What Is a Rugged PC?

A rugged PC is used in a wide variety of industries and settings. This versatile system can be found in the military, construction, transportation, retail, manufacturing, and agricultural industries, where its unique set of attributes are invaluable for companies both big and small.

There’s just one question: What actually is a rugged PC?

A rugged PC explained

You know what a personal computer is and how it operates. Well, a rugged PC isn’t too dissimilar – it just possesses a few different qualities that make it more suitable in certain situations.

Those certain situations are typically harsh environments and conditions. Excessive temperatures, dust, and water, shock, and vibration – a rugged PC is capable of standing up against all of these situations.

For example, an industrial environment could see temperatures vary from one extreme to another. A notably cold or hot temperature would see a standard PC falter and fail. A rugged PC, however, is capable of being a reliable operator in temperatures that generally range from -40°C to 85°C.

What are the benefits of using a rugged PC?

When you purchase a high-quality, modern rugged PC, this naturally comes with a wealth of benefits. The main ones include:

Built to handle adverse conditions

As you can likely gather from the previous section, the main advantage of a rugged PC is its ability to handle adverse, extreme conditions. These computers are built with specific components – such as heavy-duty chassis and fanless systems – that allow them to withstand different situations while keeping all of their internal electronics safe.

Improved reliability

As manufacturers go above and beyond to create rugged computers which boast high levels of structural integrity, this naturally improves their reliability. Yet it isn’t simply about withstanding extreme temperatures or wet conditions.

Ultimately, a rugged PC wouldn’t be of much use if the internals started faltering after just a brief use time. These systems, due to being employed in industrial settings where downtime is not an option, have to be capable of supplying continued operation for long periods.

As a result, these industrial-grade computers are built with high-quality internal components that improve reliability and deliver long-term usage.

Streamlined design

A rugged PC is built specifically for operation within demanding industries. These industries, whether it’s the military or manufacturing, require computer systems that are not built like a standard PC. A rugged PC may need to be a certain compact shape, for example, or they might have to avoid bloatware that can only get in the way of operation.

This is why rugged computers are notable for their streamlined design. Along with the hardware meeting the necessary security standards and size configurations, they can also feature installed software that focuses on a specific process.

Rugged PCs are essential

A lot of modern industries rely on rugged computers to operate effectively. This is why rugged PCs can be found in many different configurations, shapes, and sizes to meet the growing demands and challenges of different businesses across the world.