BuyToughPC is ALL About RUGGED:

Why use a rugged mobile computing device and not a commercial grade product? What’s the difference between semi-rugged and rugged? What factors should be considered when choosing between a non-rugged commercial product (consumer grade) or a semi / fully-rugged grade mobile device for a mobile workforce? The answers to these questions are as varied as they are common and ultimately center on two basic factors: user environment and overall cost? Considering the long-term financial implications of mobile computing deployments, these factors should be taken very seriously.

A “user environment” is the primary location in which a device will be used (indoor versus outdoors) in relation the surrounding environment it will be exposed (moisture, dirt, shock/vibration, bumps/drops, temperatures, etc). The “overall cost” is ALL costs associated with the ‘life’ of a mobile computing devices deployment including, but not limited to, the product’s initial cost, cost of repair and labor, and other relational expenses such as the cost of: lost data, lost productivity due to down-time, stolen devices, etc. Unfortunately, many deployments have made the erroneous assumption that “a less expensive deployment up front will be less expensive over the course of the project.”

The Total Cost of Ownership ( TCO) study released by the independent technology market research and consulting firm Venture Development Corporation ( VDC) emphasizes the importance of understanding ‘user environment’ and ‘total cost’. Their study on “ TCO provides solid evidence that over the life of a typical mobile application, the total cost of ownership for rugged devices in many mobile applications is less than their non-rugged or business class counterparts.” When factored against ongoing maintenance, replacement and downtime costs “rugged hand held/PDAs used infield service application environments possessed per annum costs that were 10.8% less expensive than their commercial grade brethren.”

In reality, any time a ‘device’ is taken outside of the businesses primary ‘four-walls’ the unit is more likely to be exposed to a harsh environment (dirt and moisture) and increased threat of breakage (bumps, drops, vibration). However, BuyToughPC also understands that some ‘outdoor’ applications are not as rugged and/or do not require full mobile computing application. Whichever the case may be, BuyToughPC can help you determine which type of device is correct for your deployment and project application.

If you’re interested in the wide variety of global tests and standards that apply to “ruggedness” then you’ll want to review the downloads on the right.