First rugged tablet to Intel's 7th gen "Kaby Lake," Xplore's sleek, lightweight 12.5-inch/full 1080p R12 tablet offers dual-mode input, blistering performance, and a wealth of accessories
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer — to download a print-style version of this review, click here)

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On October 25, 2016, Xplore Technologies introduced the XSLATE R12, a powerful, versatile 12.5-inch rugged tablet geared towards professionals who split their time between office and field. The R12 was initially launched in 2014 by Motion Computing, which is now part of Xplore. For a while, the tablet was called Motion R12 by Xplore. Now it's a full-fledged member of Xplore's XSLATE line of rugged tablets. But this is far more than just a name change. Xplore sent the R12 to boot camp and it came back stronger, faster and more powerful. Much more powerful.

Let's start by describing what the XSLATE R12 is, and what Xplore has done to make it better. The purpose of the R12 was to suit the needs of mobile professionals who wanted more screen real estate, more durability, more versatility, and more performance than is commonly available in consumer tablets. So the R12 has a large 12.5-inch display with full 1920 x 1080 1080p resolution. It measures 12.9 x 8.1 inches, is 0.65 inches thick, and weighs just under three pounds. It's amazing just how much roomier the screen feels than that of a standard 10-inch consumer media tablet. There's ample space to work on this tablet and then some. What Xplore has done now is give the R12 more punch and an edge.

That wasn't easy as the original R12 already was a modern, convincing design. But now it's that much better yet. The high-end chip option is a brand-spanking new Intel "Kaby Lake" 7th generation Core processor with plenty of punch. RAM memory is now of the new DDR4 variety, which is faster and uses less power. Solid state drives are now available with up to half a terabyte of capacity. Wired connectivity now includes — in addition to a full-size USB 3.0 port, HDMI, audio, and docking — an expansion input port as well as Ethernet and true serial via an adapter cable.

Expansion card slots (microSD and SIM) have been relocated from outside into the battery compartment, where they are better protected, but remain easily accessible. There's now an access door for quick SSD removal should that be required for security reasons. Security was also the impetus for adding SmartCard/Common Access Card functionality. And the R12 is now Class 1 Division 2 rated for intrinsic safety.

The capacitive multi-touch display is brighter (800 nits) for improved outdoor viewability, while retaining its Wacom-style digitizer with a precision pen that does not need a battery.

Wireless communication is faster with Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 WiFi with Bluetooth 4.2. Optionally available are speedy new Sierra Wireless 4G LTE mobile broadband modules with GNSS (a combo that can use our GPS, the Russian GLONASS, the European Galileo, and the Chinese Beidou) or a dedicated GPS module. CAT 6 carrier aggregation allows these new WWAN modules reach peak throughput speeds of 300 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload. This essentially future-proofs the R12 and enables virtually seamless cloud-based services operation.

There's now wake-on-power for vehicular use, and the new R12 is pass-through antenna ready, with its mobile dock having the option of a pass-through module that supports WWAN, WLAN and GPS. And there are two cameras, with 2.0 megapixel resolution in the front and 8.0 megapixel in the rear.

The R12 being a productivity tool for professionals in various fields, Xplore offers numerous extras and accessories that extend the tablet's features and abilities. An example are the optional "SlateMate" bolt-on modules, one with a barcode scanner, and one with BCS and HF RFID reader.

As for performance commensurate with the big screen and the expected professional grade use, that's now provided by Intel 6th and 7th generation processors. But more on that later.

Taking a closer look at the XSLATE R12

Another example are three programmable beneath-glass buttons in the upper lefthand bezel area. They light up green when the tablet is operating and issue a fairly strong haptic feedback buzz when they are pushed (or inadvertently touched).

Design and construction

While I/O space is necessarily limited on a mobile tablet, there are times when additional I/O is desirable when away from a docking station. In order to better facilitate interfacing with legacy field equipment, Xplore now provides Ethernet and true serial support via an optional dongle.

