7 Best Rugged Tablets for Field Service Technicians 

If you’re in the field or want to ensure that your field staff can perform their jobs without an inefficient device slowing them down by an inefficient device, rugged tablets are the way to go. You definitely don’t want a compromised device and clearly cannot rely on non-digital forms—using digital forms instead of paper improves customer satisfaction more than twice. 

Service technicians can use rugged tablets outdoors in all weather conditions without worrying if the devices will work when needed. For example,

• Service technicians can use them in warehouses where dust and dirt are prevalent.
• They can even use them in warehouses where there’s water dripping from above.

This article enlists the 7 best rugged tablets for service technicians so you can choose the one that fits perfectly.  

Top 7 Rugged Tablets for Service Technicians 

Arming your technician staff with rugged tablets is one of the best ways to help them showcase their knowledge and help customers make an educated decision about a necessary purchase.

Below are some of the best-rugged tablets for fieldwork based on features, durability, and overall value.

1. Samsung Active Tab

If you’re looking for the best-rugged tablet for a service technician that can go anywhere, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active is the one for you.

Ruggedness

• Samsung Galaxy Tab Active has IP68 certification, meaning it can survive a five-foot fall onto wooden flooring and survive in water for 30 minutes at depths of 1.5 meters. 
• It also has MIL-STD 810H qualifications. 
• In addition, it can handle extreme temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius and as high as 60 degrees Celsius. 
• The Samsung Galaxy Tab also has drop protection from four feet onto concrete.

Screen

• In addition to its toughness, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has a 10.1-inch touchscreen display and a quad-core processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage space.
• The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active runs on Android Oreo software and is one of the best rugged Android tablets. For thorough screen checks on tablets like the Galaxy Tab, using a white screen tool can help detect dead spots, screen errors, and other display issues.
• The rugged Android tablet has an 8MP rear camera with autofocus and flash and a 5MP front camera with face detection technology.

Use-Case

• With the Galaxy Tab Active3, accepting payments on one device is a breeze. You don’t need to buy additional hardware, and you don’t need to carry multiple devices. Just use your Galaxy Tab Active3, and you’re ready to go with its 15 hour battery life.
• With Wi-Fi 6 and Dual Antenna MIMO support, your team can maintain connection wherever they work, even with a low coverage area. 
• And with Samsung Wireless DeX, your team can boost productivity and use their Galaxy Tab Active3 like a PC. 
• That way, they save money and bring necessary tools into harsh environments.

2. Getac F110

Everything about the Getac F110 is built to take a beating and protect internal components. It’s a heavy bruiser, tipping the scales at three pounds. Although the tablet is sturdy, it is all designed to keep the device safe from scratching and abrasions. One of the best Getac devices with the Android operating system in the market today.

Ruggedness

• The F110’s fully rugged chassis is now even more resistant to shock, spill, vibration, and drop resistance without damage or disruption. 
• The new MIL-STD 810H standard guarantees extreme and improved temperature operability from -29°C to +63°C. 
• The new IP66 rating guarantees complete water and dust resistance.
• The Getac tablet can withstand drops up to five feet offering extra protection.

Screen

• The F110 is designed for convenience and greater functionality. Its thin and light chassis makes it easy to carry around. 
• Its 11.6-inch touchscreen with Getac’s proprietary LumiBond® 2.0 technology makes it easy to read and use gloves or a (s pen) stylus in sunlight and rain. 
• Furthermore, the screen is bright enough to display 1,000 nits of light.

Use-Case

• The Getac F110 is a ruggedized tablet built to take a lot of abuse with a 14.02 recorded battery life. It comes with two hot-swappable batteries and the potential of infinite battery life.
• It’s not invulnerable, but it’s designed to be used in places where other tablets might get damaged.
• The Getac F110 is meant for use in the field, by service or utility workers, on a busy shop floor or warehouse, and in dangerous situations. 
• It’s got a rugged design and waterproofing, so you can use it in wet environments without worrying about damage.

3. Panasonic Toughbook CF 33

The TOUGHBOOK 33 is the perfect companion for your job. It’s not only tough enough to withstand whatever you throw at it but also flexible and easy to handle.

Ruggedness

• The Panasonic Toughbook CF 33 is the perfect solution for your business. This laptop is ready for anything with its military MIL-STD-810G and MIL-STD 461F standards.
• It boasts a detachable keyboard and high IP ratings of IP65 ingress protection, meaning they’re proof against dust (dust resistance), dirt, sandstorms, rain, splashes, or jets of water.
• This Toughbook tablet is 5x more reliable than other business laptops resulting in fewer repairs, reduced downtime, and money saved.

Screen

• A 13-inch screen with 1920×1080 resolution is easy to see even in bright sunlight or in factories with dimmed lights to prevent workers from being blinded. 
• The Toughbook 33’s 12-inch screen is big enough to get work done but small enough to take with you. 
• This rugged tablet has a QHD 2160 x 1440 resolution, 1,200-nit brightness, and smooth text. 
• The 3:2 aspect ratio makes it easy to see the whole picture of your report or presentation.

Use-Case

• The Panasonic Toughbook 33 is a fully rugged detachable 2-in-1 tablet for folks working in adverse conditions with 8.28 recorded battery life.
• Its tough armor protects it from abuse, so it’s a good fit for non-office workplaces. 
• The work area includes outdoors, factory floors, and emergency vehicles.

4. Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme Tablet

In the lap of extreme conditions, Dell’s Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme Tablet laughs at drops, splashes, and temperature extremes that would shatter an average slate.

