Industrial Rugged Tablets for Harsh Environments
Built to survive extreme conditions while delivering reliable performance. IP65 waterproof, MIL-STD-810G certified, with sunlight-readable displays for outdoor field operations.
Industrial Challenges Demand Rugged Solutions
Consumer tablets fail in industrial environments. Discover why purpose-built rugged tablets are essential for reliable field operations.
Device Failure in Harsh Environments
Consumer tablets break when exposed to dust, water, drops, and temperature extremes common in industrial settings. Equipment downtime costs manufacturing operations significantly per hour, while field service teams lose entire days waiting for replacement devices.
IP65 waterproof and MIL-STD-810G certified tablets survive drops, water jets, dust storms, and extreme temperatures without protective cases that add bulk.
Unreadable Screens Outdoors
Standard displays with 300-400 nits brightness become mirrors in direct sunlight. Field workers squint, make data entry errors, and waste time seeking shade just to read their screens. Delivery drivers miss critical navigation updates, construction teams cannot verify blueprints on-site.
1000-nit sunlight-readable displays with optical bonding technology deliver perfect visibility in direct sunlight, eliminating reflections and improving touch accuracy.
Connectivity Challenges in Remote Locations
Consumer tablets rely on WiFi-only connectivity, becoming useless in remote field locations, between facilities, or rural construction sites. Teams cannot access real-time data, update work orders, or communicate with dispatch when outside WiFi range.
Built-in GPS/GNSS, 4G LTE cellular, WiFi ac, and Bluetooth provide connectivity anywhere. Real-time location tracking, cellular data backup, and offline mode ensure continuous operations.
Glove Operation Impossible
Standard capacitive touchscreens require bare skin contact, forcing workers to repeatedly remove safety gloves, winter gloves, or medical gloves. This creates safety hazards in cold storage facilities, contamination risks in cleanrooms, and productivity losses across industries.
Glove-mode capacitive touch with water rejection technology allows operation with thick work gloves, wet hands, or stylus. Workers maintain safety compliance without productivity loss.
Limited Peripheral Integration
Consumer tablets offer only USB or Bluetooth connections, inadequate for industrial peripherals. Warehouse workers juggle separate devices for barcode scanning, RFID reading, payment processing, and vehicle mounting. Multiple devices mean multiple batteries, cables, and failure points.
12-pin to 32-pin rugged docking connectors support professional peripherals, vehicle mounts, barcode scanners, RFID readers, and payment terminals in one integrated solution.
Security Vulnerabilities
Consumer tablets lack enterprise-grade security features, relying on software-only encryption vulnerable to physical attacks. Data breaches cost companies significantly, with stolen or lost mobile devices being a primary attack vector.
TPM 1.2 hardware security module provides hardware-encrypted data protection, secure boot, and cryptographic key management resistant to physical tampering and extraction attacks.
Short Product Lifecycles
Consumer tablets are discontinued every 12-18 months, forcing constant retraining, app recertification, and spare parts inventory chaos. Companies deploying 100+ devices face incompatible OS versions, unavailable replacement parts, and mounting support costs.
Long-life revision-controlled platform with 5-7 year availability. Controlled component changes announced 6+ months in advance enable consistent fleet deployments and predictable spare parts inventory.
Industrial Rugged Tablets Product Lineup
Choose from three fully certified rugged tablets designed for your specific industry requirements. All models feature IP65 and MIL-STD-810G certification.
CT-RU101PA
10.1" Ultra-Bright Display Tablet
Industry's first 1000-nit sunlight-readable display for perfect outdoor visibility. Ideal for field service and transportation applications.
BEST FOR:
Outdoor field service, transportation, logistics, delivery operations
CT-RU104PA
10.4" Wide Expansion Tablet
32-pin docking connector for maximum peripheral integration. Perfect for warehouse management and retail POS applications.
BEST FOR:
Warehouse operations, retail POS, barcode scanning, data capture
CT-RU101PB
10.1" High-Performance Tablet
Quad-core processor with optical bonding display and up to 8GB RAM. Ideal for demanding manufacturing and healthcare applications.
