Panasonic Toughbook CF-18 MK4

The vertical viewing angles on the 10.4in 1,024 x 768 TFT are poor, so much so that using it in portrait mode produces a stark difference in brightness between the left- and right-hand sides of the screen. Horizontal viewing angles are good enough for two people to comfortably view the screen at the same time, though, and it's just about bright enough for most conditions. Plus, considering it's a touchscreen, it's incredibly well protected from knocks and scratches.

There aren't many who'll need a product that can take so much abuse, but if you do this is a well-implemented option. It's one of the lightest ruggedised tablets we've seen, offers excellent battery life and suffers little in the way of compromise. Inevitably, this comes at a price - the CF-18 costs more than twice as much as the A-Listed HP tablet PC. But if you need portable sturdiness, the CF-18 is a great choice.

Author: Dave Stevenson