In the latest review in our Hands-On series, we put the Durabook S14I through a series of testing to assess its potential use in various field service environments...

As the Durabook brand hurtles towards its twentieth anniversary having first appeared in 2002 after parent company Twinhead produced its first military-grade rugged laptop in 2000, the Taiwanese technology manufacturer has garnered a well-earned reputation for high-end rugged devices that understand the workflow of their target market. With this semi-rugged laptop have they hit the mark once more?

What the Manufacturers Say:

First Impressions:

There is a lot to be said for a laptop that comes with an integrated carry handle. Right from the off you know that this is a device that is designed, not to try to mimic the sleek, thin (and increasingly fragile) consumer laptops available but instead for a specific use case. It is designed for work. It is designed to be moved around and to save the rigours of a day in the field. The S14i looks and feels like a laptop that is ready for business. 

On initial boot up the system loads quickly and an initial browse around the WIndows10 operating system hints at a powerful processor as the system responds quickly to every command. The screen is bright enough to cope with outdoor operations in the (unusually) bright London sunshine as we begin to put the device through its paces in an outdoor environment. The 14 inch display which is touch sensitive responds as accurately as any tablet while the full size keyboard feels not only robust but also comfortable to work on. 

The initial impressions are good. Durabook position this laptop as one step above semi-rugged, which feels like a perfect description. It's heritage, coming from a manufacturer that first stepped into the arena of rugged devices with military grade N1400 notebook right back at the turn of the millennium is clear. There is no denying the S14i feels very much like a solid rugged device and a quick glance at the specs would indicate that it is only the IP rating that doesn't push this device firmly into the fully rugged category. 

Yet, it also feels very much like a device that can be used for longer period of time for compiling and writing reports etc without ever becoming uncomfortable to use, which can be the challenge with both rugged tablets or smaller laptops/notebooks. A big part of the Field Service News Hands-On review process is understanding in what field service environment and for what type of field service roles each device may be best suited and even at this early stage an idea is forming of where the S14i may best sit - but more of that later. 

First lets put it through its paces... 

Processing Power & Memory:

The Durabook S14I is one of the first rugged tablets to ship with the 11th gen Intel Tiger Lake-U processor options. These are the latest generation of laptop processors from the probably the world's most renowned chip makes. The TigerLake-U processors are developed around an evolved version of the 10-nanometer process node found in the previous-generation Intel Ice Lake chips with Intel promising that Tiger Lake will not only offer a boost in CPU performance but also comes with the company's new XE graphics offering that could be important for any users that are utilisng systems such as CAD or video based work on the move. 

There are multiple options available ranging from a beefy Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7 vPro™ (11th Gen) 3.0GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.8GHz, 12MB cache down for those users that really need top-tier performance down to a more humble Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 (11th Gen) 3.0GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.1GHz, 6MB cache for those who require less power with a number of options in between. 

In terms of RAM the S14I has two slots that can be configured from 8GB right up to an impressive 64GB - meaning that the top end of its potential spec the device can be an incredibly powerful laptop that should be able to handle almost any CPU intensive application that might be required in the field. Indeed, during our testing the model we used  (which had i7 processors and 16GB RAM) where we ran the device through its paces with a number of CPU heavy usage applications that we use in our day to day usage here at Field Service News such as video production and 3D rendering software that can put a strain on performance the S14I handled all tasks comfortably both in terms of user performance and monitoring CPU usage. Given these tasks are heavily reliant on graphic processing the afformentioned improved efficiency of the new TIger Lake processors with Intel's Iris Xe Graphics could also be a factor in the strong performance with CPU intensive programs.

Certainly given that the unit we reviewed was on the lighter side of RAM spec I have little doubt that a fully spec'd unit wiht 64GB RAM would eat up almost any task a field service engineer could put in front of it and in all honesty, would be overkill for the vast majority of field service applications so the ability to dial RAM up or down to a suitable level (and thus control costs) is a major positive. Of course, it is a standard option to be able to upgrade RAM when selecting devices although the range from 8GB right the way through to 64GB is less common and offers an excellent range of options. 

Similarly, in terms of internal memory, the S14I comes with a 256GB NVME PCIE Solid State Drive (SSD) as Standard although upgrade options are available to 512GB/1TB SSD drives as well as OPAL 2.0 SSD. There is even a further option for a second or even third storage SATA SSD a well. However, again for the majority of field service operations we would anticpate that somewhere between the standard SSD and  a terabyte would almost certainly provide ample storage. 

All in all the S14I offers plenty of options in terms of processing prowess and storage and the upper limit of its specifications would be capable of handling almost any field service operation we could consider, while a more modest specification would be more suitable for the vast majority of use cases within a field service engineers likely workflow. 

