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GETAC S410

Now based on Intel "Raptor Lake" 13th generation Core processors, Getac keeps their semi-rugged laptop state-of-the-art in performance, security and configurability, and then some
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer -- photography by Carol Cotton)

On September 26, 2023, Getac introduced the next generation of its semi-rugged S410 notebook computer with faster processors, faster graphics, more storage, faster wired and wireless communication, and a number of new productivity options. This latest Getac S410 looks the same, but it is a significantly improved and much more powerful machine now. And — increasingly important — it's also the most eco-friendly device Getac has manufactured to date.

The Getac S410, which starts at around 5-1/4 pounds, is specifically designed for use in a wide variety of field applications that require more toughness and durability than consumer or even enterprise laptops can provide — such as field service, public safety, manufacturing, shop floors, as well as military applications, professional services, and vehicle use — but not the higher weight and cost of fully rugged laptops.

Getac S410 positioning

Overall, this latest Getac S410, now in its 5th generation, remains a modern 14-inch laptop that's remarkably light and handy for this class of notebook computers. It is an attractive design using Getac's trademark matte black and gun-metal gray color scheme that signals toughness and professionalism.

missing imageThe S410 is a "semi-rugged" laptop in contrast to Getac's many "fully rugged" products. Semi-rugged is a somewhat awkward term and it isn't clearly defined, but a better one just hasn't come along. Semi-rugged, in essence, describes a device that's more durable than your average consumer and even corporate notebook computer, but without going to extremes.

Semi-rugged notebooks are for those whose laptops spend more time outdoors and on the road than on desks. Semi-ruggeds must be spill-proof, able to handle vibration, be viewable and usable at night as well as in bright sunshine. They must be fast and powerful, but also have great battery life, plenty of connectivity, and be handy enough to take anywhere. But they should also be budget-friendly and not cost nearly as much as a fully-rugged laptop. That's quite a challenge.

The picture to the right says it all. No consumer notebook looks like this. The S410 is built tough enough to be used not just in an office but also outdoors and on the job. There's a well-designed integrated handle to carry the laptop without the need to bring along a bag for it. All of the ports have protective covers because it can get dusty and wet out there. And everything is built tough enough to absorb the occasional bump or drop. If the S410 were a vehicle it would be a 4-wheel-drive SUV able to handle rough terrain and take a beating, just not as much as a much costlier dedicated military vehicle.

Since customers use these toughened-up laptops for a wide variety of applications, Getac customers can order the S410 with their choice of processor and numerous configuration options. Of special interest here is the Getac Select program where customers can easily get turn-key hardware software, accessories and solutions optimized for real-world challenges.

To provide an overview of just how much Getac improved and enhanced their S410 semi-rugged laptop platform over time, see the table below.

Getac S410 generations
Model S410 G5 (2023) S410 G4 (2021) S410 G3 (2019) S410 G2 (2017) S410 G1 (2016)
CPUs Intel 13th gen Intel 11th gen Intel 8th gen Intel 8th gen Intel 6th gen
Max RAM 64GB DDR5 64GB DDR4 64GB DDR4 32GB DDR4 16GB DDR3L
Primary storage PCIe NVMe SSD PCIe NVMe SSD SATA SSD Hard disk/SATA Hard disk/SATA
2nd storage SATA SSD SATA SSD SATA SSD SATA SSD SATA SSD
Default LCD 1366 x 768, 1000 nits 1366 x 768, 1000 nits 1366 x 768, 1000 nits 1366 x 768, 1000 nits 1366 x 768, 1000 nits
Opt. LCD 1920 x 1080, 1000 nits 1920 x 1080, 1000 nits 1920 x 1080, 800 nits 1920 x 1080, 800 nits 1920 x 1080, 800 nits
Max battery 2 x 74.5whr + 46.6whr 2 x 74.5whr + 46.6whr 2 x 46.6whr 2 x 46.6whr 2 x 46.6whr
Temp range -20° to 145°F -20° to 145°F -20° to 145°F -6° to 140°F -6° to 140°F
IP rating IP53 IP53 IP53 IP52 IP51
Weight From 5.25 lbs From 5.25 lbs From 4.90 lbs From 4.90 lbs 5.90 lbs as tested
Wi-Fi/BT WiFi 6E/BT 5.3 802.11ax/BT 5.1 802.11ax/BT 5.1 802.11ac/BT 4.2 802.11ac/BT 4.2
USB Type-A 3 x USB 3.2 2 x USB 3.2, USB 2.0 2 x USB 3.2, USB 2.0 3 x USB 3.0, USB 2.0 3 x USB 3.0, USB 2.0
USB Type-C 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x Thunderbolt 4 NA NA NA

Not so long ago, it was rare to find up-to-date technology in semi-rugged and rugged laptops due to the longer budget and required life cycles in vertical markets. That was initially accepted as just the way it is, but it certainly was not what informed customers wanted for their increasingly complex and power-hungry applications.

It's good to see Getac's commitment to get customers state-of-the-art technology as quickly as possible. Just a few months after Intel's "Raptor Lake" 13th generation of Core processors became available, it is already in the new Getac S410, leaving some of the competition generations behind. For Intel, these 13th gen mobile chips represent "the next step in performance hybrid architecture,," and Getac's launch day press release speaks of "blisteringly computing performance."