First to Kaby Lake

One option is the Core i5-6200U of Intel's "Skylake" 6th generation Core processor lineup. The other is the Core i7-7500U "Kaby Lake" chip. Both are ultra-low voltage dual-core designs with four threads, both have a thermal design power of 15 watts, both use 14nm process technology, and both incorporate most of the same Intel technologies. The i7-7500U runs at 2.70GHz and can reach a turbo speed of 3.50Ghz, noticeably faster than the i5-6200U's 2.30Ghz and 2.80GHz. Graphics are different, though, with the Kaby Lake chip using Intel HD Graphics 620 while the older Skylake chip uses Intel HD Graphics 520. The table to the right shows a comparison of the chips' major specs.

At first sight, there doesn't seem to be a great difference between the two, though Intel charges about $110 more for the i7 version than for the i5, and that's in manufacturer quantities. So why would one select the pricier i7?

First, of course, it's the quicker, higher-end chip, and it's of the very latest chip generation Intel makes. But one technology that always differentiated i7 from i5 chips is missing: vPro. vPro provides extra security and management capabilities that are required in many enterprise deployments. It's not clear why Intel didn't include it here. Perhaps because the initial offering of Kaby Lake chips is very small (just six as of October 2017), and vPro will surely follow.

But now, what is Kaby Lake all about and how is it better than Skylake? Not that much. The architectures of both the cores and the graphics haven't really changed, but there are some additions that may be welcomed by many users. For example, Kaby Lake has much better 4K video capability now, mostly in the hardware encoding/decoding areas. And a new implementation of Speed Shift lets the CPU control turbo frequency instead of the operating system, which means the chip could speed up much faster. Process technology stays at 14nm, but Intel says that Kaby Lake transistors have taller and thinner "fins" that make for less "leakage" between transistors and allows slightly higher clock speeds, and that makes for performance gains between comparable processors.

And there's another question. Since there is a Core i5-7200U Kaby Lake processor, why did Xplore not go Kaby Lake all the way instead of offering the last generation Core i5-6200U? Because Kaby Lake does not officially support anything before Windows 10, and not everyone is ready to use Windows 10. As of this writing (late October 2016), 47% of all desktop and laptop users still have Windows 7, and only 22% Windows 10 (see NetMarketShare). So those who order the R12 with the Skylake chip can then exercise their Windows 8.1 Pro or Windows 7 Pro downgrade option. Mystery solved.

As is, we ran a pre-production XSLATE R12 through our standard PassMark benchmark suite to test its performance in various categories. To provide an idea of where the R12 with its Kaby Lake chip fits in we're also listing the results of the original Motion R12, Xplore's smaller XSLATE B10 tablet, as well as Dell's Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet, GammaTech's 11.6-inch Durabook R11, and Getac's 11.6-inch F110 tablet in 2015 trim (it's been upgraded to Skylake since). Here are the results:

Xplore XSLATE R12 Benchmarks and Comparisons

PERFORMANCE COMPARISON	Xplore	Xplore	Xplore	Dell	GammaTech	Getac
Model	XSLATE R12	R12 (2014)	XSLATE B10 (2015)	12 Tablet (2016)	R11 (2016)	F110 (2015)
Processor Type	Intel Core	Intel Core	Intel Core	Intel Core	Intel Core	Intel Core
Processor Type: Intel	i7-7500U (G7)	4610Y (G4)	i5-5350U (G5)	M-5y71 (G5)	i5-5200U (G5)	i7-5500U (G5)
Code name	Kaby Lake	Haswell	Broadwell	Broadwell	Broadwell	Broadwell
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	15 watts	11.5 watts	15 watts	4.5 watts	15 watts	15 watts
CPU Clock	2.70GHz	1.70GHz	1.80GHz	1.20GHz	2.20GHz	2.40GHz
CPU Turbo	3.50GHz	2.90GHz	2.90GHz	2.90GHz	2.70GHz	3.00GHz
CPU Cores/Threads	2/4	2/4	2/4	2/4	2/4	2/4
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 620	Intel HD Graphics 4200	Intel HD Graphics 6000	Intel HD Graphics 5300	Intel HD Graphics 5500	Intel HD Graphics 5500
CPU Mark	4,940.7	3,569.1	3,845.5	2,683.8	3,646.6	3,864.1
2D Graphics Mark	613.9	501.6	416.9	370.6	423.7	514.7
Memory Mark	1,563.3	1,222.4	1,241.2	952.2	1,052.3	1,215.6
Disk Mark	4,438.2	2,243.7	4,946.9	3,595.2	3,901.1	3,790.4
3D Graphics Mark	568.8	410.1	460.1	265.6	337.1	399.1
Overall PassMark	2,657.2	1,751.8	2,364.7	1,694.0	2,026.7	2,140.1

