Panasonic Refreshes Toughbook 55 With 13th Gen Intel Chips, Wi-Fi 6E

Panasonic’s Toughbook 55 is back in a refreshed model that now features Intel’s 13th generation “Raptor Lake” Core processors, along with Wi-Fi 6E. 

Panasonic says it refined the 14-inch rugged laptop—which is designed for workers out in the field—by incorporating feedback from users. The result is a laptop that promises to be faster while offering greater flexibility over the past two Toughbook 55 models from 2021 and 2019.

The newest model can come configured with either Intel’s Core i7-1370P vPro processor, a 14-core CPU with a boost clock speed at up 5.2GHz, or a Core i5-1345U vPro processor, which features a 10-core CPU. 

(Credit: Panasonic)

The other notable change is the addition of Wi-Fi 6E support. So if you own a Wi-Fi 6E modem at home or the office, the Toughbook 55 can receive faster broadband with lower latency. 

To further improve the laptop’s speeds, the secondary storage bay on the Toughbook 55 has been upgraded from a SATA drive to an NVME SSD. The product also now comes with Bluetooth 5.3, which can run wireless operations using less power while offering greater stability. “This can be especially useful for utility professionals conducting on-site inspections, managing infrastructure, or responding to emergencies,” Panasonic noted. 

(Credit: Panasonic)

Other parts of the laptop remain unchanged. This includes the Toughbook 55’s ability to swap out external modules for optical drives, additional ports, and an extra battery, across the product. 

The laptop, which weighs between 4.6 to 4.9 pounds depending on the configuration, also continues to feature an IPS display that can reach up to 1,000 nits brightness. But Panasonic says software on board the product can now optimize the display to better perform in outdoor conditions at night. 

Panasonic plans on selling the Toughbook 55 with Intel’s Core i7 processor today. The Core i5 version arrives in February. There’s currently no word on price, although the 2021 model sells for $2,299. Stay tuned for our review.