BEST FOR:
Manufacturing QC, healthcare EMR, construction management, engineering
Key Features That Set Our Tablets Apart
Purpose-built features designed for industrial reliability, not consumer convenience
IP65 Waterproof & Dustproof
Work in rain, snow, and dusty environments without device failure
Consumer tablets require bulky protective cases
MIL-STD-810G Certified
Survives 4-foot drops to concrete, vehicle vibration, and shock impacts
Commercial tablets break from waist-height drops
1000-Nit Sunlight Readable
Perfect screen visibility outdoors in direct sunlight
Standard 300-400 nit screens become mirrors outdoors
Optical Bonding Technology
Eliminates internal reflections, increases contrast ratio and durability
Air-gap displays suffer from parallax errors
Glove-Compatible Touch
Operate with work gloves, wet hands, or stylus without removing PPE
Standard touch screens require bare skin contact
GNSS/GPS + 4G LTE
Real-time location tracking plus cellular data connectivity anywhere
WiFi-only tablets become useless outside facility
Wide Operating Temperature
-20°C to 50°C operation in freezers, deserts, and vehicles
Consumer tablets shut down below 0°C or above 35°C
TPM 1.2 Hardware Security
Hardware-encrypted data protection, secure boot, and key management
Software-only encryption vulnerable to physical attacks
Multiple Expansion Options
12-32 pin docking for barcode scanners, RFID readers, vehicle mounts
Consumer tablets limited to Bluetooth accessories only
Long-Life Revision Control
5-7 year product availability with controlled component changes
Consumer models discontinued after 12-18 months
USB 3.0 + RS-232 Serial
Legacy industrial equipment connectivity without adapters
Modern tablets drop RS-232 support entirely
Flexible Configuration
Custom BIOS, OS imaging, branding, and accessories per project needs
Consumer tablets locked to manufacturer specifications
Proven Solutions Across Multiple Industries
Real-world applications delivering measurable ROI in demanding environments
Warehouse & Logistics
Inventory management, barcode scanning, shipping/receiving, forklift mounting
Field Service & Maintenance
Work orders, equipment diagnostics, parts lookup, documentation capture
Transportation & Fleet
Route optimization, delivery confirmation, e-signature, vehicle diagnostics
Manufacturing & QC
Production monitoring, quality inspection, assembly instructions, compliance docs
Healthcare & Medical
Patient data access, medication verification, mobile nursing stations, bedside care
Retail & Point-of-Sale
Mobile POS, inventory checks, price verification, customer service
Construction Management
Blueprint access, safety inspections, progress documentation, equipment tracking
Agriculture & Farming
Field mapping, crop monitoring, equipment telemetry, yield tracking
Technical Specifications Comparison
Compare detailed technical specifications across all three rugged tablet models to find the perfect match for your application requirements
| Specification | CT-RU101PA Premium Display | CT-RU104PA Expansion Design | CT-RU101PB High Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 10.1" | 10.4" | 10.1" |
| Resolution | 1920×1200 (WUXGA) | 1024×768 (XGA) | 1920×1200 (WUXGA) |
| Brightness | ⭐ 1000 nits | 350 nits | Optical Bonding |
| Processor | Intel Atom E3827 | Intel Atom E3827 | Intel Celeron N2930 (Quad Core) |
| Memory (RAM) | 4GB | 4GB | Up to 8GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB SSD | 128/256GB SSD | 128/256GB SSD |
| Operating Temp | -20°C to 50°C | -20°C to 50°C | -20°C to 50°C |
| IP Rating | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 |
| MIL-STD-810G | |||
| WiFi | 802.11ac/a/b/g/n | 802.11ac/a/b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n |
| USB Ports | 1× USB3.0, 1× USB2.0 | 1× USB3.0, 1× USB2.0 | 1× USB3.0 |
| Serial Port | RS-232C | ||
| Docking Connector | 12-pin | 32-pin (Wide Expansion) | 19-pin |
| Best For | Outdoor field service requiring maximum display visibility | Warehouse/retail with peripheral integration needs | High-performance mobile computing with demanding applications |
CT-RU101PA
Premium Display Tablet
CT-RU104PA
Expansion Design Tablet
CT-RU101PB
High Performance Tablet
Which Tablet is Right for You?