For once the results are crystal-clear. The Kaby Lake-powered XSLATE R12 is ludicrously fast. It aced every performance category. It turned in the highest CPU benchmark score and the highest overall PassMark score we ever tested in any rugged mobile system. Its PassMark score is even higher than that of the big Dell Vostro tower in the RuggedPCReview lab with its 84 watt quad-core Haswell CPU. Wow.

Compared to the prior generation R12, the new XSLATE R12 with the Intel 7th gen chip ran 50% faster. And for now, it's faster than almost everything else out there. That said, the competition isn't sleeping, the days of truly massive performance increases between chip generations are gone, and often it takes just a clever tweak or two to reshuffle the performance pecking order. But for now, the new R12 holds the top spot in our benchmark performance database.

Power consumption

What impact does the XSLATE R12's high-performance Kaby Lake processor and its very bright screen have on power consumption and battery life? As is our standard procedure, we used Passmark Software's BatteryMon power management benchmark utility to measure the R12's power draw under various operating conditions.

With the Windows 10 power options set to "Xplore Optimized" and display brightness at its lowest, we saw an idle power draw of 5.8 watts. In the Windows "Power Saver" mode we saw the same 5.8 watts, and in Windows "High Performance" mode about 6.8 watts, all with the backlight at its lowest. That's with the tablet being awake, just idling along.

In Xplore Optimized mode with the backlight at 50% we saw 8.6 watts, and with the backlight at full strength 10.6 watts. Putting the tablet in High performance mode, power draw rose to 10.3 watts with the backlight set to 50%, and 13.1 watts with the backlight at 100%.

Xplore xXSLATE R12 Power Draws (at idle)
Backlight level	Lowest	50%	Maximum
Power Saver	5.8 watts	8.6 watts	10.6 watts
Xplore Optimized	5.8 watts	8.6 watts	10.6 watts
Max Performance	6.8 watts	10.3 watts	13.1 watts

What do those power draw figures mean in terms of projected battery life? The XSLATE R12's thin Li-Polymer battery has a capacity of 45 watt-hours (that compares to 39 watt-hours in the 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro and 38 watt-hours in the 12.3-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 4). Dividing the 45 watt-hours by the 5.8 watt minimum draw would indicate 7.75 hours of battery life with the system staying awake the whole time. In the maximum performance settings and with the backlight going at 100%, theoretical battery life, though, would be just under 3.5 hours. The R12 spec sheet claims "over 9 hours".

Our test figures are a reminder that even with rapidly advancing power conservation measures, there cannot be an entirely free lunch. The Intel "Haswell" 4th generation Y-Series processors in the original had thermal design powers of 11.5 watts, scenario design powers of 6 watts, and had standard clock speeds of just 1.50 (i5-4210Y) and 1.70 (i7-4610Y) GHz. The I7-7500U that powered our test unit has a TDP of 15 watts and a default clock speed of 2.7GHz. Now add the very bright new 800 nits display, and the higher power draws are no surprise.

Bright, large 12.5-inch full HD display

No discussion of an Xplore product would be complete without commenting on its display. That's because Xplore (and Motion) always seemed to be ahead of the curve in terms of offering the best possible display technology for outdoor use. Not only does the XSLATE R12 offer an unusually large screen with full 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, but there's also Gorilla Glass 4 that provides even better protection against breakage and scratching than the first three generations. The display's 176 pixel per inch resolution makes for a sharp and vibrant picture. Due to the recent proliferation of super-high resolution smartphones and tablets, 176 ppi is no longer as special as it was when the R12 was first introduced, but it's still better than most available rugged computing devices, and actually almost in the same class as Dell's 24-inch UltraSharp desktop monitors.

