hazard certification.

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Panasonic Toughbook 55

The Panasonic ToughBook 55 allows you to configure its storage, memory, and other components for either a single unit or a fleet of laptops tailored specifically to your work. You can select up to 64GB of RAM, 3TB of storage, either an Intel Core i5 or i7 13th generation CPU, integrated or discrete graphics, and a host of connectivity options like Bluetooth, LTE data, and GPS tracking.

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