Getac X600 rugged laptop review: This laptop is unstoppable

The Getac X600 is a no-compromise, fully rugged laptop built with the toughest jobs in mind. While its $10,916 price tag and hefty weight might make you wince, it offers a massive 15.6-inch display perfect for outdoor use, plus an optional Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000 GPU for graphics-intensive tasks. This powerhouse (when paired with a decent Intel Core i9 processor and long-lasting, hot-swappable batteries) shrugs off dust, rain, and shocks with ease. While overkill for most, the X600 is a dream come true for those who need a portable workstation that can conquer any environment.

It’s pretty much a great laptop for on-the-go forensic scientists, archaeologists, military contractors, and Batman. Let’s take a deep dive into what makes the Getac X600 the biggest and baddest rugged laptop in the game. 

Getac X600: Specs

Getac X600: Pricing and configurations

The rough and tumble X600 we reviewed costs $10,916 and comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11950H CPU, Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000 GPU with 6GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD storage, and a 15.6-inch sunlight-readable IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) touchscreen LumiBond display with Getac’s sunlight-readable technology.

It sounds expensive, no it just is expensive, but you have to remember this laptop can survive in environments where a normal laptop would have to give up and go home. The Getac X600 doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit," and it's meant for those who share that ethos and take their gear into the most extreme situations. 

Getac X600: Design

Forget sleek curves and minimalist design – the Getac X600 is a mobile fortress, built for pure, unadulterated ruggedness. Its imposing presence starts with the thick, protective bezels framing the 1920 x 1080 display. It’s a far cry from the near-bezel-less trend but a comfort to those who battle the elements. Each corner boasts substantial, rubberized bumpers for impact absorption and a built-in handle on the front edge makes carrying this nearly 10-pound beast a two-handed affair.

Open the gunmetal grey and black lid, accented with metallic flecks that scream "business," and a mostly black interior greets you. The same gunmetal grey graces the deck area, while indicator lights for battery life and Wi-Fi connection blink discreetly in the bottom left corner. Your gaze then falls upon the all-black keyboard, its white poppy font standing out starkly. Above it, five programmable function buttons await your customization.

And let's not forget the display itself. Nestled within its thick casing, it seems indestructible, a testament to the X600's built-to-last philosophy. While modern laptops flaunt slim bezels that offer little in the way of protection, the X600’s buffered panel delivers a sense of security for those working where nature reigns supreme. Peeking through the top bezel sits a 5MP webcam, complete with a physical shutter for lens protection and extra peace of mind when it comes to privacy.

We previously reviewed the 14-inch Getac S410 G4, a 13.8" x 11.5" x 1.5-inch, 5.25-pound semi-rugged warrior. The X600 is in a different league. Its massive 16.2 x 12.7 x 2.1-inch frame and hefty 9.7-pound weight make it more suited for a Humvee passenger seat than a casual shoulder bag (especially when factoring in that its power brick adds a further 1.7 pounds to the travel weight).

Getac X600: Security and durability

Like its cousins, the Getac S410 laptop, and the K120 tablet, the X600 is super rugged, tough, and very secure. The ports on both the tablet and keyboard dock seal up tight and are protected by composite doors.

Thanks to Windows Hello's facial recognition software working in conjunction with the IR webcam, you know your files are kept safe when you close your laptop. You can add an optional fingerprint reader if you prefer that option or want a passwordless option, for example, if you are wearing a mask.

The webcam has a physical slide shutter to prevent any peeping, and when you slide it shut, it remains sealed tight. This Getac X600 also has TPM 2.0 technology onboard to prevent tampering during bootup. There is also a Kensington lock so you can secure it physically as well as digitally

While semi-rugged laptops can handle 3-foot drops, the X600 laughs in the face of gravity, surviving falls from 4 feet unscathed. Its IP66 rating means dust and even high-pressure water jets (think torrential downpours or hurricane winds) are no sweat.

It's also MIL-STD 810H and MIL-STD 461G certified, conquering everything from extreme temperatures and humidity to vibration and high-altitude pressure, it even has electromagnetic compatibility for military use.