Ruggedness

• Dell’s Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme Tablet maintains peak performance while offering military-grade durability.
• The tablet is MIL-810G certified. 
• The rugged tablet is designed to handle any conditions. 
• This military-grade tablet is drop-tested from 4 feet and temperature-tested from -20F to 145F. It’s also IP-65 rated.

Screen

• The Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme Tablet’s full HD screen with 1,920 * 1,080-pixel touch offers ample brightness and contrast. 
• The rugged tablet has an anti-glare, anti-smudge Gorilla Glass top layer that makes it easy to use outdoors.

Use-Case

• The Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme Tablet is the perfect tool for your service department, with impressive 17 hours of battery life.
• The 7220’s toughness and form factor are just right to meet the needs of any service department, from first responders to factory floors.

5. Oukitel RT1

The Oukitel RT1 is an Android operating system tablet explicitly built with service technicians in mind. This rugged tablet has all the features that make it ideal for any harsh line of work.

Ruggedness

• The Oukitel RT1 is one of the top rugged tablets for service technicians with a MIL-STD-810G standard.
• This rugged tablet is more than just a pretty face: it has an IP68 waterproof rating, an IP69K dustproof rating, and a 1.5-meter drop rating. 
• That means you can use it in heavy rain or snow without worrying about damaging it.

Screen

• The RT1 is one of the best rugged tablets designed to withstand the harshest environments. 
• The rugged tablet has a 10.1-inch FHD+ display covered by a glossy glass layer. 
• The screen display is bright and offers good contrast except in bright sunlight outdoors, given its average 350nits brightness. 
• The RT1 has a stylus that you can use to write on the screen quickly, even if you are wearing gloves.

Use-Case

• The Outkitel R15 rugged tablet is designed to be used where other tablets might get damaged. 
• It’s got a rugged design and waterproofing, so you can use it in wet environments without worrying about damage. 
• It’s built for use in the field, by service or utility workers, and even in situations like HVAC sites or cleaning operations where dust and water are present regularly (dust resistant and water resistant).

6. Vanquisher Ultra Rugged Tablet

If you’re looking for an affordable best rugged tablet with a barcode scanner and rugged design, the Vanquisher Ultra is your best bet.

Ruggedness

• The Vanquisher is one of the fully ruggedized tablets to withstand the harsh working conditions of warehouses or construction sites. 
• It’s waterproof and drop-proof up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) and shockproofs up to 15 feet (4.6 meters). 
• The touchscreen works even when wet or dirty, so you don’t need to worry about damaging it while getting your hands dirty in the field.
• The Vanquisher Ultra is also great for field maintenance jobs because of its IP67 rating, which means it can withstand water damage up to one meter deep for 30 minutes at a time!

Screen

• The extra rugged Vanquisher Ultra offers a 10-inch display and high resolution (1920 x 1200) that helps you see all the details on your screen.

Use-Case

• Vanquisher Ultra rugged tablets feature integrated barcode scanners ideal for warehouse management, tracking, and field maintenance. 
• With the Vanquisher Ultra rugged tablet, you can scan barcodes and enter data into inventory systems quickly and easily. 
• It will allow you to track your inventory more efficiently and accurately. 
• The rugged windows tablet is lightweight and compact enough to carry around with you, mainly since it includes a backhand strap for a more secure grip.

7. Zebra L10 XPAD

Known as a field-proven, industrial-grade rugged tablet, the Zebra XPAD L10 is ideal for various industries. With its advanced computing technology and ergonomic, rugged tablet, it’s the go-anywhere unit exceeding performance expectations.

Ruggedness

• The Zebra XPAD L10 is Mil-STD-810G certified, meaning it can survive drop tests of up to six feet drop onto plywood over concrete and a four-foot drop onto concrete. 
• It’s also C1D2 (Class 1 Division 2). It means that it’s dustproof (withstand dust) and waterproof to 1.8 meters with an ingress rating of IP65. 
• It’s suitable for operating in extreme heat (60°C) and extreme cold (-20 °C) temperatures. 
• Constant vibration, high humidity, oil, and grease won’t adversely impact the rugged tablet.

Screen

• Technicians can use the rugged XPAD in all weather conditions.
• The rugged tablet has a ten-point capacitive touch. 
• The XPAD has a contrast ratio of 800:1 with a wide viewing angle of 89°, suitable for gloves or fingers, wet or dry.
• With Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 protecting the display and durable corner bumpers, the XPAD is virtually unbreakable.

Use-Case

• The Zebra L10 rugged tablet is built to be tough, with 10-hour battery life. A rugged computing tool like this is ideal for workers who want a computer they can take anywhere, be it a factory floor or up a snowy apartment building staircase.
• The L10 is an excellent choice for workers who spend all day on their feet carrying their tablets from task to task. 
• The rugged tablet is also a good fit for folks working in adverse conditions outdoors and on factory floors.

Conclusion

Durable, dependable, and loaded with features that make them an excellent choice for any business, rugged tablets are an asset to any equipment fleet.

Before you commit to a rugged tablet for your business, it’s crucial to simplify the process with effective rugged device management. You must do extensive research around different devices to understand exactly what you’re getting. It’s user-friendly to consider the needs of your business, service technicians, customers, and budget when choosing one of the many rugged tablets.

When it comes to managing the team of service technicians, all you need is FieldCamp, which is the best service scheduling and dispatching software for service technicians. The software helps different service businesses to manage a team of technicians, schedule & dispatch jobs, generate invoices, and accept payments.