Use our decision guide to find the perfect rugged tablet model based on your specific application requirements
Need Maximum Outdoor Visibility?
Display brightness is your priority
Do you work primarily outdoors in direct sunlight?
Need legacy serial equipment connectivity?
Recommended: CT-RU101PA
Best for field service, transportation, outdoor inspections
View CT-RU101PA DetailsNeed Peripheral Integration?
Expansion options are your priority
Need barcode scanners or RFID readers?
Need vehicle mounting with multiple peripherals?
Recommended: CT-RU104PA
Best for warehouse, retail POS, data capture applications
View CT-RU104PA DetailsNeed Maximum Performance?
Processing power is your priority
Running resource-intensive applications?
Need more than 4GB RAM for multitasking?
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about our rugged tablet solutions
What makes these tablets "fully rugged" vs "semi-rugged"?
Fully rugged tablets are purpose-built from the ground up to withstand extreme conditions. Our tablets meet IP65 ingress protection (dust-tight, water jet resistant) and MIL-STD-810G military standards for drops, shock, vibration, and temperature extremes.
Unlike consumer tablets with protective cases, every component is engineered for durability — sealed ports, reinforced frames, optical bonding, and industrial-grade materials ensure reliable operation in harsh environments.
Can these tablets work with safety gloves?
Yes. All CT-RU tablets feature projected capacitive (PCAP) touchscreens calibrated to detect input through work gloves, including thick winter gloves and safety gloves.
The touchscreens also incorporate water rejection technology (operates in rain) and palm rejection (prevents accidental touches). This allows workers in cold storage, manufacturing, healthcare, and field service to operate tablets without removing protective gloves.
What's the difference between the three models?
CT-RU101PA offers 1000-nit sunlight-readable display and RS-232 serial port, ideal for outdoor field service.
CT-RU104PA features 32-pin docking connector for wide peripheral expansion, perfect for warehouse/retail barcode scanning.
CT-RU101PB provides quad-core processor and up to 8GB RAM for demanding applications like CAD and medical imaging. All three share IP65, MIL-STD-810G protection, and optional 4G LTE connectivity.
How long does the battery last?
Battery life varies by model and usage, but all CT-RU tablets support hot-swappable dual battery systems enabling uninterrupted all-day operation. Standard batteries provide 8-12 hours of typical use.
Hot-swap capability allows battery replacement without powering down, maintaining active sessions and network connections — critical for 24/7 operations in logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing environments.
Are these tablets compatible with vehicle mounts?
Yes. Each model includes rugged docking connectors (12-pin, 19-pin, or 32-pin depending on model) designed for secure vehicle mounting systems.
Docking stations provide vibration-proof connections for power pass-through, ethernet, USB peripherals, and serial devices. Ideal for forklift installations, delivery trucks, field service vans, and transportation applications where reliable docked operation is essential.
What operating systems are supported?
All CT-RU tablets support Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB (Long-Term Servicing Branch), providing 10-year support lifecycle with security updates but no forced feature changes. Linux support is also available.
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB is ideal for industrial applications requiring stable, predictable operating environments without semi-annual consumer OS updates that can break certified applications.
What is the product lifecycle and availability?
Contec rugged tablets are designed for long life with minimum 5-year availability and comprehensive revision control. Hardware component changes are communicated minimum 6 months in advance, allowing fleet deployments to maintain identical configurations.
This prevents the forced obsolescence common with consumer tablets (12-18 month lifecycles) and enables budget-friendly spare parts inventory without constant recertification costs.
Still have questions?
Our technical specialists are ready to help you find the perfect tablet solution