This rugged, all-terrain AI laptop is the perfect tool for fending off Skynet in the wild – Durabook’s portable powerhouse also has an Nvidia GPU and a legacy VGA port

By James On Jun 19, 2024

Durabook has upgraded its rugged Z14I laptop, which now comes with a choice of Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7 processors and an optional Nvidia RTX A500 GPU.

Now on sale from the Durabook siteis the new version tailor-made for intensive AI applications in the field, such as architecture, engineering, public safety, military and construction.

Durabook suggests it could be used for activities such as building design, crime scene analysis and virtual assistants on the factory floor.

Nano SIM and eSIM

Built for extreme environments, the Z14I features certifications such as IP66 and MIL-STD-810H for resistance to drops, shock, vibration, rain, dust, salt fog, altitude, freeze/thaw, humidity, explosive atmospheres and extreme temperatures. The Coolfinity fanless cooling system increases reliability and battery life, up to 21.5 hours with dual batteries. It also supports hot-swapping batteries in the field.

Security features include a smart card reader, RFID/NFC reader, fingerprint scanner, and a 5MP infrared camera with a shutter for Windows Hello facial authentication. The Z14I also supports up to three storage drives – two removable quick-release NVMe PCIe SSDs and a SATA SSD that allows users to run RAID 0 and RAID 1 – and an expansion box for additional PCIe interfaces or storage configurations.

The Z14I features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, Intel Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual SIM (Nano SIM and eSIM), optional 4G LTE or 5G, USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two RJ-45, two serial ports, HDMI, VGA and ExpressCard 54. There is also an optional dedicated GPS for location tracking.

The 14-inch Full HD DynaVue display offers brightness up to 1200 nits for clear viewing in direct sunlight. The 10-point capacitive multi-touch panel offers four touch modes for different conditions.

In our review of the previous generation Durabook Z14I, we gave the laptop four stars and described it as built like a tank with plenty of customization options. This new version seems to take what was good about that laptop and upgrade it for use in an AI-first world.

“The next generation Durabook Z14I enables AI anytime, anywhere,” said Sasha Wang, president of Durabook Americas. “We are entering a new era of AI PCs that will redefine the concept of a personal computer. AI creates a more personalized, powerful experience, empowering users in both their personal and professional lives. As the world’s most powerful AI-enabled, fully rugged 14-inch laptop, the Z14I is the ideal choice for mobile professionals looking to extend the benefits of AI to the field.”