Operating System:

The S14i runs on WIndows 10 Pro offering the familarity of the world's most popular operating system also offers sophisticated connectivity and privacy tools including Domain Join, Group Policy Management, Bitlocker, Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer (EMIE), Assigned Access 8.1, Remote Desktop, Client Hyper-V, and Direct Access. As it is so widely used this is of course a major bonus when it comes to mobile device management (MDM) and integrating the roll out of new devices in the field into existing MDM strategies and processes an organisation may have in place. 

The Ins & Outs:

One of the biggest trade offs that rugged manufacturers have to make when it comes to designing devices for the field is to balance the number of ports available with the levels of water and dust ingress that the device is protected against. The general rule of thumb is that the higher the IP rating generally the fewer number of ports available. Of course form factor also plays a roll in this equation as well with rugged and semi-rugged laptops and notebooks generally having far greater numbers of I/O ports than their cousins in the tablet form factor. 

So given the S14i is sitting in the semi-rugged laptop category with an IP rating of IP53 the theory should see the device having plenty of options in terms of I/O, correct? Well in this case at least the theory certainly holds up. The S14I has 3 third generation USB ports (2 x type A and 1 x type C) as well as an additional USB 2 port. There is also an audio in/out (combo jack), something that at Field Service News we are always pleased to see. All too often, an engineer may need to make video calls in a noisy environment, and bluetooth headphones can be just another weakness (yet one more thing to lose charge), so in this instance, when good communication tools are leveraged in mission-critical situations, the ability for an engineer to plug a pair of headphones in to ensure they can communicate effectively can be a life-saver.

For quick transfer of data an SD card slot is included as is an Ethernet port, while for being able to present to the customer onsite (something that we think will be an increasingly important part of the field service engineers role as we begin to see a hybrid model emerge between in person and remote service delivery) the S14i has both VGA and HDMI ports. HDMI ports incidently being hugely important for field service operations within the Telco and Pay TV worlds. 

Other ports on the S14I as standard are a serial port (RS232/RS422/RS485), a sim card and of course a DC power jock while a smart card reader and 41 pin docking connector are available as additional options. 
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the S14I is the the choice of one of five modular options to add further functionality to the device. 

The available options are:

• Optional DVD super multi
• Optional 2nd battery
• Optional media bay storage SSD²
• Optional ExpressCard 54 x 1 or PCMCIA Type II
• Optional 2nd RJ-45 & 2nd serial port (RS232)

While some of these options may be of use in very specific cases (for example a backward compatability requirement that could make a ExpressCard54 useful) in the majority of situations revolving around field service operations almost certianly the most interesting of these options would be to utilise the slot as an additional second battery to extend the S14I's ability to go through the long working hours of the average field service engineer. 

Perhaps if we were to be greedy the one thing we would have liked to have seen on the S14I would have been a Thunderbolt 3 port to give even greater speed for the transfer of files into or out of the device. In a world of self-monitoring assets a large part of the engineer's triage process on site is increasingly going to involve retrieving data from an asset for anaylysis and Thunderbolt 3 is undoubtedly the fastest means of undertaking such a state transfer currently. However, the truth is most field service companies are still perhaps one or two generations of innovation away in terms of their maturity of connected field service in such a manner currently so this particular use case for Thunderbolt might be more looking to the future than how we can use it now and given the large numbers of ports available on the S14I it is a very minor drawback outweighed by a wealth of other options. 

On final point to note here is that although the device only carries an IP53 rating, in fact access to the majority of ports is still enclosed and protected. This does to a degree make us wonder why not push towards a higher IP rating by sealing these compartments (although our suspicion is that it is largely a trade for being able to offer the modular expansions rather than the ports themselves) but what this does do is add further defence of thee ports so even though they may not officially be completley protected from dust ingress at all times, the reality is that when not in use they are highly unlikely to suffer any dust ingress at all. 

Connectivity:

When it comes to connectivity the S14I as we mentioned above the device has an ethernet port that for wired connection which is an integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet. Form a wireless perspective this laptop has Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 chips which means it supports the WIFI6 technology theoretically allowing for it to hit 2.4GB speeds. This also holds the supports of the newer 802.11ac wifi protocol. While being backwards compatible with older wifi networks the newer 'AC' wifi protocol only operates on the 5Ghz bandwidth. This allows for greater speeds with less interference,( the older 2.4Ghz bandwidth is very congested). The reality is that almost all WiFi is now delivered across both bandwidths but this is still a consideration to take into account, particularly if your field service engineers are working in more remote facilities where perhaps the necessity for a 5Ghz network hasn't reached your client base. In our testing we connected the device to a number of routers all working to the same supply of broadband and found that the speeds received were very respectable compared to those when plugged into Ethernet.

While of course a wired connection is always faster and more stable the S14I was able to push upto 395Mb downlaod and 46Mb upload when connected to our fastest router and performed consistently comparatively well across all of the other connections we tested including older legacy connections. 

