GETAC ZX10

Newly updated, the lightest fully rugged 10-inch tablet brings the world's leading mobile operating system to field professionals, no matter where they work, how tough the job, and what the conditions are
By Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, photography by Carol Cotton)

In January 2025, Getac announced the second generation of its 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. This report represents a full review of the tablet.

With Android holding a dominant marketshare in smartphones — everything that isn't from Apple — and also having become a viable platform for enterprise and industrial tablets, it's no surprise that Getac updated its 10-inch rugged Android tablet to the current state-of-the-art. The original ZX10 was Getac's first entry in the rugged 10-inch Android tablet battleground where it faced competition from DT Research, Panasonic, RuggON, Winmate, Zebra and others, all rugged and field-tested tablet platforms.

With the ZX10, Getac entered the battle with a very business-like design that left no doubt that the company was serious about offering its customers a well-thought-out, competent Android tablet for the job. And it did so by taking guidance from an existing product, the Microsoft Windows-based Getac UX10 (below right). Getac, however, didn't just take the Windows version's body and retrofit it for Android. It was an entirely new machine. And now, three years later, Getac released the next generation of the ZX10 platform.

That's because there are inherent differences between Windows and Android, and optimizing their respective strengths precludes a strict one-design-fits-both approach.

Still, at first sight, the Getac ZX10 G2 and the Getac UX10 tablets 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 and the second gen of the ZX10 now sports the same 1000 nits luminance as the UX10 (the original had 800 nits). Both have 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 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 uses ARM-based smartphone tech. The UX10 needs a fan, the ZX10 doesn't, which can be quite important for certain jobs. 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 more limited — up to 8GB of LPDDR5 in the ZX10 G2 — and mass storage is a maximum of 256GB of UFS (Universal Flash Storage), up from a 128GB of soldered eMMC memory in the first ZX10. One physical difference is that the ZX10 is almost a quarter inch thinner and almost three-quarters of a pound lighter than the UX10.

The table below shows where the ZX10 G2 fits into Getac's growing roster of rugged Android and Windows tablets:

Getac Rugged Tablets Spring 2025: Where the ZX10 fits in

Model	ZX80	ZX10 G2	UX10	F110	K120	A140
OS	Android	Android	Windows	Windows	Windows	Windows
Display size	8.0-inch	10.1-inch	10.1-inch	11.6-inch	12.5-inch	14.0-inch
Resolution	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1200	1366x768 or 1920x1080
Pixels/inches	283 ppi	224 ppi	224 ppi	190 ppi	176 ppi	112 or 157 ppi
Luminance	916 nits	725 nits	1000 nits	800 nits	1200 nits	1000 or 800 nits
Size (inch)	9.2 x 5.9 x 0.69	10.8 x 7.6 x 0.7	10.9 x 7.7 x 0.92	12.4 x 8.2 x 0.96	13.0 x 9.4 x 0.94	14.5 x 9.8 x 1.3
Volume	37.5 cu-in	57.5 cu-in	77.2 cu-in	96.4 cu-in	114.9 cu-in	184.7 cu-in
Weight (lbs.)	1.7	2.0	2.68	3.1	3.96	5.1
CPU	Qualcomm	Qualcomm	Intel	Intel	Intel	Intel
CPUs	SM7325	SM7325	12th gen Core	13th gen Core	13th gen Core	10th gen Core
Max RAM	12GB LPDDR5	8GB LPDDR5	32GB DDR4	32GB DDR5	64GB DDR5	32GB DDR4
Max storage	256GB UFS	128-256GB UFS	1TB PCIe SSD	2TB PCIe SSD	2TB PCIe SSD	1TB PCIe SSD
Op. temp	-20° to 145° F	-20° to 145° F	-20° to 145° F	-6° to 140° F	-20° to 145° F	-6° to 140° F
IP rating	IP67	IP66	IP65	IP65	IP65	IP65

There are other differences between Getac's two 10.1-inch class rugged tablets. The UX10 has an HDMI port but no USB Type-C. The ZX10 doesn't have an HDMI port, but its Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port supports DisplayPort (we tried it with a 4k monitor and it works) and downstream power delivery. 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 and both have dual SIM functionality. Both have an e-SIM, but the ZX10 has a physical micro-SIM whereas the UX10 uses the smaller nano-SIM. The UX10 offers more expansion and configuration options such as LAN, COM and VGA port option in its expansion slot area, but both platforms can be equipped with 1D/2D barcode readers and SmartCard readers. The UX10 has both a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port and a Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port, whereas the ZX10 G2 is a bit more limited with a USB-A 2.0 host port and a USB-C 3.2 Type 1 with DisplayPort functionality and power delivery. The latter serves to charge the ZX10. There is no more traditional power jack, though the tablet still comes with a small 60 Watt "power brick" and not just a generic USB charger.