It is not just those fast new hybrid processors that make this latest S410 a laptop powerhouse. There is also super-fast PCIe NVMe solid state storage that's now available in capacities up to 2TB. Secondary storage stays with the older SATA type of solid state storage, but having a large amount of fast PCIe NVMe primary storage can make a big difference.

Unchanged is the S410's massive battery capacity. While early S410 models maxed out at two smallish 46.6 watt-hour batteries, this S410 has room for two high-capacity 74.5 watt-hour batteries. If even that is not enough, Getac offers an optional 46.6 watt-hour battery in the multimedia bay for a grand total of almost 200 watt-hours of onboard battery power. Battery life isn't likely to ever be an issue with the Getac S410.

In terms of competition, the Getac S410 is primarily aimed at Panasonic's Toughbook 55, Dell's Latitude Rugged models, and the Durabooks laptops. There are also several Taiwan-based OEMs that sell durable and semi-ruggeds under various brand names and sometimes also their own. For customers seeking a semi-rugged from one of the major rugged computing vendors, the Getac S410 will definitely be on the short list. And for now, the Getac S410 is the only Tier 1 machine packing Intel "Raptor Lake" processing power.

Design and construction

The Getac S410 was and is an attractive laptop, so there wasn't much that needed to be changed. The latest S410 retains Getac's trademark matte black and gun-metal gray color scheme and that nicely contoured, sculpted top. The S410 signals toughness and that it's ready to go to work. It is industrial design at its best, with mechanical details — edges, materials, exposed screws, reinforcements, etc. — conveying industrial-grade machinery without overdoing it. It's one of the best-looking ruggedized laptops out there.

That said, the S410 remains a semi-rugged design. For those who need an all-out, no comprise fully rugged laptop, Getac has the B360 and the workstation-class X600. The S410 is made of ABS+PC polymer plastic material and not magnesium-alloy like the B360. You can hardly tell; the S410 looks and feels as solid as the all-metal fully rugged models. Below you can see the S410 from the top and all four sides:

With the businesslike looks of the S410 it's easy to forget that this is a semi-rugged design that is not built to be waterproof. Getac calls it "water resistant," which in this context means the laptop can handle a spill onto its keyboard and also a good bit of rain. And there are protective doors that keep liquids away from ports. But the S410 is not a sealed machine. There are air vents and other openings to the inside through which liquids can get in.

As far as wired connectivity goes, the Getac S410 is well-equipped. Along the backside (shown below with protective port covers removed) are from left to right:

  • An HDMI 2.0 port to connect a monitor
  • Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports
  • An RJ45 gigabit LAN jack
  • A USB 3.2 Gen 1 PowerShare Type-A USB port
  • A DB15 VGA port (OR DisPlayPort OR DB9 RS232 serial)
  • A DB9 RS232 serial port
  • A Kensington lock slot

On the right side (shown below, again with protective port covers removed) you can see from left to right:

  • The optional second main battery
  • The stylus slot
  • A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port
  • The optional SIM card slot under protective cover)
  • A combo audio jack
  • The optional SD Card slot
  • A USB Type C Thunderbolt 4 port
  • The power jack

Note that Getac offers a whole bunch of configurable I/O options. They are:

  • DB9 Serial port + VGA + 2nd RJ45 OR
  • DB9 Serial port + VGA + 2nd RJ45 + PowerShare USB 3.2 OR
  • DB9 Serial port + Display Port + 2nd RJ45 OR
  • DB9 Serial port + Display Port + PowerShare USB 3.2

The bottom of this latest S410 remains visually unchanged from the last generation. Laptops generally have removable covers on the bottom so you can access memory and expansion slots, and the S410 is no different. There are two access doors, one for the RAM memory and one for the WiFi and mobile broadband modules (which inclide 5G). And since many of these laptops are used in agencies or enterprises that require the ability to quickly remove storage, the S410's Solid State Disk module can be removed in seconds.

We didn't open up the S410 G5 to see what things look inside. The process would be simple: unscrew about three dozen small screws and the housing comes apart easily. Getac doesn't generally use clips that can break off or wires or ribbons between the halves. And since this isn't a sealed design, there also isn't a perimeter seal to worry about. A nice design detail here: Getac is using two types of screws, most of them short, but some long. Screw holes where the long screws go are clearly marked. This way getting all the screws back into their proper place isn't trial-and-error. Service technicians like that.

One thing that has been guiding the design of semi-rugged laptops for years is thermal management. Electronics, and especially processors, generate a lot of heat and that heat must be dissipated to guard against overheating and meltdowns. Heat can be removed either actively with fans or it can be passively removed with heat spreaders and heatsinks.

Fans don't weigh or cost a lot, they can move a lot of air, and fan speed is controllable. But fans can be noisy, they can get clogged, and like all mechanical things, they can fail. Heatsinks don't make noise and they don't need to be managed, but they are heavy and can get quite hot.

