When it comes to hardware design, Zebra knows its customers value the sleek, modern appeal of consumer tablets, but need devices that can stand up to the rigors of real-world work environments. Rather than embracing a traditional "rugged" aesthetic with bulky bumpers and exposed fasteners, Zebra opted for a clean, refined industrial design that subtly suggests toughness. The ET65 features a flush all-glass front, a sleek silhouette, and protective perimeter framing. Its footprint is 10.8 x 7.8 inches, it's 0.7 inches thick, and it starts at around 2.3 pounds — noticeably more robust than a consumer tablet, but still compact and mobile enough for flexible deployment.

Visually, the ET65 strongly resembles a scaled-down version of the 12-inch ET85, which itself draws design cues from the Xplore R12 — a legacy product inherited through Zebra's acquisition of Xplore Technologies. The ET85 continues that chamfered-corner design language, and the ET65 carries it forward in a more compact form.

Enterprise tablets are tools, first and foremost — tools built for work, where functionality, reliability, and practicality take precedence. In that regard, Zebra made several smart design decisions with the ET65. The housing is notably grippier and less slippery than most consumer tablets — a crucial feature given that the ET65 weighs over two pounds. A tablet this size must feel secure in the hand; no one wants to worry about it slipping during use.

Unlike the larger Windows-based 12-inch ET85, the ET65 models include physical buttons. In addition to power and volume controls, there are three programmable buttons that can be mapped to streamline workflows. While touchscreens dominate today's interfaces, physical controls remain invaluable in the field, where gloves, wet hands, or high-pressure environments make quick tactile input more dependable.

As expected, the Android version of the ET65 features fewer ports than its Windows counterpart. Android users generally don't depend on legacy I/O, and modern USB-A and USB-C ports are sufficient for most tasks. The ET65 includes both USB-C and dual USB-A ports, which should cover the majority of connection needs. For anything beyond that, docks and adapters are available.

The ET65 is equipped with both front and rear cameras. Thanks to the generous bezel around the display, there's no need for a screen notch to house the front-facing camera — a welcome detail that preserves both aesthetics and usability. Importantly, both cameras feature physical privacy shutters, ensuring that no software can activate them without your knowledge. In keeping with enterprise needs, the battery is externally accessible and easily replaceable in the field.

The display is surrounded by a fairly wide bezel. While that increases the overall footprint, it has a functional benefit: you can hold the tablet without accidental touches being registered — a common issue with edge-to-edge consumer devices. Being a Zebra product, the ET65 also supports optional enterprise-grade scanning via the integrated SE55 1D/2D imager, with a dedicated scan button on the tablet's left side. Along the bottom edge, you'll find docking pins and no fewer than seven external antenna pass-throughs — a clear nod to the tablet's serious vehicle and field deployment potential.

The composite below shows the Zebra ET65 from the front and all four sides:

While the Zebra Android-based ET65 and the Windows-based ET65W look nearly identical from the front, their left and right sides reveal some key differences driven by their internal architectures.

On the right side, the Android version has two USB 3.1 Type-A ports and a USB Type-C port with DisplayPort 1.2 functionality. Unlike on the Windows version, there is no stylus garage, likely because Android is completely touch-oriented whereas Windows benefits from a stylus. Neither version includes a traditional barrel-style power jack. Instead, charging is through the USB-C port on the Android version and through either of the Thunderbolt 4 ports on the Windows model.

As far as battery power goes, the ET65's standard battery packs 36 watt-hours per specs (but only 33.9 watt-hours on the battery label). In our PCMark for Android battery test, the ET65 lasted 7:44 hours on a full charge. That translates into battery "fuel mileage" of 4.38 watt-hour per hour, about average for this class of machine. The PCMark test is very strenuous, continually exercising the system with various common tasks. On the job, the ET65 should easily last a full shift. If that is not enough, Zebra offers an extended battery that doubles the capacity. Note that while the batteries for the Android and the Windows version of the ET65 series look almost identical, they are not interchangeable.