As far as wireless functionality and communications capabilities go, there's near parity. Both have Wi-Fi 6E 802.1ax, Bluetooth v5.x, optional 4G and 5G Sub 6 mobile broadband, as well as an optional LED or laser barcode reader and HF RFID/NFC. Dedicated GNSS is optional for both.

Those familiar with the ZX tablet platform will note that the original model's three small lit annunciator icons below the Getac logo are gone in he second gen model. Another small but functionally relevant change is that the green power/sleep button that used to be below the volume up and down buttons has been moved up and now sits above a new camera capture/ barcode reader trigger. The new location is much better, as the old spot right below the up/down buttons was much too probe to inadvertent triggers.

Very solid design

As we already had found when we analyzed Getac's Windows-based rugged UX10 tablet — there are all those fragile consumer and commercial tablets and then there are rugged tablets, real tools for work. The difference between the two archetypes couldn't be greater. On the one side, trendy style, on the other form-follows-function without shortcuts and with each and every part of the design purposeful, exactly right, and in exactly the right place.

The Getac ZX10, just like the Getax UX10, is is designed for tough jobs. Though the tablet looks like it's made of one of those tough polymer plastics, the ZX10 is really almost all metal. There's a thick, solid magnesium alloy frame that extends over the entire footprint of the device. On its front, the display is recessed into it. On its back, the system board and batteries are recessed into it. Dozens of small Philips screws secure it all together.

But that's not all. With mobile tablets, reliable radio communication is everything, and that means high-performance antennas that must be outside any metal frame or chassis for the best possible reception. And so Getac mounted all those antennas outside of the frame, right under the four u-brackets that snap over the tablet along all four of its sides.

The design details on the ZX10 are works of technical art. It's "form follows function" both inside and out. And just like in the UX10, it all amounts to a rock-solid, functional and attractive visual whole. The ZX10 has nothing to hide; not outside where it can be seen, but also not on the inside that virtually no one ever sees. There's truly nothing generic on this design.

Even on the backside of the machine, Getac didn't just phone it in with a plate of plain plastic. They figured out how to create a polymer with a hard, scratch-proof finish powdery finish that looks just like powder-coated magnesium. If there is one little issue with this entire design, it's that it uses small screws of slightly different size and length, so that re-assembly can be trial and error.

Below are some of the details that showcase this impressive attention to every detail:

Clockwise and starting from the upper left, you can see:

1. A look inside the ZX10 G2's expansion area where the optional Smart Card reader is mounted and connected via one of the two small white ribbon cable connectors. Note the various color wires that originate here and then go to their respective antennas along the perimeter of the tablet. Also note that RF shielding isn't done with just a bit of tin foil as we see so often; here it consists of precision-cut metal covers. Gone is the thermal conductive material used in the original ZX1 to guide heat away from the components. The G2 model runs cooler.

2. The Getac ZX10's optional handy carry handle is strong and sturdy, and it is secured with four thick bolts into the tablet's solid magnesium body.

3. The Getac ZX10 has a nano-SIM card slot in the battery compartment. And it also has an e-SIM. This way the tablet can switch between two different data service providers for best possible coverage and connectivity.

4. The ZX10's stylus fits neatly into its own recess, and unlike so many stylus holders and garages, the stylus is both firmly secured and easy to undock. Also appreciated are the clever spring-loaded and easy-to-operate battery locks.

5. Here you can see two of the tablet's radio antennas mounted onto recesses in the the ZX10's magnesium frame. Note the handle mounting screw holes that go through a full half inch of metal. A solid foundation for sure.

6. A close look at the ZX10's port cover with a glide lock. It can be replaced separately, and also has a tab on it so it can more easily be opened and closed.