For those who crave adventure by the sea, optional salt fog resistance ensures the X600 thrives in any environment. From the battlefield to the harshest terrains, this laptop is built to conquer, its design reflecting its unwavering commitment to rugged functionality.

Getac X600: Ports

The Getac X600 boasts a port selection catering to diverse professional needs, surpassing the minimalist offerings of most consumer laptops. Its extensive rear panel features standard HDMI and DisplayPort support alongside legacy serial and VGA ports for compatibility with older technology.

Dual Ethernet jacks ensure reliable network connectivity, while a Thunderbolt 4-compliant USB-C port and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports enhance versatility. Mobile professionals can take advantage of the optional 4G LTE slot, seamlessly staying connected on the go.

The left side houses another USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, offering SSD and SD card reader expansion options.

The right side mirrors the USB access and also caters to additional SSD expansion. Dual hot-swappable batteries, conveniently accessible from both sides, further enhance the Getac X600’s longevity and on-the-go productivity.

While the pull-out handle aids transportation, caution is advised when not wearing gloves due to its sharp edges. Overall, the X600's comprehensive port selection and functional design empower professionals to thrive in demanding environments.

Getac X600: Display

The Getac X600 boasts a 15.6-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display that prioritizes real-world usability over color accuracy. While its DCI-P3 score of 50.9% and Delta-E of 0.23 suggest limited color vibrancy, its true strength lies in its exceptional brightness.

With a measured 1,232 nits of peak brightness, the display remains easily readable, even under the direct light of the sun. Forget struggling to see your screen at the park; the X600 delivers on its promise of outdoor visibility.

While not meant for professional content creation, the display presents content in a manner "more than reasonably saturated," as seen in the Aquaman trailer with its glowing visuals. In practice, the display performs better than its technical specs suggest, offering a decent viewing experience despite its focus on functionality over color recreation.

Ultimately, the X600's display makes a clear trade-off: sacrificing color accuracy for unmatched outdoor visibility. For professionals who prioritize working under harsh sunlight, this rugged display shines brighter than the competition.

Getac X600: Audio

The Getac X600’s audio capabilities are sufficient. Though you’re unlikely to buy this laptop to lose yourself in its soundscapes, you buy it to survive a war. The audio during Megan Thee Stallion’s music video for “Her” was adequate and clear enough to hear across the room in my studio apartment. It lacked real depth but it wasn’t tinny or distorted.

The X600 performs acceptably during video calls and most meetings. However, I suggest that if you will be using it mostly in the office or a stable environment, you should consider purchasing a good USB mic, computer speakers, or a pair of wireless headphones for the best sound quality. It’s once again worth stating that this isn’t a laptop for entertainment; it’s meant to keep you pushing out work while surviving harsh situations. 

Getac X600: Keyboard and touchpad

The X600's keyboard prioritizes practicality over comfort. Despite offering a dedicated numeric keypad and large cursor arrows, the keys themselves feel slightly mushy on press. However, their responsive bounce ensures typing accuracy. For late-night sessions, the three-level red backlight illuminates the keys efficiently without causing distraction.

The touchpad, however, presents a trade-off. While compact and reliable for basic navigation, it lacks the traditional click response, relying solely on taps for clicks. Thankfully, the dedicated click buttons below alleviate this limitation.

During the 10FastFingers.com test, my meat mashers pounded upon the Getac’s springy keys, producing a result of 85 words per minute with an astounding 94% accuracy, which is within my normal 85 to 90 average, with 90% accuracy. 

Overall, the X600's input system prioritizes functionality for field use. While not ideal for extended typing sessions, it offers professionals the essential features to navigate and interact with their work efficiently, even in low-light environments.

Getac X600: Performance

Our review unit came with an Intel Core i9-11950H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. That’s hardly the latest and greatest of components (especially when factoring in the X600’s astronomical price) but I found it performed well and it should do so out in the field. It never sputtered or froze up. When you take into account how tough and nigh-indestructible this laptop is while also being able to handle just about any workload, you end up quite impressed. 