The original Getac S400 had a big fan to remove heat generated by its standard voltage 37-watt TDP processor. The S410 G4 had a smaller fan because it used "ultra-low voltage" processors that didn't generate that much heat. The images below were taken while the new S410 G5 was running performance the PCMark 10 benchmark with our FLIR ONE Pro thermal camera that visually depicts surface temperature.

The thermal images show which parts of the S410 are heating up under load, those primarily being the active battery, the motherboard with all of its chips and, especially, the processor and the heat exchanger. The picture on the right shows the stream of hot air expelled by the fan. This is where it gets interesting:

Whereas under full load the predecessor G4 model had exhaust temperatures of up to 110F in our lab, the new G5's were significantly higher at 127F. However, while the hottest point on the front of the G4 reached 100F, the new G5 remained much cooler at just 88F. Interpreting such comparisons are difficult due to the many variables involved, but based on what we saw it seems that Getac has thermal management of the much higher wattage 13th gen processor well under control, and also seems to have found ways to remove heat more efficiently. Kudos.

One of the biggest changes in laptops over the past few years is the switch from rotating hard disks to solid state disks (SSDs). When SSDs first became viable, their cost was high and manufacturers only offered them as expensive options with less storage capacity than hard disks.

Even when prices came down, hard disks mostly remained the low-end default. And since SATA SSDs used the same 2-1/2 inch form factor as hard disks, storage bays continued to take up space. Today, 2-1/2 inch bays are mostly gone and main storage comes in the form of much smaller PCIe modules.

The image to the right shows the S410's primary PCIe NVMe storage module. The space saved by dropping 2-1/2 inch mass storage bays in favor of PCIe NVMe storage can be used in other ways like, as Getac has done with the S410 G4 and G5, larger batteries and a multimedia bay for expansion.

Moving towards sustainable design

As the world population grows and consumes more and more raw materials and disposes of ever growing mountains of garbage, there's increasing awareness of the absolute necessity of conservation, recycling and environmentally sustainable production. If you peruse Getac's website you'll, in significant detail, find the company's position on sustainable development goals , environment and green technology, sustainability vision, as well as annual corporate sustainability reports.

How is that commitment reflected in regard to design and manufacturing? It's an ongoing process and neither a simple nor an easy one. Getac says that this newest generation of the S410 is the most eco-friendly machine the company has made to-date. Reducing carbon emissions, carbon foot prints and e-waste is a massive task. To contribute to the quest of making things better, Getac redesigned the chassis of the new S410 G5 so that about a quarter of it is now made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials without, the company says, any concessions to ruggedness or reliability.

Does this mention necessarily belong in a product review? No, but conservation and recycling are imperative, and we gladly help spreading the word.

Keyboard and hardware controls

A good keyboard is very important in a notebook for the field. If it isn't good, one might as well use a tablet. Getac's S400/S410 series of semi-rugged notebooks has seen several changes in its keyboard technology and layout over the time the platform has been available. The original S400 had beveled keys typical of the era. Getac then switched to a water-resistant mechanical membrane keyboard that used to be optional and looked a little busy. The initial S410 had an improved and more water-resistant 86-key "island-style" keyboard that was optimized for functionality, clarity and ease of use. That design looked and felt much like an Apple iMac keyboard, and we liked it a lot.

The new S410 G5's keyboard remains island-style, with the keys angular and the letters and symbols marked in bold print and centered on the keys. This isn't the most elegant look, but it makes keys and symbols easy to see and read even in adverse conditions.

The touchpad and mouse button design remains the same. The two mouse keys are angular, the pad area is very slightly recessed. It uses capacitive multi-touch, works smoothly, but still has a bit too much stiction for precise movement. What is "stiction"? It's defined as "the friction that tends to prevent stationary surfaces from being set in motion." The stationary surface, in this instance, is the finger, and it takes a bit of force to move it, rather than just glide away.

The S410 has an LED-based backlight that can be activated and toggled through three brightness settings via a function key combination. Illumination used to be blue in early S410s, but then switched to red and remains red on this latest S410. It is pleasant and clearly illuminates the keys in semi and full darkness.

One slightly distracting thing with this design remains that the illumination bleeds out around the keys in the dark. On the other hand, this also helps delineating the keyboard rather than having the labels just float in space.

Above the keyboard are three hardware pushbuttons, two of them programmable for frequently used operations, and a clearly marked green power button. This is a substantial improvement over the button design on older models where it was easy to push the power button my mistake and the labeling wasn't very clear.

On our machine, one of the function buttons toggled the "sunlight readable" maximum screen brightness on and off, the other engaged the blackout function with the display and all indicator and other lights off. Having hardware buttons for these and other functions comes in handy. It's much quicker than fumbling with menus.

Performance: state-of-the-art processor technology

One of the goals Getac set for itself with the S410 G5 was to deliver best-in-class performance. That's actually not so easy as overall system performance depends on numerous factors, including processor, memory, mass storage, configuration, software and more. Everyone has access to the same Intel technology, and so it becomes a matter of timing and building systems that optimally balance competing demands. That requires a good crystal ball and making difficult decisions — best possible performance is always good and customers love it, but in notebooks high performance also means more battery, more cooling, and that means higher weight and higher cost.