Powered by Qualcomm

Since one Android smartphone is pretty much like any other, the smartphone industry relies on leading-edge tech and a steady flow of new models to keep their multi-billion unit market fresh and exciting. Vertical and industrial markets play with different rules. There are longer product cycles and different priorities. Stability, reliability and extended availability may be more important than the latest chip.

Early on, there was a substantial technology and performance gap between smartphones that always had the lastest tech, and industrial Android devices that were often lagging behind. That gap may be at least in part responsible for the slow initial acceptance of Android in industrial markets. Early rugged Android devices often used older or low-end ARM processors or they used underpowered Intel Atom processors so that a product could run both Windows and Android. That positioned many early rugged Android devices as a kind of experimental junior versions of more powerful and much higher performance Windows hardware.

With the almost exponential growth of the Android smartphone market, however, came rapid progress in ARM CPU technology. ARM processors grew faster and more powerful in leaps and bounds. ARM technology overall made huge progress, causing even Apple to switch from Intel to their own ARM-based CPUs for their laptops and desktops. And in 2024 even Microsoft and its hardware partners beginning offering ARM-based laptops.

As a result of all of this, rugged Android tablets are no longer slow, and really haven't been in a while. The 2.2GHz octa-core QualComm SnapDragon SD660 system-on-chip that powered the original Getac ZX10 became the processor of choice of a whole generation of leading rugged handhelds and tablets.

But time moves on, and the new ZX10 G2 comes with the four years newer and significantly more powerful Qualcomm SM735, more popularly known as the Snapdragon 778G. This is the same chip that powers Getac's popular ZX80 8-inch rugged Android tablet introduced just last year. While the Snapdragon 660 was considered a "mid-range" chip at best, the SD778G is more upper mid-range and uses much more modern 6nm instead of 14nm process technology. While both are octa-core chips, the SD778G is using a combination of newer A78 and A55 ARM cores, whereas the SD660 used the older and slower A73 and A53 cores.

On the graphics side, the old Adreno 512 GPU of the SD660 has given way to the much faster Adreno 642L that now supports DirectX 12. Memory and storage support now covers faster LPDDR5 RAM as well as UFS 3.1 for mass storage. The SD778G supports higher resolution cameras (though Getac stayed with the same 8/16mp as the original ZX10). Communication performance benefits from higher modem speeds, Wi-Fi 6E/802.11ax support, and Bluetooth 5.2.

In its January 2025 press release on the next gen ZX10, Getac listed "powerful AI-ready performance", in line with the industry's claims of being "AI-ready" and PCs generally being "AI-PCs" now. That said, the Hexagon 770 digital signal processor that's part of what Qualcomm calls its 6th generation AI engine can generate about twice the performance in AI-related imaging, voice and other AI tasks, and it also lessens the workloads of the CPU and GPU. Every bit helps in he brave new world of "AI" and "AI-edge" processing.

In order to get a sense of where the second gen Getac ZX10's performance level stands compared to some other leading rugged 10-inch Android tablets, as well as compared to Getac's own 8-inch ZX80, we installed and ran a series of Android benchmark software utilities. The results are as follows:

Rugged Android tablets benchmark overview

Vendor	Getac	Getac	Getac	Handheld	Samsung	RuggON
Model	ZX10 G2	ZX10	ZX80	RT10	Tab Active4 Pro	SOL PA501
Device type	tablet	tablet	tablet	tablet	tablet	tablet
Display size	10.1-inch	10.1-inch	8.0-inch	10.1-inch	10.1-inch	10.1-inch
Display resolution	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200	1920 x 1200
Display ppi	224	224	283	224	224	224
Year tested	2025	2022	2024	2022	2024	2020
Processor	Qualcomm	Qualcomm	Qualcomm	Qualcomm	Qualcomm	Qualcomm
Processor Model	SM7325	SD660	SM7325	SM4350	SD778G	SD660
Processor cores	4xA78, 4xA55	4xA73, 4xA53	4xA78, 4xA55	2xA76, 6xA55	4xA78, 4xA55	4xA73, 4xA53
PCMark for Android	9,912	6,445	9,194	6,020	9,725	NA
-PCMark browsing	6,707	5,599	6,667	5,305	7,443	NA
-PCMark video	5,901	5,439	6,024	3,209	5,887	NA
-PCMark writing	12,340	6,742	10,738	7,511	10,724	NA
-PCMark photo editing	18,660	10,886	23,059	10,714	21,029	NA
-PCMark data manip.	8,323	4,973	8,335	5,772	8,201	NA
Battery capacity	76.6 whr	76.6 whr	76.6 whr	44.5 whr	30.17 whr	???
PCMark Battery test	19:09 hours	19:18 hours	16:33 hours	NA	11:38 Hours	NA
PCMark Battery whr/hr	4.00 whr/hr	3.97 whr/hr	4.63 whr/hr	NA	2.59 whr/hr	NA
PassMark Mobile	14,827	7,229	14,889	8,205	12,070	10,011
AnTuTu	553,103	182,516	547,919	246,923	444,370	162,015
Vellamo Browser	10,916	5,528	11,450	7,644	NA	5,921
Vellamo Metal	5,964	3,299	5,984	4,117	NA	2,858
Vellamo Multicore	7,438	3,235	7,606	3,220	NA	3,840
Geekbench 5 Single	1,136	325	872	473	790	NA
Geekbench 5 Multi	3,055	1,454	3,006	1,509	2,826	NA
Geekbench Open CL	2,908	636	3,149	1,087	2,252	NA
Geekbench Vulkan	3,214	NA	2,869	973	2,443	NA
Max Luminance	913 nits	765 nits	872 nits	582 nits	485 nits	810 nits

What do the benchmarks show? Most importantly that the second generation ZX10 is very significantly quicker than the original model. We're not just talking the often small advances between chip generations — this is real, noticeable extra speed that improves the overall feel of the tablet and that benefits just about every task. Nor surprisingly, the ZX10 G2 is as quick and and feels as lively as the Getac ZX80 we tested last year with the same chip.

And perhaps even more importantly, the new Getac ZX10 largely exceeds the benchmark performance of the Samsung Tab Active4 Pro tablet that's been making inroads in several traditionally rugged markets. And compared to anything based on older ARM chips, it's not even close.

Battery life and strategy

Batteries and battery life play a central role in our modern, technology-dependent lives. Battery size, weight and life can make or break a product, and affect its size and productivity. Electric vehicles became viewed as realistic alternatives to internal combustion vehicles only after "range anxiety" was addressed with longer lasting batteries. A good part of the original Apple iPad's appeal was that there finally was tablet that lasted a full shift and then some. Battery life matters. A tablet used for work must last ten hours or better on a charge.

So how did Getac handle battery in the ZX10? Despite its impressive ruggedness, the ZX10 tablet is remarkably thin, just 0.7 inches. In part that's made possible by the use of two very compact standard batteries that fit flush into the backside of the device. They are barely over a quarter inch thick, a far cry from the big, heavy batteries of not so long ago.

The two 3.84V, 4,990mAh lithium-ion batteries that come with the ZX10 pack 19.16 watt-hours each, for a total of 38.32 watt-hours. That's less than the UX10's single 46.6 watt-hour battery, but more than the Samsung Tab Active4 Pro's 30.17 watt-hours. The Getac specs don't list estimated battery life, but claim "full-shift" operation.

As is, our review unit came with Getac's optional high-capacity batteries, which provide 38.22 watt-hours each. We ran PCMark's comprehensive Work 3.0 battery test and the ZX10 ran for 19 hours and 09 minutes of continuous operation. That's almost exactly the same as we got from the original and much less powerful ZX10. We consider that excellent. And, as an additional plus, the new and more powerful model ran considerably cooler than the first generation ZX10.

Bottomline, Getac's full-shift claim is valid and then some even with the standard batteries. The high-capacity batteries in our test unit provided twice the punch and lasted almost 20 hours, which makes Getac's claim of full-shift operation with the standard batteries more than plausible.

Communications — fast, comprehensive, flexible

Comprehensive communications features are mandatory in today's mobile computers, and the Getac ZX10 covers all the bases.

There's now Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax, a big upgrade compared to the first gen model's 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi. This means a substantial advantage both in speed, efficiency, and less congestion in the new 6GHz band. There's also Bluetooth 5.2, up from version 5.0, likewise providing improved latency and responsiveness, as well as having better audio and overall more efficient operation. A NFC/RFID reader module is optionally available and supports ISO 15963, ISO 14443 A/B, MIFARE and FeliCa.

