Japanese tech giant Panasonic put a 20-inch tablet on display at CES in January. Many expected it to be a concept device for consumers to marvel at—not something that would actually come to market. In a shock to many tech insiders, the mega slate resurfaced at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. Panasonic announced that it will, in fact, be hitting shelves in November for an eye-popping $5900.
The ultra-definition tablet, named the Toughpad 4K UT-MB5, will come equipped with a display that boasts 3840 x 2560 pixels at 230 PPI. Panasonic claimed that it could display an A3 poster at full size.
Beneath the dazzling 4K display, power comes from a 1.9GHz Intel Core i5 processor. The Toughpad 4K also offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. It will run Windows 8.1 Pro.
Unlike the 7 and 10-inch tablets that dominate the current market, the Toughpad 4K isn’t exactly portable. It weighs 2.4 kg (5.2 lbs) and measures 12.5 mm thick. Perhaps the device’s biggest drawback is battery life: it maxes out at a laughable two hours. ToughPad 4K users will need to keep a charger handy at all times.
As the name implies, Panasonic’s new tablet is designed to take a beating.
“The slate can withstand a drop from up to 76 cm as long as it lands on its base. Not quite the resilience of Panasonic’s other ruggedized models, but worth having when you’re carrying around 20-inches of tablet,” said SlashGear.
As for ports and connectivity, the Toughpad 4K will offer an SD card reader, USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Panasonic also takes a page out of Samsung’s playbook with the inclusion of a stylus.
“The Toughpad 4K also comes with an Electronic Touch Pen, which allows users to sketch and write on the screen. The pen uses infrared signals to record users' input, according to Panasonic. Panasonic is also offering a cradle for the device, so it can be propped up and used like a desktop PC,” said PC World.
That docking station will include Ethernet and an HDMI-out port.
With its enormous size, weight, and weak battery, the Toughpad 4K isn’t a tablet for everyone.
“The Toughpad 4K was designed with sales, marketing and media professionals in mind. Panasonic is also working on a souped-up Performance model, which will be a good fit for 3D modeling and CAD applications. That device will be available during the first half of 2014,” said ComputerWorld.