In terms of performance, the ET65 represents a major step up from the L10, which was powered by the widely used Qualcomm Snapdragon SD660. While both the SD660 and the newer QCM6490 are octa-core chips, that's where the similarities end.

The QCM6490 — part of Qualcomm's "Dragonwing" platform — is a far more modern SoC, introduced roughly four years after the SD660. It replaces the older Kryo 260 cores (based on Cortex-A73/A53) with a combination of much more powerful ARM Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 cores, running at significantly higher clock speeds. Graphics performance sees a substantial boost as well, moving from the Adreno 512 GPU in the SD660 to the far more capable Adreno 643 in the QCM6490.

Perhaps most notably, the QCM6490 includes the Hexagon 770 DSP, a key component of Qualcomm's 6th-generation AI Engine. This enables the ET65 to handle AI-enhanced workloads such as advanced imaging, voice recognition, and sensor fusion far more efficiently — offloading many of those tasks from the main CPU and GPU.

In our experience, systems built around the QCM6490 consistently outperform SD660-based hardware by a factor of approximately 3:1, depending on workload. That makes the ET65 not just an upgrade — it's a generational leap in capability.

Our extensive benchmark testing confirms that the ET65 delivers a substantial level of performance. In today's fast-moving tech landscape, hardware is constantly evolving, and competition is fierce. That said, the ET65 is clearly a major leap ahead of devices still relying on previous-generation technology, and it holds its own against many of the latest offerings in the rugged and enterprise space.

As a result, the ET65W isn't just optimized for the Windows ecosystem; it also integrates AI-focused capabilities designed to enhance workflows, boost productivity, and support smarter, more efficient task management. Powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor with an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), the ET65W is equipped to run AI-driven applications and utilities natively, offloading such workloads from the CPU and GPU to deliver faster, more responsive performance.

Visually, the Windows-based Zebra ET65W is nearly indistinguishable from its Android counterpart. Both share the same dimensions — 10.8 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches — and an identical overall design. The key difference is weight: the ET65W starts at approximately 2.6 pounds, about a third of a pound heavier than the Android version. That extra weight comes from the significantly different internal architecture. Unlike the passively cooled Android model, the Windows-based ET65W requires active cooling, incorporating a fan and heat exchanger.

The front face of the ET65W is virtually identical, featuring the same 10-inch display, six physical buttons (three programmable function keys, volume or brightness down and up, and power/sleep), and the same flush-glass styling. Along the bottom edge, both versions share the same surface-mount docking pins for keyboard and accessory connection, as well as identical external antenna pass-throughs for vehicle or field deployment.

The composite below shows what the Zebra ET65W looks like from the front and from all four sides:

While the Zebra ET65W and Android-based ET65 look nearly identical from the front, their left and right sides reveal some key differences driven by their internal architectures.

On the right side, the Windows-based ET65W features one USB 3.1 Type-A port, a USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 support, and a garage for a small stylus. The Android version, by contrast, offers two USB 3.1 Type-A ports and a USB Type-C port with DisplayPort 1.2 functionality — but no stylus garage.

On the left side, the ET65W adds a second Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-C port, whereas the Android version has no ports on that side. Both models, however, include a programmable scanner trigger button on the left edge.

Neither version includes a traditional barrel-style power jack. Instead, charging is handled via USB-C — through either of the Thunderbolt 4 ports on the Windows model or through the USB-C port on the Android version.

Along the top edge, both models include a manually operated privacy shutter for the front-facing camera (in slightly different locations), as well as a window for the optional integrated barcode scanner. The ET65W also features a top-mounted exhaust vent for its internal cooling fan — a necessary addition due to the active thermal management required by its more powerful Intel processor.

As far as battery power goes, the ET65W's standard battery packs 36 watt-hours per specs (but only 33.9 watt-hours on the battery label). In our PCMark battery test, the ET65W lasted 5:07 hours on a full charge. That translates into battery "fuel mileage" of 6.63 watt-hour per hour, over two watt-hours per hour more than the Android version. The PCMark test is very strenuous, continually exercising the system with various common tasks. On the job, the ET65W may still fall short of a full shift. If that is an issue, Zebra offers an extended battery that doubles the capacity. Note that while the batteries for the Android and the Windows version of the ET65 series look almost identical, they are not interchangeable.

