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GETAC S410 G2
Getac keeps their semi-rugged laptop state-of-the-art in performance, security and configurability.
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)
On October 16, 2017, Getac introduced the second generation of its semi-rugged S410 notebook computer with faster processors, improved graphics, and enhanced security features.
The Getac S410 was specifically designed for use in a variety of field applications that require more toughness and durability than consumer products can provide — such as field service, public safety, manufacturing, as well as military applications, professional services, and vehicle use — but not the higher weight and cost of fully rugged construction.
Before we get into the 2nd generation enhancements, here's a brief description of the S410. It is a modern 14-inch laptop that's remarkably light and handy for this class of laptop computer, about five pounds. It is an attractive design using Getac's trademark matte black and gun-metal gray color scheme that signals toughness and professionalism.
Since they use their laptop for a wide variety of applications, Getac customers can order the S410 with their choice of processor and numerous configuration options. Below you can see the unit from the top and sides:
State-of-the-art performance
Not so long ago, due to the longer life cycles in vertical markets it was rare to find up-to-date technology inside of semi-rugged and rugged computers. That was not the end of the world, but certainly not what increasingly well-informed customers wanted for their increasingly complex and power-hungry applications.
Well, the updated Getac S410 is state-of-the-art with technology based on 8th generation Intel Core processors announced just a month and a half before Getac put them in the new S410. The big advantage here is that all four available 8th-gen processors are quad-core designs with eight threads. That's twice the cores and threads of the 6th generation processors available in the original Getac S410. Which means that whatever software takes advantage of multi-core processing will be significantly faster.
So while being "current" in the use of Intel processors is fleeting, for now the new S410 G2 is absolutely state-of-the-art under the hood, giving users the latest and greatest that's available. Here's what customers can choose from:
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Getac S410 G2: Available Processor Options
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Available S410 G2 CPUs
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Intel Core i7
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Intel Core i7
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Intel Core i5
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Intel Core i5
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Intel Core i3
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Model
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8650U
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8550U
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8350U
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8250U
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7100U
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Cores/Threads
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4/8
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4/8
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4/8
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4/8
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2/4
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Base Clock Speed
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1.90 GHz
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1.80 GHz
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1.70 GHz
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1.60 GHz
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2.40 GHz
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Turbo Speed
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4.20 GHz
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4.00 GHz
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3.60 GHz
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3.40 GHz
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No turbo
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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
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15 watts
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15 watts
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15 watts
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15 watts
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15 watts
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Smart Cache
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8MB
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8MB
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6MB
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6MB
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3MB
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Integrated graphics
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UHD Graphics 620
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UHD Graphics 620
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UHD Graphics 620
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UHD Graphics 620
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HD Graphics 620
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Graphics base speed
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300 MHz
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300 MHz
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300 MHz
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300 MHz
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300 MHz
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Graphics max speed
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1.15 GHz
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1.15 GHz
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1.10 GHz
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1.10 GHz
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1.00 GHz
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Intel Stable Image Platform Program
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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Intel TSX-NI
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Yes
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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Intel Trusted Execution
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Yes
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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Intel vPro
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Yes
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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Note that despite their differences, all available processors have the same 15 watt thermal design power. The S410, which has a small fan, is built to handle the maximum heat any of those processors will generate.
Starting at the low end, Getac offers a 7th generation "Kaby Lake" dual-core i3 chip without turbo boost. The reason why it's here is probably because, for now, there is no low end 8th generation processor.
In the middle are the i5-8250U and i5-8350U, which differ a bit in speed and certain baked-in Intel technologies that may be irrelevant to most customers, but vitally important to some.
On the high end, the top-of-the-line is the i7-8650U, which is the fastest of the lot, with the also available i7-8550U just a bit slower, but missing some possibly needed Intel technologies. To view the full spec table for these five CPUs, see here.
Note that the difference between base clock speed and maximum turbo speed is very large in all four 8th generation chips, much larger than in 7th generation CPUs. That's likely because Intel didn't want the quad-core processors to draw more power than the 7th gen dual-core equivalents. However, turbo boost is higher than in 7th gen, and so these new processors will be able to deliver exceptional peak performance.
For a brief explanation of those Intel technologies that some of the chips available for the S410 G2 have or don't have:
- The extra security and manageability capabilities of vPro, especially, are required in many enterprise deployments (see Wiki Intel vPro).
- TSX-NI Transactional Synchronization Extensions New Instructions) helps make parallel operations more efficient via improved control of locks in software (see Wiki TSX),
- SIPP (Stable Image Platform Program) allows deployment of standardized, stable image PC platforms for at least 15 months (see Intel SIPP),
- and Trusted Execution technology provides security capabilities such as measured launch and protected execution, and may thus also be an enterprise requirement (see Wiki Trusted Execution Technology).
Note that the 8th generation chips have UHD 620 graphics instead of the HD 620 in the 7th generation. No fundamental difference there; it mostly means Intel considers the graphics suitable for 4k video playback. Customers can specify optional 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M discrete graphics.
Display options
The Getac S410's 14-inch display is more than large enough to allow working without squinting. The standard display's 1366 x 768 pixel resolution is legacy by now and we much prefer 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 a good deal sharper.
Note that the default 1366 x 768 screen doesn't have touch. Touch isn't really needed on a laptop, though in Windows 10 it's more useful than in prior versions of Windows.
If touch is desired, there are two options. One is a very bright (1,000 nits) 1366 x 768 LumiBond sunlight readable LCD with multi-touch. The other is the 1920 x 1080 pixel display which is also quite bright (800 nits), has multi-touch, and uses IPS display technology, which means perfect viewing angles (Getac has been phasing in IPS display technology for a while, but we're not sure if it's used in the 1366 x 768 pixel versions).