On the mobile broadband side of things, the ZX10 Gen 2 can be ordered with an optional 4G LTE or 5G Sub-6 module. If so equipped, the ZX10 has both a nano-SIM slot as well as a virtual e-SIM slot so that it can switch between two services. That can be important in the field and on the road where wireless reception of one data service provider or another can be spotty.

Dedicated GNSS support for multiple satellite systems is optional for the second gen ZX10. Here, again, multiple system support can make for better positioning performance in challenging environments, especially where certain satellites don't have line-of-sight. And it's L1/L5 type GPS, which means it supports both the legacy L1 GNSS sgnal as well as the newer and more precise L5 signal. The ZX10 Gen 2 can be ordered with optional RF antenna pass-through for GPS, WLAN and WWAN. Having external antennas can make a big difference on the job, and particularly so in vehicles.

Dual cameras

Like most modern rugged tablets, the Getac ZX10 has front and rear cameras. The front camera offers 8 megapixel resolution and is for high image quality webcam use. If security is a concern, the front camera can be covered up with a manually operated slider — a low-tech solution that works very well. Note that that the front camera has four times the pixels as the one in the Windows-based UX10; cameras are an area where Android devices usually prevail.

The rear camera is for picture taking and documentation. It has a 16-megapixel imager, and the pictures we took were in the camera's 4:3 aspect ratio 4,608 x 3,456 pixel resolution, almost exactly 16-megapixel.

Like in the UX10, Getac supplied its own Camera app. That's not as important in Android as it is in Windows (the standard Windows camera app is mediocre), but it's always good to have an app specially configured for a piece of hardware.

There are eight image settings for the documentation camera with resolutions ranging from QVGA all the way up to 16mp, 12 different resolutions in all. Aspect ratios are 4:3, 16:9, and square. Both cameras can be used for stills as well as for video.

In the settings menu you can toggle timer, grid, angle display and double tap to capture on and off. You can add date, time, GPS coordinates and text to images. You can turn shutter sound and timer beep on and off. You can add prefixes to files as well as store location data and compass direction. You can also force maximum screen brightness when using the camera, the file path, JPEG image quality and set settings via QR code scanning.

When using the camera, you can set exposure compensation, weight balance modes, flash, and photo stamp. There's also an onscreen zoom slider. It's just digital zoom and will thus result in graininess at higher magnifications, but it may come in handy.

The pictures below were shot with the Getac ZX10 G2 in 16mp (4608 x 3456 pixels) mode. Click on the image to bring up a full-size version.

After a bit of practice, the ZX10 documentation camera is capable of taking pictures than are good enough for most job documentation purposes. There is good sharpness and image detail, and little of the massive compression that often renders pictures from integrated cameras almost useless due to artifacting. The documentation camera can also be used for macro shots as close as two inches or so. That can be very helpful. Many users may still opt to use their smartphone or a dedicated camera, but if none is available, the ZX10 integrated camera will do.

Video is far better than what we've seen from cameras integrated into rugged devices even just a few years years ago. Unlike in the initial version of the ZX10 which maxed out at 1080p video, 4K/30 fps video is now available. The camera generally doesn't fall behind and the maximum 3840 x 2160 recording format is very useful.

Ruggedness

Like its UX10 Windows sibling, the Android-based ZX10 is a fully rugged device and designed to perform, as Getac says, "flawlessly under extreme working environments where weather conditions and physical abuse are unavoidable." The tablet can operate between temperatures of -20° and 145° Fahrenheit (-29° to 63°C). Sealing is at the IP66 standard — actually even a bit higher than the UX10's IP65 —, and the machine fills MIL-STD-810H) testing requirements for humidity, altitude, shock, drop, vibration and others. The pictures below show samples of the kind of ruggedness testing Getac performs on all of their computers.

To go into a bit more detail on the individual ruggedness testing categories:

IP ratings refer to Ingress Protection standards for electrical enclosures, with the first number describing the protection level against solids and the second protection against liquids. The ZX10's IP66 rating indicates total protection against dust, and protection against strong jets of water from all directions. That beats the Windows-based UX10 which carries an IP65 rating, the difference being the ZX10's ability to withstand strong jets of water vs low-pressure water jets.