As of this writing (late September 2023), of the semi-rugged laptop competition, the Panasonic Toughbook 55, Dell's Latitude 5430, and the Durabook S14I are at the 11th generation of Intel Core processors. The DT Research LT330 is still at the 10th gen (but DT Research just announced the larger 13th gen-based LT350). So in the popular 13.3-14 inch class, the Getac S410 G5 is for now the most advanced Tier 1 semi-rugged laptop you can get.

There's a reason why most of the competition (and the S410 until now) are still at the "Tiger Lake" 11th generation of Intel Core processors — Tiger Lake was one of those rare milestone generations that got everything right, just like the "Coffee Lake" 8th generation before it brought substantial progress in the form of introducting quad-core designs to low-voltage mobile processors.

But time doesn't stand still. With the "Alder Lake" 12th generation Intel switched to an entirely new hybrid architecture that combined complex high-performance cores (p-cores) with much simpler economy cores (e-cores) to get the best of both worlds, high performance AND economical operation. Smartphones have had such processors for years.

In the "Raptor Lake" 13th generation, Intel improved and enhanced that hybrid processor architecture by increasing the core count, expanding L2 cache memory, raising clock speed, supporting faster DDR5 memory, as well as various fine-tunings and enhancements. Raptor Lake is like Intel hybrid chips 2.0.

Getac S410 G5 customers can choose from four Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPU options, with 12 to 24MB of Smart Cache, 12 to 14 total cores, and 80 to 96 graphics execution units. Here's a list of all the processor options available for the new S410 (to view the full Intel spec table for these four CPUs, see here):

2023 Getac S410 G5: Available Intel Core processor options
Available S410 CPUs Intel Core i7 Intel Core i7 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5
Model 1370P 1360P 1350P 1340P
Performance Cores 6 4 4 4
Efficient Cores 8 8 8 8
Total cores 14 12 12 12
Total threads 20 16 16 16
Max Turbo Efficient Cores 3.90 GHz 3.70 GHz 3.50 GHz 3.40 GHz
Max Turbo Performance Cores 5.20 GHz 5.00 GHz 4.70 GHz 4.60 GHz
CPU Base/Turbo power 28/64 watts 28/64 watts 28/64 watts 28/64 watts
Smart Cache 24MB 18MB 12MB 12MB
Integrated graphics Iris Xe Iris Xe Iris Xe Iris Xe
Graphics max speed 1.50 GHz 1.50 GHz 1.50 GHz 1.45 GHz
Graphics Execution Units Units 96 96 80 80

The top processor option for the Getac S410 G5 is the Core i7-1370P. This high-end chip is the only one with six performance cores and also offers the highest turbo frequencies for both its performance and efficiency cores. Next in line is the Core i7-1360P. It has four performance cores, is a bit slower overall and has 18 instead of 24MB of SmartCache memory. The two Core i5 chip options (our review unit came with the Core i5 1350P) have only 12MB of SmartCache, fewer graphics execution units, as well as progressively lower clock frequencies than the i7 chips. Unlike for the predecessor S410 4G, Getac doesn't offer a low-end Core i3 as the default chip for the S410 G5.

To see what kind of performance the new state-of-the-art "Raptor Lake"-based Getac S410 G5 can reach, we ran our standard benchmark suites, Passmark Software's PerformanceTest 6.1 and 9.0 that include dozens of tests covering CPU, 2D graphics, 3D graphics, memory, and disk and then computes scores for each category and an overall PassMark scores. We also ran our second benchmark suite, CrystalMark, to provide some clues as to overall single core performance. And we're showing results of three other major benchmark suites — PC Mark 10, GeekBench 5 and one of the most often used 3DMark graphics benchmarks, Time Spy.

To provide an idea where the S410 stands in the overall rugged laptop performance landscape, the table below includes results of the predecessor S410 G4, the fully rugged Getac B360, as well as some of the S410's prominent rugged and semi-rugged 14-inch class competition.

The results are as follows:

Getac S410 G5 Benchmarks and Comparisons
Manufacturer Getac Getac Getac Dell DT Research Durabook
Model (year tested) S410 G5 S410 G4 B360 7330 LT330 S14I
Year tested 2023 2021 2023 2022 2021 2021
CPU Type: Intel Core i5 Core i7 Core i7 Core i7 Core i7 Core i7
CPU Model and gen 1350P (13th) 1185G7 (11th) 1280P (12th) 1185G7 (11th) 10710U (10th) 1165G7 (11th)
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 28/64 watts 12/28 watts 28/64 watts 12/28 watts 15 watts 12/28 watts
BatteryMon min draw 3.8 watts 3.8 watts 4.2 watts 3.2 watts 3.7 watts 5.5 watts
PassMark 6.1 9,503 8,292 8,921 9,788 7,284 10,338
PassMark 9.0 6,392 5,637 5,750 6,030 3,948 5,164
CrystalMark 567,485 488,622 553,462 521,004 336,613 455,646
PCMark 10 Overall 5,710 4,876 5,488 5,231 NA 4,570
PCMark 10 Drive 1,817 1,504 1,340 1,873 NA 793
3DMark Time Spy 1,685 1,579 1,452 1,818 NA 1,040
GeekBench 5 Single 1,622 1,545 1,588 1,560 NA 1,496
GeekBench 5 Multi 9,136 5,225 7,784 5,779 NA 3,640
GeekBench 5 Open CL 16,815 16,653 15,989 17,533 NA 12,350

What do these numbers show? In essence that the new Getac S410 G5, even with the relatively low-end i5-1350P processor option in our review sample, is very fast, even compared to powerful top-of-the-line machines running on older 11th generation Intel Core processors.