Overall, display quality is supremely important in tablets. That's because while users generally sit down in front of a notebook or desktop display and look at it head-on, the viewing angle of tablets varies depending on how it's being held. Which means that the display's ability to control reflections and producing a steady, unchanging image regardless of the angle from which the display is viewed is important.

The XSLATE R12 display, which uses IPS (In Plane Switching) technology, offers a perfect horizontal and vertical viewing angle, which means the picture should remain unchanged within that very wide angle. The R12 picture indeed does remain viewable throughout that range, with color remaining true and unchanged when viewed from above, below, left and right.

Other than referring to the use of Gorilla Glass, Xplore's documentation doesn't specify what measures the company took to maximize viewability and control reflections. In modern displays that's usually done by minimizing the number of reflective surfaces in the many layers of a typical LCD assembly via bonding layers together and via polarizers and anti-reflective and anti-glare coatings. As is, the R12 display surface is glossy like the great majority of tablets available today.

How well does it work? Quite well. The picture below show the R12 side by side with an Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The iPad Pro has a very good display and even provides a decent degree of outdoor viewability.

The first picture below shows the two tablets outdoors in a semi-shaded area facing away from the sun, and with plenty of contrasts. Both screens have their brightness at their highest setting. Though the R12's display has a significantly higher nits rating than the iPad, both tablets look bright and are easy to see. Since both tablets have glossy displays, there are reflections. The slightly blueish hue we commented on in the original R12 is more pronounced in the new model.

The picture below shows both tablets facing the open sky on a bright sunny day. Neither of the tablets washes out completely, but here the stronger backlight of the R12 makes a difference. Once again we noticed the blueish hue on the R12.

We can't comment much more on the display without knowing more details about its technology, treatments, and origin. What we can say is that it's very good under most viewing conditions. We also like the size very much. When the iPad first appeared, its 10-inch diagonal size seemed the default for that new class of media tablets. The industry then tried smaller tablets, but those never really caught on, eventually giving way to plus-sized smartphones.

The trend now seems towards larger tablet displays, with several of the leading rugged tablets now in the 11.6-inch class, and the Microsoft Surface 4 tablets even larger at 12.3 inches. The Xplore XSLATE R12 display is a bit larger yet, and for a tablet designed to be equally at home on a desk as out there in the field, it's perfect. It's not too large to be carried around, and not too small to really work with Windows. This is one of the major selling points of the R12: it's very mobile but not so small that you need to plug it into a big desktop display when you use the tablet in the office.

Digitizer: capacitive multi-touch and active pen

The XSLATE R12 has 10-point capacitive multi-touch as well as an active pen. First, here's some background on that choice.

Using a desktop operating system such as Microsoft Windows on a tablet means somehow making things work without the ubiquitous mouse Windows was designed around. That has always been a challenge, one that Microsoft tried to address with an active pen when it launched its Tablet PC/Windows XP Tablet PC Edition initiative over a decade ago.

For a very long time, tablets used either resistive touch that worked with a finger or a passive stylus, or they had an active digitizer with a special pen, usually of the Wacom variety, and sometimes they used both together. That all changed when first the iPhone and then the iPad popularized capacitive multi-touch with its effortless panning and pinching and zooming.

With Microsoft Windows, capacitive touch had a rough start because it is not a good match with all the tiny controls, check boxes and scrollers in legacy Windows. Windows 8/8.1 improved matters to some extent, but it really wasn't until the arrival of Windows 10 that capacitive touch became productive on Wintel tablets.

With Windows 10, users can toggle between tablet mode and desktop mode (see screen shots below), which is a much better way of doing business than the switching between the legacy desktop and the new "Metro" interface in Windows 8. The two modes may look very similar, but using them is not. Desktop Mode has the start menu, windows, and everything needed to use Windows legacy applications and tools. Tablet Mode is means full-screen apps and everything is touch-optimized.

Ever since the emergence of the Tablet PC over a decade ago, Windows has included handwriting recognition and a number of pen and touch utilities. Examples are the Math Input Panel, Snipping Tool, and Windows Journal. The latter, unfortunately, is no longer in Windows 10 because Microsoft concluded that Journal's special file JNT format represented a security risk (it can still be downloaded from Microsoft here). Other pen utilities are still present, and they are now joined by Windows Ink.