In terms of temperature resistance, the ZX10s's extremely wide -20 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit operating temperature range was measured in accordance with MIL-STD-810H, 501.5 Procedure II and 502.5 Procedure II. The computer also passed non-condensing humidity testing up to 95% per MIL-STD-810H, 507.5 Procedure II, and can operate in altitudes up to 15,000 feet (and obviously in aircraft with pressurized cabins) per MIL-STD-810H, 500.5 Procedure II.

The device is RoHS-compliant. RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances and regulates the use of certain hazardous substances in electronic equipment. The RoHS standard is fully implemented in Europe, with lesser restrictions applying in the US.

Shock, vibration, drop and ESD resistance are all tested according to MIL-STD-810H and other relevant regulatory procedures. Not all results are in the promotional literature or owner's manual (which for now only states "vibration & drop resistant"), so inquire with Getac for specifics and also check Getac's MIL-STD-810H compliance testing table (see here).

With respect to the ever important drop spec, Getac's specs state resistance to drops from six feet. The informal industry standard for such tablets is four feet, because when you drop something while standing, it'll drop from about four feet (as opposed to laptops that are more likely to fall off a table, which is 2.5 to three feet). Passing the six feet drop test is impressive; it gives ZX10 users an extra margin of safety and peace of mind.

I should mention that Getac offers optional ANSI/UL 121201, CSA C22.2 NO. 213 (Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D) certification. There are multiple configuration options to fit desired usage scenarios in potentially explosive environments typically found in the oil and gas, petrochemical, aviation and related industries.

Finally, Getac's rugged mobile computer decontamination document (see here) recommends a number of commonly available disinfectants for the ZX10 — something that remains important even in these post-pandemic times. Those have all been tested for 10,000 swipe-downs at a pressure of 14.22 psi.

Security — all the tools are there

Data and access security is becoming an ever more important issue in mobile computing. For the ZX10, Getac offers an optional Smart Card reader that bolts onto the back of the tablet and an internal HF RFID reader module for additional access security. A Kensington-style lock slot can be used to secure the ZX10 via a steel cable.

Recent versions of Android have seen increasing emphasis on privacy, security and enterprise functionality, and Android 13 adds a number of new or updated security and privacy provisions. Compared to the Android version on the original ZX10, those include overall enhanced permissions management, clipboard data protection, refined notification permissions, a new photo picker that lets users allow individual apps access only to subsets of the media library, and more.

On the hardware side, the QCS6490 chip used in the ZX10 G2 includes security provisions that the SD660-based original ZX10 didn't have. Those include a dedicated "Security Processing Unit" that manages key storage and cryptographic operations, TPM 2.0, and secure boot mechanisms that ensure the integrity and authenticity of the boot process and system firmware.

Docking

Like most rugged tablets, the Getac ZX10 can be used as a mobile tablet being carried around on the job, or it can be mounted in vehicles such as cars, trucks, forklifts, bulldozers, scrapers or almost any other vehicle. This is why Getac and a variety of Getac partners offer a wealth of accessories and peripherals for the ZX10 tablet.

Two vehicle dock examples come from Havis and Gamber Johnson. Havis offers over a dozen of cradle and docking station products for the Getac ZX10, unpowered, powered and with triple pass-throughs for the tablet's external antenna connectors (see here).

Gamber Johnson likewise offers a variety of Getac ZX10 docking stations and pertaining accessories and mounting options to support users in industrial manufacturing, public safety, utility services, transportation, material handling, and many other industries (see here).

Getac itself has a downloadable brochure specifically for all of their ZX10 accessories, well over a dozen of them (see here).

Bright display works that works well indoors and out

The Getac ZX10 display measures 10.1 inches diagonally, the size class of the original iPad, and still the most popular one in tablets today. By comparison, 7-inch tablet displays such as the one of the no longer offered Getac ZX70 are quite small, especially with smartphones now pushing into the seven inch space. While Android was originally designed for small screens, many applications simply work better on more display real estate, and Android really shines on a big 10-inch display.

Generally standard in this class is the ZX10 display's 1,920 x 1,200 pixel resolution, which on a 10.1 inch device translates into a respectable 224 pixels per inch resolution. That's much sharper than most desktop and even laptop displays.

Display size, though, isn't everything. Rugged tablets are used outdoors and often in bright settings and even direct sunlight. Since conventional transmissive LCD displays wash out in daylight, sunlight-readability has become an important selling point for rugged tablets. The current way of making mobile displays more readable outdoors combines optical treatments and filters to control internal reflection with a strong backlight.