Both versions of the ET65 feature the same optically bonded 10.1-inch display, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. Resolution is 1920 x 1200 pixels, and brightness is rated at a very high 1000 nits — more than sufficient for outdoor and high-glare environments. While the display hardware is the same across both platforms, the Windows-based ET65W is equipped with what Zebra calls an "AI-enabled" touchscreen. This enhanced touch interface improves accuracy and responsiveness and can automatically adapt to input method — whether finger, glove, passive or active stylus, or use in rain. The optional stylus is compatible with the Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP) 2.0.

Under the hood, however, the hardware differences between the two models are substantial — and expected, given that Windows was originally developed for desktop computing, while Android evolved from mobile roots as a smartphone OS. The ET65W supports up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of removable M.2 PCIe NVMe solid-state storage. The Android-based ET65, in contrast, is equipped with a fixed 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard UFS flash storage.

There's also a large disparity in processing power and architecture. The ET65W is available with a choice of four Intel Core Ultra processors, each with a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 to 57 watts. The Android model, by comparison, runs on Qualcomm's QCM6490 system-on-chip, which typically draws only 5 to 7 watts — a significant power and thermal efficiency advantage, though at the expense of raw computational performance.

What sets the Intel Core Ultra line apart is its forward-looking architecture. These 14th-generation "Meteor Lake" chips depart from traditional CPU design and incorporate integrated NPUs — Neural Processing Units — specifically to handle AI workloads. Unlike conventional sequential logic processing, AI tasks are massively parallel and require specialized hardware to be handled efficiently. That's where Intel's NPU, branded Intel AI Boost, comes in — offloading AI tasks from the CPU and GPU to ensure optimal performance and responsiveness for next-gen applications. Below is a table that shows the four Core Ultra processors Zebra ET65W customers can pick from (for direct link to the full table, click here):

Zebra ET65W: Available Intel Core Ultra processor options

Available CPUs	Intel Core Ultra i7	Intel Core Ultra i7	Intel Core Ultra i5	Intel Core Ultra i5
Model	165U	155U	135U	125U
Cores/Threads	12/14 (2 power, 8 efficient)	12/14 (2 power, 8 efficient)	12/14 (2 power, 8 efficient)	12/14 (2 power, 8 efficient)
Performance Core Base Speed	1.70 GHz	1.70 GHz	1.60 GHz	1.30 GHz
Performance Core Turbo Speed	4.90 GHz	4.80 GHz	4.40 GHz	4.30 GHz
TDP Base/Max Turbo	15/57 watts	15/57 watts	15/57 watts	15/57 watts
Smart Cache	12MB	12MB	12MB	12MB
Integrated graphics	Intel Graphics	Intel Graphics	Intel Graphics	Intel Graphics
Graphics max speed	2.00 GHz	1.95 GHz	1.90 GHz	1.85 GHz
Intel Stable Image Platform Program	Yes	No	Yes	No
Intel Active Management Technology	Yes	No	Yes	No
Intel Trusted Execution	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Intel vPro	Yes, Enterprise	Yes, Essentials	Yes, Enterprise	Yes, Essentials

All of the available Intel Core Ultra processor options for the ET65W deliver strong performance and, as of mid-2025, remain close to the cutting edge — though, in tech, that's always a moving target. Between the four processor choices, differences are relatively minor, primarily involving clock speeds for both CPU and integrated GPU. For many enterprise customers, Intel's integrated advanced security and management technologies may matter more than the marginal variations in raw performance. As noted earlier in the comparison table, a few of these features are highlighted — though Intel lists over three dozen such technologies that may or may not be implemented depending on the specific processor configuration.

To evaluate real-world CPU performance, we tested our Zebra ET65W review unit equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U using several industry-standard benchmarking tools. These included PassMark PerformanceTest versions 6.1 and 9.0, the widely used PCMark 10 suite, Geekbench 5, and the 3DMark Time Spy graphics benchmark. We also ran CrystalMark, one of our long-standing benchmarks that provides useful insight into single-core CPU performance.