The performance advantage of the 13th gen Raptor Lake chips is greater than one would expect from the usually relatively small performance increases between Intel Core processor generations. The new Getac S410 G5 is not only clearly faster than the prior generation S410 G4 (which we tested with the fastest available processor option), but also considerably faster in most tests than anything still running on older Intel chip generations.

Even with a middle-of-the-road CPU option, the new S410 G5 is faster than the competition, and with the high-end processor option the distance would be greater yet.

Power draw and battery life

So what is the impact of this excellent performance on the S410's battery life? The competition has traditionally set the battery life bar pretty high in this class and we've seen much effort from all sides to offer the thinnest, lightest machine with the best possible battery capacity and battery life, as well as the highest possible performance.

Perhaps for that reason the Getac S400/S410 semi-rugged laptop platform has seen several battery type and size changes since its initial release.

The original S400's battery was a massive 10.8 Volt/8,700mAH 94 watt-hour unit that weighed over a pound all by itself. When the first S410 came around a few years later, it came with two 46.6 watt-hour smaller batteries, both with equal 46.6 watt-hour capacity. The smaller batteries allowed for a thinner profile, and thanks to Getac's switch to more efficient ultra-low voltage processors, the S410 beat the older S400's battery life even with just one of its much smaller batteries. In addition, dual batteries, also made them hot-swappable.

Things changed once more with the two latest generations of the S410. The switch from hard disks to much smaller solid state disks freed up space for more battery capacity. So instead of the two smallish 46.6 watt-hour batteries in older versions, G4 and G5 S410's run with one or two much more powerful 74.5 watt-hour batteries, and there's room for an optional 46.6 watt-hour battery in the multimedia bay.

Among the primary semi-rugged competition, Dell's Latitude 5420 Rugged has one or two 51 watt-hour batteries. Durabook, likewise, offers one or two 51 watt-hour batteries in its DURABOOK S14I. The Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 55 offers one or two 68 watt-hour batteries. The S410 beats them all with a total possible battery capacity of 195.6 watt-hours.

We tested the power draw of the Getac S410 G5 with our standard BatteryMon benchmark. With the Windows 11 Power setting set to "Best Power Efficiency" and the display backlight set to its lowest setting, we saw a minimum of about 3.8 watts. That's theoretically good for 19.6 hours with just one battery and 39.2 hours with two batteries.

With the backlight set to roughly 50% for comfortable indoor viewing, we saw a minimum of 5.4 watts, theoretically good for 13.8 hours with one battery and 27.6 hours with two. And with the backlight set to maximum brightness, we still only saw a minimum of 9.2 watts, theoretically good for 8.1 hours with one battery and 16.2 hours with both.

Getac S410 G5 BatteryMon Power Draws (at idle)
Backlight level Darkest 50% Brightest
Max Battery 3.8 watts (39.2 hrs.) 5.4 watts (27.6 hrs.) 9.2 watts (16.2 hrs.)
Max Performance 3.9 watts (38.2 hrs.) 5.5 watts (27.1 hrs.) 9.2 watts (16.2 hrs.)
We then switched the Windows 11 Power setting set to "Best performance." That way, with the display backlight set to its lowest setting, we saw only a very slightly higher minimum of about 3.9 watts. With the backlight set to 50% for comfortable indoor viewing, we recorded 5.5 watts, almost the same also. And with the backlight set to maximum brightness, power stayed at the same 9.8 watts, still theoretically good for 8.1 hours with one battery and 16.2 hours with both. The first S400 we tested over a decade ago drew a minimum of 11.6 watts just idling along, even though the machine was only a fraction as powerful as today's machine. We're seeing great progress here.

Real-world mileage will of course vary, as always. Measuring minimum draw in a test lab is not an accurate predictor of actual battery life. Intel's Core processors have become very good at conserving power, to the extent where their recorded "idle" draw is actually often less than that of many of the much lower performance Intel Atom processors. Under full load, of course, the powerful Core chip will draw more than the limited Atom CPU.

As far as real world battery life goes, PCMark 10's Battery test shows how long a charge lasts with the system never sleeping and constantly being exercised with a variety of typical tasks. In that test, the new Getac S410 scored a stellar 16:12 hours with its two main batteries. In real life working conditions that may be even longer, since few laptops are kept running uninterrupted over two full shifts.

Bottomline here is that the new Getac S410 aces the battery life test spectacularly. Two full shifts! And that's just with the two main batteries. The optional multimedia bay battery would add several hours more.

Bright and very good 14-inch display

The Getac S410 G5's 14-inch display is large enough to allow working without squinting. The standard S410 display remains at 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, which is legacy by now and we'd very much have liked to see the optional 1920 x 1080 pixel display become the default. As is, the default 1366 x 768 screen is very bright (1,000 nits) but doesn't have touch. Touch isn't really needed on a laptop, but with Windows 11 it's increasingly useful and a good thing to have, and that's why Getac makes touch optionally available.