Tap the new pen icon next to the keyboard icon to access ink-enabled Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and Ink Workspace. They are basic and works in progress, and they are also evidence that Microsoft, slowly but surely, morphs Windows into a more touch and pen-friendly operating environment. I mention "pen" because Microsoft's initial Tablet PC initiative was very much pen-centric, whereas capacitive multi-touch is very much finger touch-oriented.

Xplore addressed this issue in the XSLATE R12 by giving it both 10-point capacitive multi-touch and a standard Wacom inductive pen that does not need a battery. The Wacom active digitizer system has literally been around for decades and is as mature as it can get within its own design limitations.

The screen shots below show some of the pen and ink tools. Clockwise starting from the upper left, the Windows Ink Workspace, handwriting recognition, the Sticky Notes, the Sketchpad, and the Windows Ink Workspace panel (click on it for a larger version of the panels).

I should mention that among the Wacom digitizer technology's strengths is "hovering," i.e. the cursor following the tip of the pen even if the pen does not touch the surface. This means the user can always see where, exactly, the computer senses the tip of the pen. And since Microsoft always supported the Wacom digitizer, there's plenty of software, including neat utilities, that support it. At this point, the question remains whether it wouldn't make more sense to use one of the increasingly precise passive capacitive pens.

Finally, we were quite impressed by how well the XSLATE R12 handles droplets on its display. Most of the time they don't affect touch and multi-touch operation at all. That means the tablet can be operated when it rains. You can't take that for granted with most tablets out there.

Cameras good enough for real work

Like virtually all tablets, smartphones and notebooks these days, the XSLATE R12 has integrated imaging capabilities via dual cameras. One of them faces to the front and has 2.0 megapixel resolution. This one is for video conferencing, and it is better than most that we have seen. The other faces to the rear and has 8.0 megapixel resolution. That one is for workflow documentation.

Our review machine came with the XCapture Pro v2.4.4 camera app by Xplore. Its user interface is uncluttered and intuitive, and the XSLATE R12 makes a satisfying mechanical camera clicking sound whenever a picture is taken.

Xplore developed this app specifically to support inspection workflows where the ability to quickly annotate a photo with field notes using the pen or touch interface comes in handy, as does the ability to automatically incorporate a GPS and time stamp.

The image to the right shows how the XSLATE R12 can be used to document equipment condition or problem areas on a service call. Unlike on the tiny screen of a dedicated camera, or even the screen of a smartphone, using the R12 as a 12.5-inch viewfinder shows you exactly what you're taking a picture of. And like on leading smartphone cameras, you can simply tap on what you want in focus.

The 2-megapixel user-facing camera is also quite good. These are usually used for video conferencing, and many are grainy. Not the one in the R12.

The pictures below were taken with the R12's camera in its highest 16:9 aspect ratio resolution, which made for 3264 x 1836 pixel 6mp pictures (click on the sample pics for a full-size version of the entire picture compilation).

What is amazing is how quickly cameras integrated into rugged tablets and handhelds went from being — there is no other way to put it — unusable, to terrific. Imaging quality is very much a moving target, with every new generation of smartphones upping the ante, but what's available now in premium rugged devices like the XSLATE R12 is absolutely good enough for virtually any documentation job.

Is everything perfect with the R12 camera? No. It hunts a bit too much in its search for the perfect focus, and it does so rather slowly. So it's usually best to take several shots of the same subject, just to make sure.

Docks, accessories, and peripherals

Xplore offers a large variety of docks and accessories for the XSLATE R12 tablet. They are designed to provide protection and extra functionality. Available, among other, are:

• Top left: the R12 Series dock transforms the R12 into a full desktop computer. It has an integrated battery charger.

• Top right: the R12 Series SlateMate data acquisition module with a barcode scanner (a SlateMate module with BCS and HF RFID reader is available also).

• Bottom left: the R12 Series wireless keyboard whose enclosure magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet and serves as a stand. The keyboard now uses Bluetooth 4.2.

• Bottom right: the lockable R12 Series Secure Mobile Vehicle Dock can accommodate the tablet even with the SlateMate or carrying case. It provides two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports, RJ45 LAN, RS232 DB9 serial, VGA and HDMI, as well as battery charger slot and separate microphone and headphone jacks.