We compared the results with other 10.1-inch rugged tablets previously tested in our lab. The performance figures are as follows:

On the IT side, administrators can program hardware keys as shortcuts to and in applications, or call frequently used functions. Device functionality can be enabled or disabled depending on deployment requirements. This allows optimization of the tablet for various operating modes and conditions. For example, IT may limit the maximum display brightness for indoor deployments in order to preserve battery life. A system management screen provides quick device info as well as customized comprehensive system data logs in over a dozen areas.

On the user side, having a quickly accessible central hub is much easier than having to wade through the full Windows settings menus or having to use multiple utilities. Programmable shortcuts can also greatly enhance productivity in application software, as can the ability to quickly reconfigure the tablet for different usage modes or personal preferences.

Below are the four Zebra Control Hub sections — Productivity, Tablet Modes, System Management, and Help. Click/tap on the image for a larger version.

Touchscreens have come a long way since the early days of tablet computing. Over the years, numerous technologies have vied for dominance, each with its strengths and limitations. Today, projected capacitive multi-touch has become the standard across smartphones, tablets, and even many industrial and commercial devices. We've grown accustomed to the smooth tapping, dragging, pinching, and zooming that capacitive touch makes possible.

But capacitive touch isn't without flaws. Finger input, for instance, lacks precision. That's not a problem for mobile operating systems like Android or iOS, which were designed from the ground up for touch. Windows, by contrast, was built for a mouse. While Windows 10 and 11 are more touch-friendly than their predecessors, portions of the interface still work best with a precise pointing device.

Some tablets offer different operating modes — glove mode, pen mode, wet mode, etc. — to accommodate varied input conditions. But switching between modes usually means digging into system settings and waiting for the device to reconfigure. That's not always practical in the field—and in some cases, such as sudden rainfall, the screen may already be too impaired to navigate menus.

Zebra solves this problem with its AI-enabled touchscreen, powered by the SigmaSense SDC300 controller. A dedicated sensing layer continuously monitors the display surface, intelligently classifies the type of input — finger, stylus, glove, or wet — and dynamically shifts to the appropriate touch mode in real time.

Early hopes were pinned on handwriting recognition to solve the keyboard problem. It helped in some use cases but never became a universal solution. The reality is that in many situations, especially in the enterprise world, nothing beats a physical keyboard for fast, accurate, and comfortable input.

Over the years, various hybrid and detachable keyboard concepts have emerged, trying to bridge the gap between tablets and laptops. Many proved too heavy, too awkward, or too fragile. Permanently attached keyboards add bulk and reduce the tablet's mobility. Detached keyboards can be unreliable or clumsy in the field. In truth, there's no perfect solution — but there are good, workable ones, and Zebra offers one of them for the ET65 platform.

Zebra's optional 2-in-1 keyboard is custom-designed for the ET6 series. The tablet locks securely into a reinforced friction hinge, converting it into a fully functional laptop — albeit a relatively heavy one at roughly 4.5 pounds total. This is typical for rugged 2-in-1s, where durability and utility take priority over sleekness.

To address weight distribution and balance — a common problem in 2-in-1 designs, where the "screen" contains the entire computer and battery — Zebra integrated a sturdy carry handle into the keyboard base. Unlike some competing units, the ET65 keyboard does not add additional ports or a secondary battery. It just wants to be a rugged, reliable full-function keyboard, with 78 island-style keys, a touchpad, and separate left and right mouse buttons. It supports a full range of tilt angles, including laying flat, and integrates with Zebra's docking ecosystem. It's IP65 sealed, Kensington lock-compatible, and features backlighting with both color and brightness controls.

Zebra describes the keys as "full-sized," but that deserves some clarification. A standard 100% full-size QWERTY layout measures exactly 6.75 inches from the center of the "Q" key to the center of the "P" key, something touch typists rely on and even casual users intuitively expect. On the Zebra ET65 keyboard, that distance is just 6 inches, making it 89% scale. There's enough room on the device for a full-size layout — especially if narrower keys had been used for lesser-used functions — so this feels like a missed opportunity.