As far as resolution goes, time's moving on, and with smartphones and consumer tablets offering every higher resolution, customers more and more expect the same from laptop screens. Our evaluation unit had the optional 1920 x 1080 pixel display, which makes for 157 pixels per inch. That's still not "retina" type of resolution, but it is very noticeably sharper than the 1366 x 768 default screen. This would definitely be our preferred screen option for the S410 (and by now we'd be hoping for higher resolution yet).

Display size, though, isn't everything. Most rugged notebooks, including the S410, will be used outdoors and sometimes in bright, direct sunlight. Standard transmissive LCD displays, however, wash out in daylight, and that's why over the past few years, sunlight-readability has become a major selling point for rugged laptops. The currently most popular way of making a laptop screen readable outdoors combines various optical treatments to control internal reflection with a strong backlight.

A few words about screen brightness here: A standard notebook backlight is in the 200 nits luminance range (1 nit = 1 candela per square meter) range. Some manufacturers up the brightness in their rugged products, usually into the 300-400 nits range. Industrial monitors used outdoors generally have 400 to 500 nits.

High end rugged notebooks offer anywhere from 500 to over 1,000 nits, with Getac offering as much as 1,400 nits in its B360 ultra-rugged. What this means is that the 1,000 nits backlight of the S410's 1920 x 1080 display is much brighter than any consumer laptop.

But aren't strong backlights bad for battery life? Yes, and that's why S410 users can easily toggle between "sunlight readable" on and off by pushing the P2 function button. Having that hardware button is the key to keeping power draw in check: when you need the extra-strong backlight, switch it on. When you don't need it anymore, turn it off. That's much easier with a button than via menus or function keys (both of which are also available in the S410).

A few additional comments about the S410 display. While we described it as glossy above, semi-gloss would best describe it. Reflections on it are far more muted than those of most consumer laptops and tablets, almost all of which have high-gloss displays.

And there's another quality the S410 display has: it's remarkably immune to the smudges and fingerprints that quickly mar almost all glossy displays.

Viewing angles are important. Both horizontal and vertical viewing angles of this latest S410 screen are very good, without any color shifts even when viewed at extreme angles. That's a welcome change from early S410s we reviewed where we noticed considerable vertical angle color shifts. Getac fixed that. Much appreciated!

Multi-touch and an very good narrow-tip capacitive stylus

If you want touch on the S410 G5, there are two options. One is a multi-touch version of the default screen. The other is the 1920 x 1080 pixel capacitive multi-touch display, all with the same high 1000 nits luminance.

Touch used to be an uncommon option on laptops, but tablets and Windows 10/11 have changed all that. Today, touch is considered by many an integral part of the computing experience. And not just any touch, but capacitive multi-touch.

missing imageThat said, while capacitive multi-touch works great on tablets and all those iOS and Android apps specifically developed for handhelds and tablets, Windows was not developed for touch and it can be a bear to use even Windows 11 with touch, especially when using legacy Windows software with tiny check boxes, screen borders and scrollers. Windows 11 is more touch-optimized than earlier versions, but it's still not universally touch-friendly. And whether reaching over a full-scale keyboard to touch a laptop display works comes does to personal preference.

How did Getac address this tough predicament in the S410? By offering both remarkably smooth and responsive capacitive multi-touch, and a very good capacitive stylus.

Capacitive styli have been around almost as long as capacitive multi-touch tablets, but most have broad rubber or mesh tips that make them all but useless for anything but tapping on the screen. The stylus that comes with the S410 has a hard and much narrower 3.5mm tip. That's roughly the size of a Sharpie permanent marker tip. The tip is spring-loaded, though it doesn't appear to have pressure-sensitive functionality. The picture below shows the new stylus that comes with touch-screen S410s. It is 4.75 inches long and neatly stows away in a garage on the right side of the laptop.

While the narrow-tipped S410 stylus is much better than those old broad ones, don't expect the precise and smoothly flowing ink possible with an active Wacom-style digitizer. But it's much better for drawing or, if you use it, handwriting recognition than any resistive stylus. What some customers will be missing in the S410 is an active digitizer option.

Works with gloves and when it's wet

Another issue with capacitive touch is that it in its generic form, it only works with human fingers or, to a lesser extent, with capacitive styli. Standard capacitive touch doesn't like rain and it won't accept gloves. Unfortunately, wetness and the need for gloves is exactly what one often encounters where ruggedized computing gear such as the Getac S410 is used. Getac knows that and was one of the first to address that issue years ago in their early V110 and F110 models. Ever since, most rugged Getac devices have a G-Manager "Touch" tab where users can select "Touch," "Glove," or "Pen."

Touch" — Drops near the hand on the "Touch" icon suggest that touch continues to work "with direct exposure to rain." That is something regular capacitive displays struggle with. Water is so conductive that it affects the capacitance between two electrodes, which is the concept upon which projected capacitive touch is built. The pen does not work in this mode.