Security: ever more important
Security is becoming ever more important, and Getac upped the security ante in this second generation of their S410 with an optional infrared camera that enables facial recognition with Windows Hello for quick, convenient logins and increased security. Combined with TPM 2.0 and Opal 2.0-compliant self-encrypting solid state disks — both standard — S410 users have a very secure mobile solution no matter where their work takes them.
There's also a slot for the simple but effective Kensington lock, and customers can specify a fingerprint reader or either a standard or contactless Smart Card reader. There's, of course, full support of Windows 10 security features to help protect against known and emerging threats. BitLocker hard drive encryption protects data at rest, in use and in transit.
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. The important thing is that the S410 does offer all these precautions.
Semi-rugged
We don't really like the term "semi-rugged" very much because it implies less than something else. While the S410 is not as tough and well-protected as Getac's B300 or X500 laptops, the point really is that the S410 is far more rugged than all those tens of millions of consumer laptops sold every year. Maybe they should call this "2X rugged" and the fully rugged ones "4X rugged" or something like that.
Anyway, Getac says the S410 can operate between -6° and 140° Fahrenheit (-21° to 60°C), making it suitable for use in almost any environment. The wide range comes in handy in several targeted depplyments, 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, and the new Gen 2 has been upgraded to IP52 where the "5" means that the unit is protected against dust and the "2" that it's also protected against dripping water within a 15 degree angle. Getac states the S410 also fills MIL-STD-810G testing requirements for vibration resistance.
Add to that protected I/O ports, the splash-proof keyboard, protective rubber corners, and the ergonomically designed rubber handle, and the S410 is a laptop that can go almost anywhere.
Staying at the leading edge
With the second generation S410, Getac keeps their semi-rugged laptop platform state-of-the-art, providing the very latest in scalable performance and economical operation. With the tech-update and refresh, Getac also made sure their S410 leapfrogged the recently upgraded Panasonic Toughbook 54, once again staying a processor generation ahead of their perennial rival.
Starting at a very reasonable US$1,349 (higher-end and specially equipped models go for considerably more, of course), balances very good performance, long battery life, vastly customizable connectivity, and sufficient ruggedness for many tasks into a very attractive package that matches up very well with the competition. C. H. Blickenstorfer, October 2017
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 Specifications Getac S410 G2
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Status
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Added 10/2017
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Form-factor
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Rugged convertible notebook
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OS
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Windows 10 Professional
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Processor
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Intel Core i7-8650U
Intel Core i7-8550U
Intel Core i5-8350U
Intel Core i5-8250U
Intel Core i3-7100U
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CPU Speed
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i7-8650U: 1.9/4.2GHz
i7-8550U: 1.8/4.0GHz
i5-8350U: 1.7/3.6GHz
i5-8250U: 1.6/3.4GHz
i3-7100U: 2.4/NA
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Smart Cache
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i7-8650U: 8MB
i7-8550U: 8MB
i5-8350U: 6MB
i5-8250U: 6MB
i3-7100U: 3MB
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Graphics
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Intel UHD Graphics 620 (i3-7100: Intel HD Graphics 620); optional NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M 4GB
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Standard/Max RAM
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4GB DDR4, expandable to 32GB
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Disk/drive
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500GB; optional 1TB SATA HD, 128GB/256GB/512GB SATA OPAL 2.0 SSD
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Media Bay
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Optional PCMCIA Type II, ExpressCard 34/54, DVD super multi drive, 2nd battery
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Expansion
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Optional 1 x Smart Card
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Display type
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1366 x 768 HD wide-screen, optional 1,000 nit LumiBond sunlight readable LCD with multi-touch; optional 1920 x 1080 IPS 800 nit LumiBond sunlight readable LCD with multi-touch
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Display size/res
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14.0-inch/1366 x 768 pixel or 14.0-inch/1920 x 1080 pixel
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Digitizer/pens
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Optional multi-touch
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Keyboard/scale
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86-key full-scale splash-resistant membrane keyboard; optional splash-resistant LED backlit keyboard
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Sealing
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IP52
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Drop
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MIL-STD-810G: 3-foot drop
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Temperature
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unspecified MIL-STD 810G
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EMI
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NA
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Salt fog
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NA
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Housing
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Getac "KryptoShell" ABS+PC material
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Size (WxHxD)
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13.8 x 11.5 x 1.4 inches (350 x 293 x 35 mm)
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Weight
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4.9 lbs (2.2kg)
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Power
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Battery 1: Li-Ion (11.1V, 4,200mAh, 46.6 watt-hours), optional Battery 2 (11.1V, 4,200mAh, 46.6 watt-hours)
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Security
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TPM 2.0, cable lock slot; optional: IR webcam, fingerprint reader, smart card reader, contactless smart card reader, Absolute DDS software
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Cameras
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Optional IR webcam
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Interface
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3 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x RJ45 gigabit LAN, 1 x docking, audio in/out, power; optional: 1 x RS232, 1 x VGA, RF antenna pass-through for GPS/WWAN/WLAN, 2nd RJ45 OR rugged RJ45 OR rugged USB 2.0 OR powershare USB 2.0
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Communications
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Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2; optional dedicated GPS,
optional 4G LTE multi-carrier mobile broadband with CA
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List price
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Starting at US$1,349
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Contact
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us.getac.com
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Web page
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Getac S410 G2 page
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Brochure
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 Getac S410 G2
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Warranty
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3 Year limited warranty standard
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Getac US Sales Contact:
Getac US Office
Getac Inc.
Tel: +1-949-681-2900
Email: GetacSales_US@getac.com
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