Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in

QOTD: How Should We Test Rugged Laptops?

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US | B 85 comments

Today's question of the day is a little bit different but it's probably more fun than usual so read on.

We're going to be testing rugged notebooks, but with half of us working in an office and the other half working from home in our sweats, we don't exactly work in an environment that calls for rugged notebooks. That's where you guys come in. We know all kinds of people read Tom's Hardware, so there's got to be some people out there who use their laptop in a way that necessitates a rugged notebook or actually require a rugged notebook for work.

We want creative but realistic ideas. We're going to use and abuse these machines but we're not interested in the over-the-top "Where can we get a grenade?" ideas. Your typical rugged notebook doesn't need to be able to withstand bullets and or blenders but we want to put them through their paces by subjecting them to the kind of situations you find yourself in every day.

Today's question of the day is: What can we do to test the durability of a rugged notebook?

Discuss
Ask a Category Expert

Create a new thread in the News comments forum about this subject

Example: Notebook, Android, SSD hard drive

This thread is closed for comments
Top Comments
  • 22 Hide
    sliem , June 29, 2010 8:56 PM
    Tests:
    1) put in backpack naked (no books as book is padding). drop it from shoulder height
    2) same as #1 but drop it around 10-12 ft high
    3) put in backpack naked, bang it against a metal pole like flag pole
    4) put in backpack naked, pour small amount of soda on the backpack
    5) same as #1 but pour a whole can of soda on the backpack
    6) put laptop on stable table, drop a commercial-grade screwdriver directly on top (don't throw, just drop)
    7) same as 6) but use commercial-grade hammer
    8) do 6 and 7) with laptop open
    9) attach the power cord, tie the cord to a truck and drive the truck 10-20 mph for 10 seconds
    10) repeat 9) but continue at 25-35mph for another 10 seconds

    ultimate test:
    11) summon God and have Him break it
  • 19 Hide
    dameon51 , June 29, 2010 8:50 PM
    install os x on it
  • 13 Hide
    MCMunroe , June 29, 2010 8:53 PM
    Leave it in the bed of a construction work truck all day.
Other Comments
    Display all 85 comments.
  • -3 Hide
    the last resort , June 29, 2010 8:49 PM
    give it to a college kid. im going to college this fall, from what ive heard they take a pretty good beating.
  • 19 Hide
    dameon51 , June 29, 2010 8:50 PM
    install os x on it
  • 11 Hide
    the_krasno , June 29, 2010 8:51 PM
    In a dusty or sandy enviroment, in a very dry and a very humid environment, under direct sunlight, in cold and hot temperatures, drop them from table-height, bang them inside a carry case, smash the buttons with your fingers...
  • 10 Hide
    japnoise99 , June 29, 2010 8:52 PM
    Hot and sandy conditions. Many military in the middle east use tough books and such for their computing needs and it would be of great help to see which laptops would hold up the best before making an investment your stuck with for a year.
  • 5 Hide
    gilbertfh , June 29, 2010 8:52 PM
    Well my son tested my laptop with hot chocolate... I think it would be a good start.
  • 4 Hide
    tanuki505 , June 29, 2010 8:53 PM
    Do you remember the Samsonite commercials with the gorilla and the suitcase?
  • 13 Hide
    MCMunroe , June 29, 2010 8:53 PM
    Leave it in the bed of a construction work truck all day.
  • -2 Hide
    dj1001 , June 29, 2010 8:53 PM
    paintball guns

  • 22 Hide
    sliem , June 29, 2010 8:56 PM
    Tests:
    1) put in backpack naked (no books as book is padding). drop it from shoulder height
    2) same as #1 but drop it around 10-12 ft high
    3) put in backpack naked, bang it against a metal pole like flag pole
    4) put in backpack naked, pour small amount of soda on the backpack
    5) same as #1 but pour a whole can of soda on the backpack
    6) put laptop on stable table, drop a commercial-grade screwdriver directly on top (don't throw, just drop)
    7) same as 6) but use commercial-grade hammer
    8) do 6 and 7) with laptop open
    9) attach the power cord, tie the cord to a truck and drive the truck 10-20 mph for 10 seconds
    10) repeat 9) but continue at 25-35mph for another 10 seconds

    ultimate test:
    11) summon God and have Him break it
  • 4 Hide
    Anonymous , June 29, 2010 8:56 PM
    gotta have drop testing, and it has to be repeatable. One drop on each side, notation of visual damage. This should be done while the laptop is on. I think a good torture test would be to drop a laptop down the stairs and should ensure that it gets beat from about every angle, though its not entirely repeatable.
  • 5 Hide
    Anonymous , June 29, 2010 8:56 PM
    As an IT, I can say....
    3-4 foot drops of different materials
    drops onto corner or edges of wood or metal desks
    crammed into desks
  • 4 Hide
    Anonymous , June 29, 2010 8:57 PM
    I take the notebook on the bus and it always hit some bar or someone kicks softly my handbag...
  • -4 Hide
    Anonymous , June 29, 2010 8:57 PM
    Give it to Blendtec.
  • 6 Hide
    Killua , June 29, 2010 9:01 PM
    Laptop near water environment - Splash Water while laptop is on. Submerge water in laptop while laptop is off.

    Drop Test - 10 drops from 1, 2, or 3 feet high

    Drop Test #2 - Drop objects of varying weight on laptop while its open or closed, on both sides of screen and keyboard.

    Sand of varying grades (powdered clay to beach sand) and also mud.

    Anything else that would be considered accidental damage to laptops but done repeated times to test how "rugged" it is.
  • 3 Hide
    noodlegts , June 29, 2010 9:01 PM
    Drop it from table height. Drop it while running up and down stairs... let it tumble down etc.

    Pour some liquids on it... attach the power cord and drag it around.... those seem like the most natural kinds of things you could do to damage it (or try to damage it).
  • 2 Hide
    johnmast , June 29, 2010 9:06 PM
    I use my notebook for astrophotography. It has to be able to stand up to extremes of heat and cold, moisture (in the form of dew), dust, dirt and quite a bit of rough handling. My Toshiba Satellite x205 has held up very well. I've even smooshed a few mosquitoes on it and the screen cleans up very nicely :) 
  • 5 Hide
    quiky87 , June 29, 2010 9:09 PM
    Let your children play with it.
  • 8 Hide
    aneasytarget , June 29, 2010 9:09 PM
    1. Drop tests, from the hood of a pick up truck.
    2. Sand, dirt, mud, on the keyboard, screen, can the dirt get inside? Use a fan to blow some of the dirt around.
    3. Put inside a car, while on, and drive on a bunch of rocky, bumpy, roads and see if it still works.
    4. WI-FI strength, can they still connect to the construction trailer while looking at things outdoors.
    5. How well can you read the screen in sunlight?
    6. Battery life? How long to charge? How easy to swap out battery?
    7. Can the laptop be used to detonate the charges to blow up the building? :D 
  • -6 Hide
    Anonymous , June 29, 2010 9:09 PM
    Launching them like clay discs then shooting them down with shotguns.
  • 2 Hide
    the_krasno , June 29, 2010 9:11 PM
    sliem11) summon God and have Him break it


    +1 internets!
Display more comments