As is, rugged systems customers expect a rugged tablet to meet certain standards. That includes surviving drops, resisting vibration, withstanding rain, dust, and extreme temperatures, continuing to function in unpredictable field conditions and so on. Zebra very well knows the environments their customers operate in — whether that's manufacturing floors, logistics hubs, public safety vehicles, or outdoor fieldwork, and ET65 tablets are designed to meet and exceed the real-world demands of those jobs.

To determine real world ruggedness, systems must pass a variety of MIL-STD-810H tests, the U.S. military's benchmark for environmental durability. In these tests, the ET65 survived drops from up to five feet onto concrete, with the Windows versions' spec mentioning also six feet to plywood over concrete. It handles exposure to shock and vibration — a key requirement for vehicle-mounted or mobile use — per MIL-STD-810H Method 514.8 and 516.8. It can handle extreme operating temperatures ranging from -20°F to 145°F (-29°C to 63°C) for the Windows version, and -4°F to 131°F (-20°C to 55°C) for the passive-cooled Android version. On the Android side, there's also a special heated "freezer" model that can handle -22°F to 131°F (-30°C to 55°C).

The tablet is also IP66-rated, which means it's fully protected against dust ingress and can withstand strong water jets from any direction. The optional keyboard is IP65 rated, fully dust-proof, and it can handle low-pressure water jets.

For specialized use cases, Zebra also offers configurations of the ET65 that are certified for use in Class 1, Division 2 hazardous locations, which may be mandatory for certain industries such as petrochemical, mining, or utilities where explosive gases may occasionally be present. And for regulated environments like hospitals or transportation hubs, the ET65 complies with electromagnetic compatibility and emissions standards so it won't interfere with sensitive systems.

As the above image shows, the Zebra ET 65 tablets were designed as 2-in-1 devices. They are pure tablets, but with the optional keyboard — designed specifically for the ET6 series — they can be used both as tablets or as full-function laptops with an integrated handle.

Overall, the line consists of four models, an ET60 and an ET65 version for each OS. The primary difference is that the ET65 models include mobile broadband whereas the ET60 models don't.

The Android-based ET60/ET65 models efficiently run on a powerful octacore Qualcomm QCM6490 processor. The tablets benefit from "Zebra DNA" — a powerful suite of enterprise-grade software based on the company's decades' worth of Android experience, as well as a massive portfolio of scanners, printers and accessories.

The Windows-based ET60W/ET65W models — launched 16 months after the Android versions — runs on high-performance mobile Intel Core Ultra processors that include NPUs (neural processing units) to power not online onboard AI features such as AI-enabled touch screens and audio, but also make the line suitable for running advanced AI custom programming.

Combined, the Zebra ET6 tablets are highly competitive in both the Android and Windows segments of the Tier 1 rugged tablet market. -- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, July 2025

