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Rugged Notebooks Rough Rider MaxTouchscreen machine that can take a beating. Price: $4,995
Rich Malloy 
Although not as flashy as the new Hummer notebook from Itronix, Rugged Notebooks' Rough Rider Max is more akin to the military Humvee. One look at this laptop's black exterior, with its structurally reinforced magnesium-alloy case, and you know that it can handle any punishment the outside world can dish out.
The Max employs eight thick rubber bumpers, one for each corner. Rugged Notebooks also uses rubber liberally to protect the various connectors (all of which are safely ensconced behind flexible doors) and the keyboard, which is composed of a single waterproof membrane. The manufacturer claims that the Max passes not only the grueling suite of military tests outlined in the MIL-STD 810F protocol but also the MIL-STD 461E tests for controlling electromagnetic emissions and the industrial IP54 tests for protection against swirling dust and splashing water. The Max weighs 8.6 pounds, which is about average for rugged notebooks and almost a pound lighter than the Itronix GoBook III. To protect the 14.1-inch display when not in use, a clasp keeps the unit closed. It does its job a bit too enthusiastically, as the lid is difficult to open with gloves on. The laptop's sturdy handle actually serves double duty as a holder for a short stylus that can be used with the optional touchscreen. The rubber keyboard may be impervious to water, but it also does a good job of repelling fingers. The keys are not only hard to press, they also wobble. To make matters worse, the keys are set too close together, at a 17mm pitch rather than the standard 19mm. One thoughtful touch: the keyboard is backlit for night work. The touchpad offers good sensitivity, but its scrolling capability is hard to engage, and its buttons are very hard to push. To be fair, much of the software on these systems will be designed for use with the touchscreen rather than the keyboard and mouse. On a rugged laptop, finding the right connector is often a game of "what's behind door number one?" The rubber doors that protect each port also hide their identity. On the Max, you have seven doors from which to choose, along with four larger doors protecting the hard drive, optical drive, battery, and PC Card slot. Unfortunately, these latter four doors are unnecessarily hard to open. If the latches were beveled at a slight angle, opening them would be much easier. Our test unit was equipped with a 1.6-GHz Pentium M processor, resulting in a MobileMark 2005 score of 176. This showing was complemented by a relatively good 3DMark03 score of 2,641, thanks to the optional ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics. Battery life is about average for a 14.1-inch notebook, at 3 hours and 43 minutes. Our configuration included the optional 80GB hard drive. (An optional drive heater is available for really frigid climates.) The optical storage bay can accommodate a combination DVD/CD drive or a second battery, but our test unit was equipped with only a CD-ROM drive. Rugged Notebooks advertises Wi-Fi connectivity as standard, but our test unit lacked this feature. The Max did, however, come equipped with Bluetooth. You can also opt for A GPS satellite-location module. The manufacturer offers a few programs as options, including Microsoft Office, GPS location programs, and the LabView industrial control and measurement software. At $4,995, the price is high by mainstream standards, but it's comparable with other rugged notebooks. The Max comes with a three-year warranty. A three-year on-site global warranty is available as an option. As with all rugged laptops, the real value of the Rough Rider Max comes in the field. After your second or third mainstream notebook has been shattered to pieces, this one should still be chugging along. Rough Rider Max Specifications
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