Vehicle-mounts aren't generally carried around and thus aren't likely be dropped as will inevitably happen to handhelds and tablets. They will, however, be subjected to much more vibration and shock. That’s why the required ruggedness characteristics of a heavy-duty panel computer or Vehicle-mount computer are different from those of a rugged mobile system.

Since panel computers are not mobile systems to be carried around, they have no internal battery (other than a possible backup battery or uninterruptible power supply). Instead, the devices use DC power via conventional external AC adapters. Winmate's standard configurations use 12 Volt DC with lockable power connectors. For applications that require a wide/variable input power range, Winmate offers a 9 to 36 Volt (for Intel Bay Trail-based panels) and 9 to 24 Volt (for ARM Freescale-based models) wide-range power option.

Winmate's Flat aluminium P-Cap panel PCs and display go beyond that of the standard industrial panel computes with elegant, edge-to-edge design, Easy to maintain and clean, to prevent water or liquid droplets penetrates every opening in the device.

Winmate offers the Heavy Duty Panel Computers in two version, GC series that is sealed to the front IP65 Level and GS series that carries full IP65 sealing. What do the ratings mean ? The “6” means both versions are totally protected against dust. It’s the highest solids rating a device can get. The second number indicates protection against liquids. A “5” means the device is protected against water sprayed from all directions, with limited ingress permitted. That’s generally good enough if a computer is just occasionally subjected to rain or splashing.