Panasonic equips sturdy 7″ Android tablet with Atom x5-Z8550 processor

Panasonic comes with a new version of its Toughpad FZ-B2 tablet. The mk2 is equipped with a faster soc and runs on Android 6.0. Panasonic also adds a USB-C port. The sturdy tablet can withstand a fall from a height of up to 1.5 meters.

The new Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2mk2 looks a lot like its predecessor, but is equipped with new hardware and software. In the first model, Panasonic put a Celeron N2930-soc, in the new version there is an Atom x5-Z8550. This Cherry Trail generation quad-core has four computing cores with a speed of 1.44GHz and boost up to 2.4GHz. There is a full HD webcam on the front and an eight-megapixel camera on the back.

According to Panasonic, the Toughpad withstands drop tests of up to 150cm and the tablet has an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. The manufacturer guarantees operation at temperatures between -10 and +50 °C. The 7″ screen has a resolution of 1280×720 pixels with a maximum brightness of 500cd/m2. The capacitive touchscreen can also be operated with gloves, or with an optional passive stylus. The Toughpad is compatible with existing peripherals for the FZ-M1 tablet.

According to Panasonic, the FZ-B2mk2 has a battery life of eight hours, or sixteen hours using the optional extended battery. The battery is hot-swappable and can therefore be replaced without switching off the device. The USB-C port supports speeds of up to 5Gbit/s and can be used for fast charging or USB-OTG functions.

The device can be supplied with additional functions such as a barcode reader, smart card reader, lan or 4g on request at an additional cost. Panasonic will deliver the robust tablet from the end of July, for a price from 898 euros excluding VAT.