I opened 50 tabs in Google Chrome with 5 playing YouTube videos simultaneously. Then I opened a Google Doc and several Google Sheets before writing this review. I also left PhotoPea and Pixlr open with some images I was working on and the X600 wasn’t fazed at all.

During the Geekbench 6.2 overall performance test, the Getac X600 scored 6,721, which is more than solid for a rugged laptop. On the Handbrake video transcoding test, the X600 took 8 minutes and 22 seconds to convert a 4K video to 1080p. 

During the file-transfer test, Getac’s 512GB SSD duplicated a 25GB multimedia file at a rate of 765.18 megabytes per second, which is good for a rugged laptop that will spend its time in the field, surviving rough environments.

Getac X600: Graphics

The Getac X600 packs Nvidia’s Quadro RTX 3000, which is a super powerful GPU for a rugged laptop. With this GPU, you can create advanced science models, push a ton of data, and edit photos and videos easily.

During “Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm” benchmark, the Getac scored 124 frames-per-second at 1080p, which is mind-blowing for a rugged laptop. During our synthetic 3DMark Fire Strike test, our X600 model scored 14,395, which means this GPU’s 6GB of VRAM packs a serious punch. 

Getac X600: Battery life

The Getac completely separates itself from the pack with stunning battery performance, whether in tablet mode or connected to its dock. Even after sticking it in the fridge, soaking it, and dropping it several times, the X600’s battery performance was completely unaffected.

During the Laptop Mag battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness, the Getac K120 lasted 12 hours and 50 minutes hours. When you consider what the X600 is destined to face in real-world situations, that’s not only impressive but also incredibly comforting.

Getac X600: Heat

The X600 is relatively cool in most situations, but like most laptops that are packing a powerful GPU, things can get a wee bit warm. During our heat test, which involves playing a 15-minute fullscreen video at 1080p resolution. The underside measured a steamy 107.5 degrees Fahrenheit, well above our 95-degree comfort threshold. The touchpad came in at 91.5 degrees, with the temperature between the G and H keys reaching 93 degrees during testing

Getac X600: Webcam

Getac’s 1080p webcam performs well with quick autofocus and on-point color rendering. You never have to worry about poor low-light performance with the X600’s webcam. Even when I shut the lights off, it adjusted very quickly, with the quality remaining outstanding and the colors highly accurate. If you desire an even higher resolution across video calls and recordings, you can check out our best webcams page for a range of top alternatives.

Getac X600: Software and warranty

Getac doesn’t overwhelm you with bloatware. Though there is some preinstalled software you might find useful to enhance your experience and protect your system. Included with Windows 10 Pro is Getac’s G Manager software that allows you to manage battery and power, GPS, customizable buttons, touchscreen sensitivity, and monitor your system’s overall performance. 

Getac also comes with a Getac driver safety application to ensure you keep your eyes on the road and not your laptop. A Getac Device Monitoring app allows your IT team to monitor the performance of your computer from another location. And lastly, the Getac Keywedge barcode scanner app is for, as expected, scanning barcode information. 

You will also find the typical Skype, Xbox gaming console, and Microsoft Solitaire apps but that's pretty much it. The X600 is otherwise a very clean installation of Windows. 

The Getac X600 comes with a 3-year warranty that covers everything, including accidents. Which, for over $10K you would expect. Getac’s coverage promises hassle-free service and repairs that are delivered within days. You can see how that compares to other brands on our Tech Support Showdown page.

Bottom line

The Getac X600 ain't your average latte-sipping cafe laptop. This beast is built for battle, rocking a monstrous 15.6-inch display, a CPU with adequate muscle, and a discrete GPU that laughs in the face of demanding tasks.

Sure, the price tag could knock you off your feet faster than a rogue wave, and lugging it around feels like carrying a small refrigerator, but hey, for those who dance with dust storms, flirt with freezing temperatures, or take their work off-road, the X600 is like a trusty steed that never complains. 

First responders, oil riggers, and anyone living on the wild side rejoice! This machine will churn through your workload faster than a cheetah on Red Bull. Throw whatever digital or durability challenge you like at the Getac X600 and it'll come up smiling.