In terms of Bluetooth connectivity the S14I is Bluetooth 5.2 powered. While on the surface the generation of Bluetooth the device adopts may not seem like the most pressing concern - in fact when we look beyond the highly celebrated benefits of Bluetooth 5 from the world of consumer electronics, when we explore the use case of field service operations Bluetooth 5.2 has a number of distinct advantages over its predecssors.

Firstly, Bluetooth 5.2 is able to connect more devices simulataneously. As wearables are becoming increasingly embedded in our day to day lives we can expect to see their use more within field service operations from smart-watches and glasses right through to health monitoring clothing. We have already seen Field Service Management companies dip their toe into bringing wearables into their ecosystem and it makes sense these devices would be operating across Bluetooth - 5.2 allows for more connectivity which is the direction we naturally progressing towards. 

Additionally, Bluetooth 5.2 uses less power. Again this is critical in field service operations. The devices we provide our engineers are there to empower them to do their best work. These mobile tools that we provided our service engineers have to be as durable and hardworking as our engineers themselves which means that they need to keep power. While we can tackle the challenge from one side of the equation with additional batteries for example, if we can reduce battrery consumption through the use of latest technology protocols then this is an important step in that process as well. Bluetooth 5.2 address this. 

Finally, there is the question of security. Sadly, in today's world we need to be concious of any potential weak entry points into a system or network. While the bluetooth is an exceptional technology that has truly revolutionsied the way we think about mobile computing, it has inherently been a weak point in the fence when it comes to security. However, with the introduction of 5.2 security has been greatly enhanced upon Bluetooth 4.0. 

In our tests we were able to connect multiple devices easily to the S14I's bluetooth as we would expect. 

Ruggedity:

We've touched on the ruggedity of the S14I a few times so far. It is something of an odd beat to a degree. As we mentioned in the introduction, it has the feel of a laptop ready to take the rigours of day to day life in the field.

In fact, in that sense it really is a very robust and rugged bit of kit. It is tested and certified to MIL-STD-810H. The important part here is that it is not only developed to or tested to but cetified at this standard. This means that it has survived a number of tests and come oout functioning as intended. These include foot drops onto 26 seperate sides and faces, shock and vibration tests, freeze/thaw, high/low temperature and temperature shock tests as well as coping with differeing humidity ranges.

In our testing we emulated as much of these tests as is possible outside of a laboratory environment (always one of the more enjoyable aspects of reviewing and testing rugged products) and were unable to put a dent in the device from shocks and drops and it performed perfectly after being put in a hot enviroment. 

However when it comes to dust and water ingress the device firmly sits in the semi-rugged category. A rating of IP53 means that from solid materials the device is protected against dust limited ingress, but not harmfull deposits. Form liquid the device is protected against direct sprays of water up to 60 ° from the vertical. Ultimately, this would suggest that the device has enough resiliance for many, but not all field service environments. 

Howerver, when we look at the display the S14I does have an impressive visibility even in bright sunny outdoor conditions. The S14I has optinal availability with displays of 1000 nits DynaVue® sunlight readable display without touch screen or 1000 nits DynaVue® sunlight readable display with capacitive multi-touch screen which would means it can be quite comfortably viewed in the outdoors.

Ultimately, Durabooks own description of the S14I as a step above semi-rugged is perhaps the best summary of the rugged specs of the device (while also offering a neat strapline). For the most demanding environments the S14I may not be suitable but for the rigours of many field service operational situations it should be able to save the knocks and bumps of general usage more than adequately. 

Battery Life:

In terms of battery life, the S14I has a main battery which is an Li-Ion, 10.8V, 4700mAh, that the manufacturers claim will last for 10 hours. In our testing we got a little under this at just under seven and half hours but this was very intensive consistent usage that would be unlikely to occur in the field. However, as we mentioned above there is the option for an additional battery to be placed in the modular slot which would certainly give the S14I the power to see through even th elongest of shifts a field service engineer may undertake. 

Conclusion:

The S14I is a very interesting device. It has the power under the hood to take on even the most potentially demanding of CPU intensive tasks while being built for purpose in that it is comfortable in hand to be a portable workstation thanks to the integrated carry handle and robust enough to go through the demands of most field service workflows. It isn't going to be suited to every environment - in particular usage in field service environments such as utilities or oil and gas may require better protection for dust and liquid protection but otuside of such envrionments it meets all the requirements of a rugged device. For harsher conditions, the Z14I fully-rugged laptop is the device in the Durabook range that stands up to this type of environments including oil & gas.

We would see the S14I being best suited for those field service roles where an engineer really needs a powerful device for complicated work, or as we alluded to earlier for those situations where the engineer may need to present an overview of how best to optimise the clients assets on site in a professional manner. It is definitely geared towards the higher end of the field service role and meets the demands of such roles impressively. 

For more information visit Durabook @  https://www.durabook.com/en/products/s14i-laptop/