Getac B300 Core i7 Review

Getac B300 Specifications:

• Windows 7 Professional 32-Bit
• Intel Core i7 620LM (4 MB cache, 2.00 GHz)
• 13.3" XGA Touchscreen (1024 x 768, Matte finish)
• 4 GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• Intel GMA HD Graphics
• Intel 6300AGN
• Optional GPS (with internal antenna)
• Optional Gobi 2000/EV-DO/GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/WCDMA/HSDPA
• 250 GB 5400 RPM SATA shock Mounted Hard Drive
• 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
• 11.1v 7800 mAh Battery (11 hours estimated)
• Dimensions: 11.9" x 10.35" x 2.36"
• Weight: 8.59 lbs
• 90W AC adapter
• Price starting at: $3,799
• Price as configured: $5,029

Build and Design
The design of the Getac B300 is industrial, with massive rubber bumpers, deep grooved alloy lid, rugged port covers, and its own carrying handle. I love this type of design that looks as if nothing could harm the notebook short of a semi-trailer truck running over it. The panels are lined with stainless steel screws holding every edge of the body together. I can count 23 screws on the display cover alone. The only splash of color to break up the grey and black panels is the Intel sticker and indicator lights.

Build quality is fantastic, exactly what you would expect from a notebook designed for military and law enforcement environments. Every single feature down to the touchpad buttons has been designed to withstand impacts or water infiltration without skipping a beat. All ports are covered and sealed through the use of rubber caps or hinged panels to keep out dust and water. The battery and hard drive are accessible without the use of a screwdriver, having only a locking quick release panel covering them for swapping in the field. Even the fingerprint scanner has its own cover to keep it clean and waterproof when not in use.

The onboard carrying handle attached to the palmrest section of the B300 is one of my favorite parts. It pops out when you need to transport the notebook, and is every bit as rugged as the notebook itself. When you are finished, you pop it back into place and it becomes an extension to the palmrest. Using the B300 as my primary computer I became more worried about damaging other stuff carrying this around than the notebook itself. Accidentally swing a backpack into a wall and it might just bounce off without causing harm. Accidentally swing this into a wall and you are likely to leave a huge dent in your wall.

Of course, it's the rugged design of the Getac B300 that makes it so appealing. You can find the same internal hardware in cheaper laptops, but those less expensive PCs haven't been rigorously tested to survive some of the worst work environments on Earth. The B300 should keep running perfectly whether you're updating Facebook from the top of Mount Everest or adding database entries from a camp site in the Amazon jungle.

The Getac B300 is rated for the following test specifications:

810G

• Temperature - According to IEC 68-2-1,2,14 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 501.4, 502.4
• Humidity - According to IEC 68-2-30 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 507 45% to 95% RH, non-condensing
• Altitude - According to IEC 68-2-13/ MIL-STD-810F, Method 500.4Operating: 15,000 ft, Non-operating: 40,000 ft Altitude change rate: 2,000 ft/min
• Shock - According to IEC 68-2-27/ MIL-STD-810F, Method 516.5 Drop According to IEC, 68-2-32 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 516.5
• Vibration - According to IEC 68-2-6 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 514.5

810G / IP65

• Enclosure - According to IEC 529, NEMA, MIL-STD-810F, Method 506.4, 510.4 IP 54 compliance

461F

• MIL-STD 461E (option), MIL-STD-3009 "Night Vi- sion" (option)

What most of these ratings mean for the average user is the notebook won't break when you drop it, won't care if you spill something on it, doesn't care if it shakes around in a car under daily use, and really doesn't mind if you, say, do mean spirited things to it.