Have you ever seen an iPad cry? Would you like to? It's easy -- just plop one next to Panasonic's Toughpad 4K tablet and start comparing specs. The same goes for any other tablet, really. Panasonic has thrown down the gauntlet in terms of performance slates by launching the world's first 20-inch 4K ultra high definition (UHD) tablet.

There's so much going on here it's tough to decide where to begin. Let's start with the obvious -- the 20-inch IPS 10-point multi-touch 4K display. This is a massive touchscreen panel that simply dwarfs all those 7-inch and 8-inch slates on the market, and even larger size tablets in the 10-inch range. Why so big? Panasonic didn't design the Toughpad 4K to just surf the web and fart around on Facebook -- that would be a waste of the hardware, which we'll get to in a moment. No, the Toughpad 4K is specifically designed for engineers and designers who work with CAD and 3D modeling, as well as other professional applications.


Those kinds of tasks requires some serious hardware, and though the Toughpad 4K is a tablet, it brings the goods. This thing is rocking an Intel Core i7 3687U vPro processor clocked at 2.1GHz, 16GB of RAM, 256GB solid state drive, NVIDIA Quadro K1000M graphics, three USB 3.0 ports, LAN port, mini DisplayPort, SDXC card slot, 0.9-megapixel front-facing camera, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, and Windows 8.1 Pro.

"With its unmatched viewing quality, performance and mobility the Toughpad 4K UT-MA6 performance model promises to transform the way that engineers and designers work. With this device they can be more creative, more mobile and more collaborative through the entire work process," said Jan Kaempfer, General Manager-Marketing for Panasonic Computer Product Solutions.


In addition to some serious hardware on the inside, the Toughpad 4K sports a Glass Fiber outer case for added strength and comes with a Panasonic Electronic Touch Pen that recognizes over 2,000 levels of pressure for natural handwriting chores.

It's not clear when the Toughbook 4K will ship in the U.S. For now, Panasonic says the Toughpad 4K UT-MA6 Performance model will be available from April 2014 and will retail from £4,067 (~$6,800) + VAT.