Zebra ET60/ET65 specifications

Version	ET65W Windows version	ET65 Android version
Status	Full review 06/2025	Full review 06/2025
Product type	Rugged 2-in-1 Windows tablet	Rugged 2-in-1 Android tablet
Processor	Intel Core Ultra i7 165U (10 cores, 4.9 GHz max turbo) Intel Core Ultra i7 155U (10 cores, 4.8 GHz max turbo) Intel Core Ultra i5 135U (10 cores, 4.4 GHz max turbo) Intel Core Ultra i5 125U (10 cores, 4.3 GHz max turbo)	Octa-core Qualcomm QCM6490 (4 x Cortex-A55, 3 x Cortex-A78, 1 x Cortex-A78 fast)
Graphics	Intel Core Ultra i7 165U: Intel Graphics 2.00GHz Intel Core Ultra i7 155U: Intel Graphics 1.95GHz Intel Core Ultra i5 135U: Intel Graphics 1.90GHz Intel Core Ultra i5 125U: Intel Graphics 1.85GHz)	Qualcomm Adreno 643 (up to 812MHz)
OS	Windows 11 Pro or 11 IoT Enterprise	Android 13, 14, support through 16
Memory	8 to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM	8GB RAM
Display type	Optically bonded transmissive LCD with Gorilla Glass, night-vision mode, 1,000 nits luminance (900 nits as tested)	Optically bonded transmissive LCD with Gorilla Glass, night-vision mode, 1,000 nits luminance (915 nits as tested)
Display size and resolution	16:9 10.1-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel (226 ppi)	16:9 10.1-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel (226 ppi)
Digitizer/Pens	Capacitive multi-touch, AI-powered touch control, passive stylus, Corning Glass, MPP 2.0 Active Pen compatible	Multi mode capacitive multi-touch with bare or gloved fingertip input or conductive stylus, Corning Glass, anti-smudge, fingerprint resistant
Keyboard	Power; Scan; Up/Down (volume or brightness); three programmable keys	Power; Scan; Up/Down (volume or brightness); three programmable keys
Storage	128GB up to 2TB tool-less user removable M.2 2230 PCIe NVMe SSD Also 256GB or 512 GB tool-less user removable M.2 2230 Opal SED SSD	128 GB UFS Flash
Slots	ET65W only: 1 x eSIM, 1 x Nano SIM	User accessible MicroSD card; supports up to 2 TB; ET65 only: 1 x eSIM, 1 x Nano SIM
Operating temperature	-20° to 145°F (-29° to 63°F	-4° to 131°F (-20° to 55°F)
Humidity	5-95% non-condensing	5-95% non-condensing
Drop	Exceeds MIL-STD-810H 5 ft. (1.5m) to concrete; meets MIL-STD-810H 6 ft. (1.8m) to plywood over concrete	5 ft./1.5 m drop to concrete exceeds MIL-STD-810H
Vibration	MIL-STD-810H Method 514.8 and 516.8	MIL-STD-810H Method 514.8 Operating, MIL-STD-810H Method 514.8 E-1 Minimum Integrity 7.7 Grms non-operating
Enclosure Class	IP66 per IEC 60529	IP66 per IEC 60529
Electrostatic discharge	± 15kV air discharge; ± 8 kV contact; ± 8 kV indirect	± 15kV air discharge; ± 8 kV contact; ± 8 kV indirect
EMI	MIL-STD-461G, MIL-STD-464D (HERO Certification), EN 55032, EN 55024	Unknown
HasLoc	Class 1 Division 2 (select configs)	Class 1 Division 2
Size (inches)	10.8 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches (275mm x 199mm x 18.3mm)	10.8 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches (275mm x 199mm x 18.3mm)
Weight	2.6 lbs (1.2kg)	2.3 lbs (1.07kg)
Power	Standard capacity: 36Wh Extended capacity: 72Wh	Standard capacity: 33.4Wh Extended capacity: 66.8Wh
Sensors	Ambient light, motion, magnetometer, fingerprint	Ambient light, motion, magnetometer, humidity
Camera(s)	Front: 5MP with privacy shade, IR Windows Hello; Rear: 13mp AF w/ flash;	Front: 8MP with privacy shade; Rear: 16mp AF w/ flash; camera scanning 1D/2D barcodes; optional OCR for documents, license plates, VINs and more
Scanning	Integrated SE55 1D/2D	Integrated SE55 1D/2D
Wireless	WiFi 6E, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Class 1 Bluetooth 5.4 BLE; WWAN (ET65W only) 4G LTE, 5G; GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BDS (BeiDou), Galileo, QZSS), NFC	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/, Class 1 Bluetooth 5.2 BLE; WWAN (ET65W only) 4G LTE, 5G; GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS Dual-Band), NFC
Interface	1 x USB-A 3.1, 2 x Thunderbolt4/USB4 Type-C ports	2 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x USB-C 3.1 with DisplayPort 1.2 support,
Price	Inquire	Inquire
Product page	Zebra ET65W product page	Zebra ET65W Android product page
Warranty	3 years	3 years