There's considerable competition among rugged computer manufacturers about the best way to achieve optimal outdoor and sunlight display viewability. Getac is using their own LumiBond® 2.0 proprietary technology to offers best possible contrast, color saturation, color accuracy, and viewing angle. And since the screen technology is used in rugged systems, LumiBond® 2.0 also offers enhanced moisture resistance, resistance to screen condensation at low temperatures, and in general enhanced ability to handle outdoor use.

This all includes a combination of direct bonding of the various layers that make up modern laptop and tablet screens that not only enhances structural integrity and image clarity, but also cuts down on internal reflection. The latter is crucial as the ratio between the backlight and reflected incoming light determines the effective contrast ratio, which translates into real-world outdoor readability of a display.

Even the best display technology, however, can only do so much without a strong backlight, and here it becomes a bit complicated. The metric for perceived brightness is called "luminance," the power emitted by a light source, and is measured in candela per square meter, usually expressed in "nits" which really is just short for "units".

A standard laptop display is generally in the 200 nits range, and rarely reaches 300 nits. Premium tablets are in the 400-600 nits range. Some heavy-duty rugged gear can get as high as 1500 nits, but that requires a big, heavy battery.

The Getac ZX10 G2 display is rated 1000 nits, a 200 nits increase over the original ZX10 tablet (we measured 913 nits in our lab). In tablets often used outdoors, extra brightness is always appreciated, and though 200 extra nits doesn't make much of a difference, it's appreciated. Brighter screen backlights generally draw more power, but that seems offset by the new generation ZX10's more power-efficient processor.

Compared to the "glossy" displays of almost all smartphones and most tablets today, the Getac ZX10's semi-matte display is significantly less prone to sharp reflections. This is one of the major differences between a vertical/industrial market device carefully designed for outdoor and sunlight use, and a consumer market tablet designed primarily for use indoors. That said, there are some limits here; semi-matte display technology works by diffusing light, and that can show as a degree of milkiness on the display when viewed from certain angles.

As is, the ZX10 display is very good. Both glossy and semi-matte screens have their pros and cons, but outdoors and in the sun, semi-matte's ability to diffuse the sharp reflections of glossy screens can be a distinct advantage. This is about as good as it currently gets.

Included and optional utilities

In the field, users need quick access to often-used functions and applications, and the quicker and easier it is to find and access those functions, the better. For that reason, Getac ships the ZX10 with a number of useful utilities such as Getac Input Method, Getac Camera, and the Getac Settings apps and utilities.

Optionally available are the Getac Driving Safety Utility that has screen blanking function to reduce visual distraction while driving at night, helping drivers stay focused; the Getac OEMConfig that supports a wide range of EMM platforms, Getac Monitoring, and Getac Management.

Below are screen shots of some of those utilities:

Touchscreen input methods: Pen, Glove and Touch

One of the limiting issues with capacitive multi-touch is that in its generic form, it only works with human fingers or, to a lesser extent, with capacitive styli. Capacitive touch doesn't like rain and it won't accept thick gloves and such. Unfortunately, wetness and the need for gloves is exactly what one encounters out there where machines such as the Getac ZX10 are often used.

Getac was one of the first to address these issues, and solutions have been part of the LumiBond® 2.0 technology for several years. There's a special input selection function right on the ZX10's home screen where users can select "Pen," "Glove," or "Touch." Here's how it works:

"Touch" is the default mode. Drops near the hand on the "Touch" icon indicate that touch continues to work "with direct exposure to rain." How exactly Getac does that is part of their intellectual property.

Water is extremely conductive and can easily affects the capacitance between two electrodes, which is the concept upon which projected capacitive touch is built. 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. That precludes the supplied capacitive pen from working in this mode because a fairly large touch area is required.

"Glove" allows the ZX10 to be operated with gloves. That is likely 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. The pen does not work when in glove mode.

"Pen" mode is for use with the dualmode input option that works both with touch and with the pen that comes with the ZX10. While touch continues to work in pen mode, the system will not recognize touch when it senses the pen in use, and vice versa.

As is always the case with such settings, users will have to try them out to get a feel for which mode to use for what conditions.

