Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 40 is a modular rugged Windows laptop that starts at $4,899

Today, Panasonic has introduced its latest rugged Windows laptop, the TOUGHBOOK 40. The modular PC is intended for use in demanding environments with eight areas of expansion packs (XPAKs). XPAKs are upgradeable by the user and include I/O ports, optical drives, authentication readers, and barcode readers.

Other salient features of the rugged PC are listed below:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-1145G7 (4.4GHz with Turbo Boost, 8MB cache) or Intel Core i7-1185G7 (4.8GHz with Turbo Boost, 12MB cache)
• Display: 14-inch FHD, touch-enabled, support for stylus (included), 1-1200 nits brightness
• RAM: Starts at 16GB, goes up to 64GB
• Storage: Up to 3TB SSD
• Ports and XPAKs: USB-A x 2 (plus 2 more optional), Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C (w/PD), MicroSDXC, HDMI (optional 2nd), Optional VGA, Ethernet (optional 2nd), Optional Serial, Audio In/Out, Optional DVD Drive, Optional Blu-ray Drive, Dual SIM (4FF, eSIM)
• Battery life: 18 hours, up to 36 hours through optional secondary battery (hot swap capable)
• OS: Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro

You can see the full spec sheet with all the technical details here.

As can be seen, this is not a device meant for your average consumer. The hardware is designed to withstand rugged and challenging conditions, such as a battlefield. However, if you fit the TOUGHBOOK 40's target market, you can find out how to purchase the hardware here. It will become available in late spring with a starting price of $4,899.