Getac's fully rugged (but light and slender) 10-inch Android tablet for mobile field professionals
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

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On January 11, 2022, Getac introduced the fully rugged ZX10 Android tablet designed to perform in extreme work environments. Targeted applications include public safety, utilities, energy, and transport & logistics, and a variety of other field services that all benefit from a tough and rugged device with a display viewable in low light as well as bright sun conditions.

With Android holding a dominant marketshare in smartphones (essentially everything that isn't from Apple) and also becoming an increasingly viable platform for enterprise and industrial tablets, it's no surprise that Getac added a 10-inch rugged Android tablet to its extensive portfolio of rugged mobile computing devices. This is Getac's first entry in the hotly contested rugged 10-inch Android tablet battleground where the new ZX10 will face such established competition as the DT Research 301Q, Panasonic Toughbook A3, RuggON SOL PA501, Winmate S101, Zebra L10 Android and more, all rugged and field-tested tablet platforms.

In response, Getac, too, entered this market with a very serious, very business-like design that leaves no doubt that the new ZX10 is a tool for serious jobs. And what better way to do so than to build on an existing design that already has plenty of field cred? The ZX10 channels Getac's ultra-rugged UX10 Windows tablet to a remarkable degree without, however, just taking the Windows version's body and exchange the electronic guts for the Android kind. That's because there are inherent difference between those two leading OS platforms, and optimizing their respective strengths precludes a strict one-design-fits-both approach.

Still, the two machines are close enough, and that will help the new ZX10 gain instant acceptance and credibility as a part of Getac's rugged lineup for tough jobs:

Getac ZX10 Android vs. UX10 Windows

Model	ZX10	UX10
(click on image for larger version)
Introduced	2022	2019
OS:	Android 11	Windows 10
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon SD660	Intel 10th gen Core
CPU cores	8	4/8
RAM	6GB LPDDR4	8-32GB DDR4
Mass storage	64GB to 128GB eMMC	256GB to 1TG PCIe NVMe
Expansion slots	micro-SD Card	micro-SD Card
Display	10.1"/1920 x 1200 (224 ppi)	10.1"/1920 x 1200 (224 ppi)
Digitizer	Projected capacitive	Projected capacitive
Battery	2 x 19.2 watt-hour Li-Ion	1 x 46.6 watt-hour Li-Ion
Keys	4 tablet buttons	4 tablet buttons
Size (inches)	10.8 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches	10.9 x 7.65 x 0.92 inches
Weight (lbs.)	2.3 lb.	2.7 lb.
Sealing	IP66	IP65
Temp. range	-20° to 145°F	-20° to 145°F
Camera	8mp front + 16mp rear	FHD front + 8mp rear
USB Type-A	1 x USB 2.0 host	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2
USB Type-C	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1	NA
HDMI	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1	Yes
Bluetooth	v5.0	v5.1
WiFi	802.11ac	802.11ac
WWAN	opt. 4G LTE	opt. 4G LTE
Scanning	opt. 1D/2D	opt. 1D/2D

At first sight, the ZX10 and the UX10 do indeed look almost identical. There's the overall design with the same look, colors, physical buttons, indicator lights, port and camera locations, and the Allen screws to attach a hard handle. The 10.1-inch Getac LumiBond displays have the same 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution though the UX10 sports 1000 nits luminance vs 800 on the ZX10. Both use glove-enabled capacitive multi-touch, and dual-mode (touch and digitizer) is available for both. The footprint is essentially the same.

However, despite the almost identical appearance the ZX10 and UX10 are very different machines. Whereas the Windows-based UX10 is built around the same premium Intel Core processor tech found in high-end laptops, the Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered ZX10, in essence, uses ARM-based smartphone tech. The UX10 needs a fan, the ZX10 doesn't. The UX10 has a beefy 47 watt-hour battery (and an extended battery option), the ZX10 gets away with two much smaller 19.2 watt-hour batteries (which makes them hot-swappable). Like almost all Android devices, RAM is limited and mass storage is a maximum of 128GB of eMMC memory. The UX10 can accommodate more (and faster) of both. All this combines to make the ZX10 to be almost a quarter inch thinner and almost half a pound lighter.

There are other differences. The UX10 has an HDMI port but no USB Type-C. The ZX10 doesn't have an HDMI port, but its USB Type-C port supports DisplayPort and downstream power. Android devices usually have higher resolution cameras, and the ZX10 is no exception. Its 8mp webcam and 16mp rear camera compare to just FHD in the front and 8mp on the rear for the UX10.

Both have a micro SD card slot but the ZX10 has dual micro SIMs slots and the UX10 just one. The UX10 offers more expansion and configuration options such as LAN, COM and VGA ports, but both platforms can be equipped with 1D/2D barcode readers and SmartCard readers.

As far as communications capabilities go, there's parity. Both have 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth v5.x, optional 4G WWAN, as well as an optional LED or laser barcode reader and HF RFID/NFC. The ZX10 has integrated dedicated GPS. For the UX10, dedicated GPS is optional.

On the ruggedness side, both can handle 6-foot drops and have very wide operating temperature ranges of -20° to +140° degrees Fahrenheit. The ZX10 carries IP66 sealing, the UX10 a slightly lower IP65, likely due to the fan and different ports. Getac claims compliance with all relevant MIL-STD-810H tests.

Despite their similarities and differences, the UX10 and ZX10 aren't in competition with one another. If Windows and high-end performance are requirements, it's the UX10, even at its substantially higher cost.

If Android is needed, it's the ZX10. The ZX10's real competition is from other vendors that also offer competent 10-inch rugged Android devices. On that front, there's pretty much technology parity because almost everyone is using the same Snapdragon SD660. Since the Getac ZX10 is the newest design in the 10-inch rugged Android tablet race, it would have been nice to see it built around one of the newer SnapDragon SoCs.

As is, the ZX10, which will be available in March 2022, is certain to be among the front runners in this segment. Check for a detailed review as soon as we can get a unit. -- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, January 2022