Summary: Getac ZX10 G2 rugged Android tablet

So that's the second generation of the Getac ZX10 rugged 10-inch Android tablet, announced early 2025. Despite the similarities and differences between the ZX10 and Getac's UX10 Windows tablet, the two are not in direct competition. If Windows and high-end performance are requirements, it's the UX10, even at its substantially higher cost. If Android with its inherent touch-friendliness and massive ecosystem of readily available apps for just about everything is needed, it's the ZX10.

The ZX10's real competition isn't so much from other rugged Android tablets — there aren't many &mfash; but from consumer tablets in a protective case. The Getac ZX10 costs more than a consumer tablet in a case, but it's inherently rugged, specifically designed and built for being used outdoors and on the job, and it most likely is a better deal in the long run.

Compared to the original version, this second generation of the tablet is considerably more powerful, without giving up any battery life. Its processor is much more capable in handling all those emerging AI apps and utilities. Despite it's modest size and weight, the ZX10 can accommodate dual standard or extended batteries, and can run up to 20 hours without any interruption.

Just like Getac's smaller rugged Android tablet, the 8-inch ZX80, the ZX10 (why didn't they call it the ZC100?) is not an Android retrofit of an existing product, it's designed and built for Android from the ground up. And then complemented with a wealth of accessories available to make the tablet as useful and productive as possible.

This makes the Getac ZX10 not just a rugged tablet that also runs Android (and much more quickly in this second generation version), but a fully optimized Android tablet that is also very rugged. Big difference, that. – Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, February 2025

Getac ZX10 G2 Specifications

Status	Introduced January 2025, full review February 2025
Type	Fully rugged Android tablet
Processor	Octa-core Qualcomm QCS6490 (up to 2.7GHz)
Graphics	Qualcomm Adreno 653
OS	Android 13 GMS; with support of at least 5 years of security updates and at least 3 Android OS versions over its lifecycle
Preinstalled software	Getac Camera, Getac Input Method, Getac Driving Safety Utility trial, Getac Log Tool, Getac Diagnostic Tool, Getac Monitoring agent/SDK trial, Getac Management agent/SDK trial, Getac settings, Google applications (Search, Chrome, Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Play, Drive, YouTube music, Google TV, Meet and Photos)
Memory	8GB LPDDR5
Storage	128GB or 256GB UFS
Expansion slots	1 x MicroSD, Dual SIM (Nano-SIM 4FF and e-SIM)
Display type	LumiBond® TFT LCD display with Getac sunlight-readable technology, protection film, 1000 nits luminance
Display size/res	10.1-inch/1920 x 1200 pixel (224 ppi)
Digitizer	Capacitive multi-touch (rain and glove capable)
Buttons	Power button and four programmable buttons
Keyboard	Optional external
Housing	Est: Plastic with rubberized overmold, magnesium sub-frame, and sealed ports
Size	10.8 x 7.56 x 0.7 inches (275 x 192 x 18 mm)
Weight	2.0 lbs. (906 grams) with battery
Operating temperature	-20°F to +145°F (-29°C to +63°C)
Drop test	MIL-STD-810H -- transit drop: 26 drops from 6 feet
Ingress protection	IP66
Vibration	MIL-STD-810H
Humidity	95% RH, non-condensing
Disinfectants	See Getac rugged mobile computer decontamination
Intrinsic safety	Optional ANSI/UL 121201, CSA C22.2 NO. 213 (Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D)
Power	2 x 3.88V, 4,990mAh 19.36 watt-hour Li-Ion, hot-swappable; optional: 2 x 3.88V, 9,980mAh 38.72 watt-hour Li-Ion
Cameras	Front-facing: 8M pixels webcam with mechanical privacy shutter; rear-facing: 16M pixels AF camera
Data collection	Optional 1D/2D imager barcode reader; optional Smart card reader; optional HF RFID/NFC combo reader
Security	Kensington lock; optional HF RFID/NFC combo reader, optional Smart card reader
Interface	1 x USB 2.0 host, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C w/ DP & PD, audio in/out, dock; optional RF antenna pass-through for GPS, WLAN and WWAN
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6E 802.ax, Bluetooth v5.2, optional: dedicated L1/L5 GPS; 4G LTE WWAN, 5G Sub-6, HF RFID/NFC, 1D/2D barcode reader, smart card reader
Price	Inquire
Web page	Getac ZX10 G2 web page
Brochure	Getac ZX10 G2 brochure
Warranty	3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty standard

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