What can be done is switching from a standard mutual capacitance mode to self-capacitance where the capacitance between one electrode and the ground is measured instead of the capacitance between two electrodes. The S410's passive pen does not work in this mode, which would point toward a self-capacitance solution (unlike in the Getac V110 where the passive pen continues to work in wet mode), but Getac says they used controller sensitivity to handle the job. The pen works in this mode.

"Glove" configures the S410 to be operated with gloves. That is usually done by increasing the sensitivity of the touch controller, so that it can recognize a finger even a brief distance away from the screen, as in the distance that the material of a glove adds to the finger's distance from the screen. That's the way Getac seems to have done it, as not only do gloves work in this mode, but the cursor now follows the finger even when it is a short distance away from the surface, and touch operations no longer require a firm touch.

"Pen" is optimized for use with the pen, but finger touch works as well. To be honest, all of this isn't nearly as much of an issue on a laptop as it is on a tablet.

Security

Like most mobile hardware these days, the S410 G5 offers various levels of hardware and software security to prevent unauthorized access as well as theft. That includes multifactor authentication via passwords, fingerprint reader, Smart Card reader, HF RFID reader, and Windows Hello face-authentication camera.

Our system included Intel Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 hardware security for enhanced boot process integrity, and to create and manage computer-generated digital certificates. Combined with the Windows Hello software in Windows 11, it can encrypt biometric data. In addition, TPM can be used to create certificates that can be used to:

  • Send and receive secure email,
  • Set up the browser for client identification,
  • Sign Word macros,
  • Encrypt individual files or entire folders, and
  • Create secure network connections.
Fingerprint registration software works with the S410's fingerprint scanner that now uses capacitive technology so users can just place their finger on the scanner rather than swiping.

All of this can get pretty involved. Some users may never implement TPM, fingerprint scanning or even passwords, whereas others may be set up in accordance with their company's IT security procedures, or they may configure an individual system for maximum security.

Over all this, don't forget physical security and get a Kensington locking cable to use with the Kensington slot on the backside of the unit. It is inexpensive insurance against theft.

Additionally, depending on the processor, S410s can be configured with Intel vPro, a set of technologies to remotely access and control computers securely. And Absolute DDS (stands for Device & Data Security, formerly known as CompuTrace) is also optionally available. The way that works is that there's a constant two-way between device so that risk can be monitored and assessed remotely, and the device disabled if need be.

Docking and vehicle mounting

Semi-rugged notebooks such as the Getac S410 are often used in vehicles. To that extent, Both Gamber-Johnson and Havis are offering vehicle docks for the S410. These can be mounted in numerous ways, using the dock manufacturers' solutions or the vast variety of RAM ball and joint components.

The S410 has separate antenna pass-throughs for GPS, WLAN and WWAN. These are supported by the vehicle docks, which makes roof-mount antennae possible. A set of pogo docking pins on the bottom of the S410 allow the docks to provide port duplication and additional I/O functionality.

Ruggedness

We don't really like the term "semi-rugged" very much because it implies less than really and truly rugged. While the S410 is not as tough and well-protected as Getac's B360 or X600 laptops, the point really is that the S410 is far more rugged than all those 100+ million consumer and business laptops sold every year.

As is, Getac says the S410 was designed "to meet or exceed MIL-STD-810H temperature, shock, humidity, altitude and vibration specifications." Getac also claims a 3-foot drop. That's generally enough to let a unit survive a fall from a desk. The S410's corner rubber bumpers certainly help, as does the integrated rubber handle. But with no more hard disk to worry about, it could likely be four feet with just a bit of extra corner protection.

Getac says the S410 can operate between -20° and 145° Fahrenheit (-29° to 63°C). That's wider than early S410 generations (likely due to dropping the hard disk entirely) and makes the new S410 suitable for use in almost any environment. The wide range comes in handy in several targeted deployments, such as closed vehicles or around freezers.

As far as sealing goes, there's been steady progress. The original S400's IP5x rating meant there was no ingress protection against liquids at all. The first S410 carried an IP51 rating, the 2nd gen S410 was IP52, and the latest generations have been upgraded to IP53 where the "5" means that the unit is protected against dust and the "3" that it's also protected against water spray from above within a 15 degree angle.

Getac designed the S410 to handle common occurrences such as spills onto the keyboard and keypad, and all ports have protective (albeit potentially fingernail-busting) covers.

Note that Getac offers optional rugged I/O connectors for customers who need them. The previous generation S410 could be ordered with Fischer Connectors' rugged 5-pin USB 2.0 and rugged 9-pin LAN ports, and we assume/hope that applies to the new model as well.

Getac's S410 specs state that the unit is "MIL-STD-810H certified" and drop and vibration resistant. That alone doesn't say much, but Getac can produce more detailed test documents so that prospective customers can see what, exactly, the unit can handle and what it cannot. What became clear in our testing, though, is that the S410 feels very sturdy and very trust-inspiring. While its looks probably suggest it is even tougher than it is, this machine seems plenty capable of handling the likely abuse encountered in its intended deployments. Interested parties may also want to take a look at Getac's Certifications page.

Bottom line: Getac S410

With this latest generation of the S410, the fifth of the platform overall, Getac keeps their semi-rugged laptop state-of-the-art and beyond, providing the very latest in scalable performance and economical operation. With this very proactive tech-update and refresh, Getac has once again leapfrogged the competition.