Note that Xplore designed the optional keyboard as a "tablet first" keyboard. It attaches to the tablet in an ergonomic way that also charges the keyboard, but doesn't prevent the user from accessing the display and operating the tablet while the keyboard is attached. The keyboard now uses Bluetooth instead of the previous proprietary EasyPair communication protocol. This enhances battery life, aligns the communication protocol to the industry standard, and pairing now just requires the standard Bluetooth pairing sequence.

The image below shows how Xplore's ingenious magnetically snap-on, foldable keyboard plus stand converts the XSLATE R12 into a 2-in-1 hybrid.

Remarkable ruggedness

One of the issues facing vertical and industrial market tablet manufacturers is just how rugged to make their tablets. Many hundreds of millions are using tablets now, but consumer market tablets are simply too fragile for field or even enterprise use. So with business customers wanting tablets that hold up on the job, but also look and feel as much as the popular consumer products, what degree of ruggedness is right?

Xplore's approach is to offer a range of tablets that are as durable and tough as their intended deployments require. The 3-pound R12 is a primary example of that philosophy. It's thinner and lighter than Xplore's ultra-rugged iX104 series tablets that are built like tanks. But the R12 can handle whatever is likely to come its way.

In their ruggedness testing, Xplore concentrates on scenarios the tablet will likely encounter, and situations and locations where the XSLATE R12 will primarily be deployed. That included extensive vehicle crash testing with the tablet and its docks.

The R12 can handle 4-foot drops, which is important because a tablet dropped to the ground while being operated in a standing position will fall from approximately that height.

The R12 further has IP54 sealing, where the "5" means protection against dust and the "4" protection against water spray from all directions, albeit with limited ingress permitted. That's not the total immunity to the elements that an IP67 rating provides, but definitely good enough for the R12's intended use.

The R12's operating temperature range is a fairly wide 14 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit, which should cover the vast majority of intended deployments for this class of tablets.

As usual, Xplore also provides a long lists of safety and regulatory requirements that the R12 meets, and additional ruggedness criteria are probably covered in there.

Subjectively, the glossy and rather slender XSLATE R12 doesn't look as tough and rugged as it actually is. But as our internal inspection revealed, looks are deceiving. With its heavy-duty magnesium frame inside and the rubberized guards and protection outside, the R12 can handle a significant amount of punishment. Then add the shatter and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 4 that its maker, Corning, says is up to two times tougher than any competitive cover glass design now available. And Gorilla Glass 4 offers enhanced retained strength after use (a problem with any strengthened glass), higher resistance to scratch and sharp contact damage, improved drop performance, and superior surface quality. Then there are the skillfully integrated controls, the lack of trim that may come off, and the R12 is a trust-inspiring unit indeed.

Note that Xplore lists additional MIL-STD-810G testing, and the company's website contains a wealth of information about ruggedness specifications, testing and standards (see here).

Summary: Xplore XSLATE R12 rugged tablet computer

The uniquely designed Motion R12 is now the XSLATE R12, a full-fledged member of Xplore Technologies' lineup of tough and rugged high performance tablets. But this is far from just a branding change. Xplore infused its own valuable tablet DNA into Motion's large-format tablet, and the R12 has emerged an even better and far more powerful productivity tool for the job.

Now powered by either a leading-edge Intel "Kaby Lake" 7th generation Core processor with Windows 10, or a slightly less lofty "Skylake" 6th generation Core CPU that's a bit slower but comes with a downgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, the new R12 not only offer ample display real estate for Windows on its bright and brilliant 12.5-inch outdoor-viewable display, it's also very quick. Our Kaby Lake test unit clocked the fastest overall PassMark benchmark numbers we've ever seen on a rugged mobile device.

The large 12.5-inch display offers full 1920 x 1080 pixel HD resolution, the same as HDTVs. It is very sharp and bright enough even for outdoor use. Optical treatments soften the reflections inherent in "glossy" displays, and the screen offers excellent viewability from any angle. The 10-point capacitive multi-touch interface works as smoothly and effortlessly as users have come to expect from consumer devices. For precision work, the R12 also has an active Wacom digitizer pen that does not need a battery.

