The best rugged laptops of 2024

The Getac S510 is a sleek update to the brand's exceptionally rugged laptops. It's thinner and lighter than its cousin, the B360 (which we've tested), weighing in at a modest 5.18 pounds and measuring an almost demure 1.5 inches thin. But just because it's slimmed down, that doesn't mean that Getac has skimped out on protection.  

It still features robust military-grade protection against drops up to 3 feet, shock, moisture, and dust. With optional certifications, you can get your S510 protected against salt fog corrosion and electrical hazards. And along with an array of expected I/O ports like Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and USB 3.2, you can customize the Getac S510 with GPS tracking, 4G/5G LTE connectivity, dual physical and eSIM support, a fingerprint reader, and RFID card reader technology for enhanced log-in protection for sensitive information. 

If you need a battery that lasts, the base configuration gives you almost 24 hours of life on a full charge. But should you need even more power when you can't reliably recharge, a second battery can be added for up to 48 hours of total battery life.

Getac S510 tech specs: Screen size: 15.6 inches | CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 165U | RAM: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 2TB SSD | Graphics: Intel Integrated or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | Battery life: Up to 48 hours with optional second battery | Resolution: 1080p | Touchscreen: Yes, optional 

When you're working on location or traveling for your job, you need a laptop that can keep up, even when you can't reliably plug in to recharge. The Panasonic ToughBook 40 Mk2 allows you to configure it with either a single or dual battery, giving you up to 22 hours of use on a single charge. This makes it perfect for mobile professionals who may need to visit work sites for inspections or scout new locations for construction.

Review: I torture-tested this $4,000 rugged laptop, and it gives the Dell Latitude a run for its money

ZDNET laptop reviewer Cesar Cadenas got to go hands-on with the ToughBook 40 Mk2, and said he was not only impressed by the battery life, but also how easily it handled multitasking things like typical office work, video streaming, and web browsing. He even threw it in the freezer for 30 minutes to see just how tough the ToughBook really is (answer: very).

Panasonic ToughBook 40 Mk2 tech specs: Screen size: 14 inches | CPU: Up to Intel Ultra 7 165H | RAM: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 2TB SSD | Graphics: Intel Integrated or discrete Intel Arc GPU | Battery life: 22 hours | Resolution: 1080p | Touchscreen: Yes

Laptops for students can take a lot of abuse, from getting shoved in backpacks to falling off desks. The Acer Chromebook Spin 512 is designed with MIL-STD-810H protection against shocks and drops as well as a spill-resistant keyboard. The 12-inch display has a built-in blue light filter to help reduce eye strain and fatigue and is made with Corning's Gorilla Glass for enhanced protection against cracks and chips. 

It also has an antimicrobial coating to help stop the spread of germs, which is important in classroom settings where students may have to share screens for certain lessons. And with the 12-hour battery life, students will be able to get through an entire school day before they need to think about plugging in. 

Acer Chromebook Spin 512 tech specs: Screen size: 12 inches | CPU: Intel Processor N200 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 64GB eMMC | Graphics: Intel Integrated UHD | Battery life: 12 hours | Resolution: 1366 x 912 | Touchscreen: Yes

If money is no object in your quest to get a durable laptop, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is an almost perfect, high-end model for professionals and students. It features Asus' revolutionary dual-screen design, giving you a 15.6-inch main 4K OLED display and a secondary 4K ScreenPad. This offers you the same benefits as a multi-monitor desktop setup in a single unit. The ScreenPad can be set up with shortcuts to your most-used apps and files, shortcuts for brushes and effects in Photoshop, or monitoring CPU usage and component temperatures. 

Review: Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15: A premium dual-screen laptop for creatives

Both the main display and ScreenPad are Pantone-validated for color accuracy, providing you with up to 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut as well as Delta E < 2. If you need even more space to work, you can connect an external display to the laptop with the Thunderbolt 4 port; and you can also use the Thunderbolt 4 port to quickly transfer files between storage devices and your computer or to charge mobile devices. 

The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is built with an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid state drive. It comes packaged with a stylus to take full advantage of the touchscreen inputs as well as a removable wrist rest for better comfort while typing, drawing, or editing. And if all of this wasn't enough, the laptop is tested against MIL-STD-810G standards for moisture, dust, and drop resistance to protect the delicate components from environmental damage and accidents.

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED tech specs: Screen size: 15.6 inches | CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | Battery life: 5 hours | Resolution: 4K | Touchscreen: Yes

If you're a gamer looking for a durable laptop that can handle commutes to tournaments, daily wear-and-tear, and the occasional spill, the Asus TUF A14 is a great option. It's built to MIL-STD-810 standards for shock and drop resistance, which means that if it falls off your desk or gets knocked around in your backpack, you won't have to worry. The keyboard is also spill-resistant, saving delicate electronics from accidental water or soda splashes. 

The rest of the TUF A14 build is just as impressive. It sports an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, a 1TB SSD, up to 16GB of RAM, and either an AMD Ryzen 7 or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX CPU for plenty of power and storage for playing just about any game in your library or on your wish list. The 14-inch display produces excellent 2K resolution and the battery gives you up to 10 hours of use on a full charge.

Asus TUF A14 tech specs: Screen size: 14 inches | CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | RAM: Up to 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | Battery life: 10 hours | Resolution: 2560 x 1600 | Touchscreen: No   

This rugged laptop still has an impressive display: a 13-inch 2K (2160 x 1350) IPS, anti-glare display with Dolby Vision™, 450 nits, and integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics.

I got the chance to test out the Getac B360 and saw first-hand just how tough it really is. Weighing in at a hefty 5.1 pounds, it's both MIL-STD-810H and MIL-STD-416G certified for shock and moisture resistance and can be customized for salt fog and Class I electrical hazard certification. 

The Panasonic ToughBook 55 allows you to configure its storage, memory, and other components for either a single unit or a fleet of laptops tailored specifically to your work. You can select up to 64GB of RAM, 3TB of storage, either an Intel Core i5 or i7 13th generation CPU, integrated or discrete graphics, and a host of connectivity options like Bluetooth, LTE data, and GPS tracking.