Over its by now seven-year and five generation production run, the S410 platform has shed more than a quarter of its initial thickness and weight, shaping it into a modern mobile computer for field and vehicular deployments in public safety, armed forces, government, field service, manufacturing and professional services. During the same period, performance has grown in leaps and bounds, with Getac admirably keeping up with the furious pace of technological advance both in performance and economy of operation.

Prior generations of the Getac S410 were very reasonably priced (higher-end and specially equipped models go for considerably more, of course), balanced excellent performance, long battery life, customizable connectivity, and sufficient ruggedness for many tasks into a very attractive package that matched up well with the competition. If anything, this latest generation aims higher yet, and so we expect it to be quite popular.

This latest generation of the S410 is available with your choice from a quartet of Intel "Raptor Lake" 13th generation hybrid processor. Our test unit, equipped with mid-level Core i5-1350P processor turned in superior benchmark performance. For maximum graphics performance, there is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 discrete GPU option. Despite its excellent performance, the S410 G5 offers very good battery life with just one battery, exceptional battery life with two main batteries, and even more by adding a multimedia bay third battery. Between rich onboard I/O, optional port configurations, and a very flexible multi-purpose media bay, there's little a S410 laptop can't do.

"Semi-rugged" design here essentially means the ability to survive a reasonable degree of shocks, vibration, spills, etc., without incurring the extra cost and weight of full ruggedness. The S410, however, is not a sealed device.

Overall, the semi-rugged Getac S410 laptop nicely balances excellent performance, exceptionally customizable connectivity, and sufficient ruggedness for many tasks in an attractive package that should match up very well with the competition. -- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, September 2023

Getac S410 Gen 5 (2023) semi-rugged notebook Specs
Type Semi-rugged notebook
Introduced Introduced September 2023
Processor Intel Core i7-1370P
Intel Core i7-1360P
Intel Core i5-1350P
Intel Core i5-1340P
Max CPU clock speed i7-1370P: 5.20 GHz
i7-1360P: 5.00 GHz
i5-1350P: 4.70 GHz
i5-1340P: 4.60 GHz
CPU Smart Cache i7-1185G7: 24MB
i7-1165G7: 18MB
i5-1145G7: 12MB
i5-1135G7: 12MB
Thermal Design Power 28/64 watts (all)
Graphics Intel Iris Xe, optional NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB discrete graphic controller
OS Windows 11 Pro
Memory 8GB DDR5, expandable to 64GB DDR5 in two SODIMM slots
Display 14.0-inch/1366 x 768 pixel Lumibond TFT with semi-matte surface, sunlight-readable (1,000 nits); 14.0-inch/1920 x 1080 pixel Lumibond TFT with semi-matte surface, sunlight-readable (1000 nits)
Digitizer Optional capacitive multi-touch technology (with both display options)
Keyboard 86-key full-scale water-resistant backlit membrane keyboard
Storage 256GB PCIe NVMe; optional 512GB/1TB/2TB PCIe NVMe, optional 512GB/1TB SATA SSD 2nd storage
Expansion slots optional MicroSD Card, optional Smart Card reader
Media Bay Optional DVD or Blu-Ray super multi drive, 2nd or 3rd battery, 1D/2D imager barcode reader
Housing Getac "KryptoShell" ABS+PC material
Size 13.8 x 11.5 x 1.5 inches (350 x 293 x 39 mm)
Weight From 5.25 lbs (2.38kg); nicely equipped review unit with two batteries weighed 6.28 lbs.
Operating temperature -20° to 145° Fahrenheit (-29° to 63° C)
Ingress protection IP53, splash-resistant keyboard
Drop 3-foot drop
Humidity 95% RH, non-condensing
Other environmental Vibration resistant
Power Battery 1: Li-Ion (10.8V, 6.900mAh, 74.5 watt-hours), optional Battery 2: Li-Ion (10.8V, 6.900mAh, 74.5 watt-hours), optional multimedia bay battery (11.1V, 4,200mAH, 46.6 watt-hours)
Security TPM 2.0, cable lock slot; optional: Windows Hello face-authentication IR camera, fingerprint reader, smart card reader, HF RFID reader
Camera Optional 5MP webcam
Interface 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x RJ45 gigabit LAN, 1 x docking, audio in/out, power; optional: RF antenna pass-through for GPS/WWAN/WLAN, COM + VGA + 2nd RJ45 OR COM + VGA + 2nd RJ45 + PowerShare USB 3.2 OR COM + Display Port + 2nd RJ45 OR COM + Display Port + PowerShare USB 3.2
Wireless Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211, 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.3; optional dedicated GPS, optional 4G LTE multi-carrier mobile broadband with GPS, optional 5G Sub-6 with integrated L1/L5 GPS
Price Inquire
Contact GETAC us.getac.com
Contact S410 web page
Contact S410 spec sheet (PDF)
Warranty 3 years limited
Contact GetacSales_US@getac.com
www.getac.com/us
949.681.2900 Getac, Inc.
15495 Sand Canyon Ave., Suite 350
Irvine, CA 92618

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