Equipped with full-size USB 3.0 and HDMI ports, an audio jack, three microphones, dual speakers, a microSD Card reader, a fingerprint reader, available Smart Card/CAC readers, removable SSD, as well as Ethernet and true serial through a simple adapter cable, the XSLATE R12 can be further enhanced and configured via optional "SlateMate" bolt-on modules. The integrated 8-megapixel documentation camera and Xplore's XCapture Pro camera application can easily be used for high-quality workflow documentation.

The XSLATE R12 is a very solid and ergonomic design that is instantly recognizable with its unique chamfered corners. A hefty magnesium-alloy frame inside the unit provides strength, and all ports ports are well-sealed with tight-fitting rubber plugs.

With the XSLATE R12, Xplore Technologies offers a rugged, modern and highly configurable Windows tablet with very strong performance and a bright 12.5-inch capacitive multi-touch display large enough for comfortable use of complex applications. -- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, October 2016

Xplore XSLATE R12 Specs:

Status	Added 03/2014, full review 12/2014, full review 2016 version 10/2016
Type	Rugged Windows tablet
Processor	Intel 7th generation "Kaby Lake" Core i7-7500U, or Intel 6th generation "Skylake" Core i5-6200U
CPU Speed	i7-7500U: 2.7/3.5 GHz, 4M cache i5-6200U: 2.3/2.8 GHz, 3M cache
Graphics	i7-7500U: Intel HD Graphics 620, 300/1,050MHz i5-6200U: Intel HD Graphics 520, 300/1,000MHz
CPU Thermal Design Power	Both CPU options 15 watts
OS	i7-7500U: Windows 10 Pro i5-6200U: Windows 10 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro, Windows 7 Pro
Memory	8GB 2,133MHz DDR4 SDRAM
Display	Wide Viewing Angle IPS TFT LCD with LED backlight (800 nits) and scratch- and damage-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Display Size/Resolution	12.5-inch/1920 x 1080 pixel Full-HD
Digitizer	Dual-mode capacitive 10-point touch and Wacom active pen
Keyboard	Onscreen keyboard, optional wireless hardware keyboard using Bluetooth technology
Navigation	Stylus, touch
Storage	128GB, 256GB, or 512GB Solid State Drive
Expansion slots	1 x Micro-SD Card, 1 x Micro-SIM card
Housing	Rubberized enclosure over magnesium-alloy internal frame
Size	12.9 x 8.1 x 0.65 inches (328 x 206 x 17 mm)
Weight	2.95 pounds (1.34 kg.) incl. battery pack
Operating temperature	14° to 131°F (-10° to 55°C)
Ingress protection	IP54
Altitude	40,000 feet operating
Intrinsic safety	C1D2 rated for hazardous locations
Drop/shock	4-foot drops, operating, 26 drops to plywood over concrete
Vibration	US Highway truck and composite wheel, operating
Power	Rechargeable, replaceable externally accessible 14.8 Volt, 3,080mAh 45 WHr Lithium-Polymer ("over 9 hours")
Cameras	Front-facing 2.0-megapixel camera, rear-facing 8.0-megapixel camera
Sensors	9-axis MEMS (accelerometer, eCompass, gyroscope), ambient light
Interface	1 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3mm audio, power, dock; optional true serial RS232 via dongle, optional RJ45 gigabit LAN via dongle, optional integrated CAC/Smart Card Reader
Wireless options	Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 plus Bluetooth 4.2, dual array front mics, rear mic; optional Sierra Wireless EM7455 4G LTE mobile broadband with GNSS (GPS + GLONASS + Beidou) OR Sierra Wireless EM7430 4G LTE mobile broadband with GNSS (GPS + GLONASS + Beidou) OR Navisys Technology GE-635/u-blox 6 GPS module with SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS and MSAS)
Price	Starting at US$2,649
Product page	XSLATE R12 web page
Spec sheet	XSLATE R12 brochure (PDF)
Contact	Xplore Technologies 14000 Summit Drive, Suite 900 Austin, TX 78728, USA Tel: (888) 449-7567 Tel: (512) 336-7797 Web: www.xploretech.com

(copyright 2016 RuggedPCReview.com)