Industrial tablet: 20 models with RS-232 or MIL-STD-461G

All 20 industrial tablets compared

Every model name links to its product page. The values come from the datasheet of the model. “None documented” means the datasheet lists no serial port for that model. It does not say the manufacturer rules one out.

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What “industrial tablet” means on this page

No standard defines an industrial tablet. What usually sets work on machines and plant apart from work outdoors is the link to controllers and equipment nearby: a serial interface for older controllers, or a statement on electromagnetic interference. We turned that into two checks you can repeat in the datasheet. A tablet is listed if its Interfaces row names a serial port, built in or optional, or if its MIL-STD row lists MIL-STD-461G.

Counted over the 34 tablets in our range, 13 datasheets name a serial port in the Interfaces row (6 built in, 7 optional) and 12 list MIL-STD-461G. Five meet both: Durabook R8, Durabook R10, Durabook U11I, RuggON SOL 7 and RuggON PX501 G5. That leaves 8 models listed for the serial port alone and 7 for MIL-STD-461G alone, 20 in total. Ingress protection does not separate the group, because every tablet in the range is rated IP65 or higher. The other 14 tablets are on the rugged tablet overview, which lists all 34.

RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485: built in or optional

6 tablets have serial ports built in, all from RuggON. The RuggON SOL 7 and RuggON PX501 G5 list one RS-232 port each. The other four name several ports and the standards. The RuggON VIKING II 07A lists RS-232 (one with power supply), RS-422 and RS-485. The RuggON VULCAN 10A and RuggON VULCAN 10X list RS-232 with power supply, a combined RS-232/422/485 port, two RS-232 ports and two RS-485 ports. The RuggON VORTEX 07X lists two RS-232 ports with power supply, one RS-232/422/485 port and two RS-232/RS-485 ports.

7 tablets list RS-232 as an option. The datasheet of the Durabook R8 gives 1× or 2× RS-232. On the Durabook R11 and the Durabook R11L the port sits in an optional expansion module, together with an RJ45 port and a smart card reader. The Durabook R10 and Durabook U11I list RS-232 among their optional interfaces. On the Fieldbook P101 and the Fieldbook P122G2 the RS-232 option replaces the RJ45 Ethernet port, so the choice is RS-232 or RJ45, not both.

4 Getac tablets are listed because of MIL-STD-461G and also name a serial port among their expansion options. The Getac F120 and Getac G140 offer a 9-pin D-sub serial port as one of the modules on the top side, each in place of the other top modules. The Getac T800 lists a serial interface among the optional modules of its expansion bay, and the Getac UX10 can be expanded with a serial port. These entries sit outside the Interfaces row and name no standard, so check whether the port is RS-232 before you plan a cable.

An optional port is not part of the base device. Each of the 20 models has a configurator on its product page that lists the options of that model. How the signals are wired and how the standards differ is covered in the articles The RS232 interface, RS-485, RS-422 and RS-232 compared and RS-232 in practice: connector, pin assignment, fault finding.

MIL-STD-461G and electromagnetic compatibility

MIL-STD-461 covers electromagnetic compatibility: how much interference a device emits and how much it tolerates without errors. It does not cover drops, vibration or moisture, which MIL-STD-810 handles. MIL-STD-461 matters when a tablet runs in a vehicle or a tent next to radios and generators, or when a customer specification asks for 461 testing. The article MIL-STD-461F and 461G: EMC testing of rugged devices explains what the line in a datasheet does and does not tell you.

12 of the 20 datasheets list revision G: Durabook R8, Durabook R10, Durabook U11I, Getac T800, Getac UX10, Getac F110 G7, Getac F120, Getac K120, Getac A140, Getac G140, RuggON PX501 G5 and RuggON SOL 7. The Durabook R11 and Durabook R11L list the older revision F. For the Durabook R10 the language versions of the manufacturer sheet differ: the English sheet says MIL-STD-461G and the German sheet says MIL-STD-461F. The table follows the datasheet of the page language, so here revision G.

The manufacturer sheets of the Getac K120, F110 G7, UX10 and A140 list a MIL-STD-461 AC adapter of 90 W as an accessory and note that it is sold separately. The datasheets on this site do not say whether the MIL-STD-461G entry depends on that adapter. Ask before you specify one of these models for a project with an EMC requirement.

Vehicle and dock use, as far as the datasheets show

4 RuggON tablets document power input and ignition handling for vehicles. The RuggON VIKING II 07A lists a 9 to 36 V DC wide-range input with ignition sense, and its datasheet quotes the manufacturer’s description as a compact in-vehicle computer. The RuggON VULCAN 10A lists a 9 to 60 V DC wide-range input with ignition management. The RuggON VULCAN 10X lists a 9 to 60 VDC input with ignition sense, delayed on/off and an internal backup battery for a graceful shutdown. The RuggON VORTEX 07X lists a 9 to 60 VDC input, vehicle power protection to ISO 7637-2 and ignition detection with an adjustable on/off delay. All four list a CAN bus interface, which is optional on the VULCAN 10X. The VIKING II 07A, VULCAN 10A and VULCAN 10X also name SAE J1939. More is in the article CAN bus and J1939 on a vehicle terminal.

The Getac T800 datasheet lists e-Mark certification for vehicle use. Docking is documented as a connector: a 20-pin Pogo connector on the Durabook R8, Durabook R10 and Durabook U11I, a 35-pin Pogo connector on the Durabook R11 and Durabook R11L and a 12-pin docking connector on the RuggON PX501 G5. The datasheets of the Fieldbook P101 and Getac UX10 name vehicle docking stations or vehicle cradles among their accessories. For the other models the datasheets give no supply range or vibration limit for vehicle use, and we do not infer one. More on the use case is on the transport and industry pages.

Windows or Android: what the datasheets say

2 of the 20 tablets run Android 14 with Google Mobile Services: the RuggON VIKING II 07A and RuggON VULCAN 10A. Both have serial ports built in and a CAN bus interface, so a serial connection does not tie you to Windows. The datasheets name Windows for the RuggON VORTEX 07X (Windows 11 IoT Enterprise GAC / LTSC), the RuggON VULCAN 10X (Windows 10 IoT Enterprise as an option), the RuggON SOL 7 and RuggON PX501 G5 (Windows 11 GAC), the Durabook U11I (Windows 11 Professional) and the Fieldbook P122G2, Getac F120 and Getac G140 (Windows 11 Pro). For the other models the datasheet on this site names no operating system, so ask.

Which system fits depends first on the software that has to run on the device. The articles Rugged Windows tablet or rugged Android tablet, Android Enterprise on rugged tablets and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC go through the criteria.

What the datasheets do not show

• Prices, delivery times and availability are not part of this page.
• The 4 Getac module entries name no standard. RS-422 and RS-485 appear only in the datasheets of the RuggON models.
• The Getac K120, F110 G7 and A140 are listed for MIL-STD-461G only. Their datasheets document no serial port.
• The Fieldbook N101G2 lists an RS-232 option on a DB9 connector in its equipment list, but not in the Interfaces row, and it lists MIL-STD-810H only. It is therefore not in the table.
• The datasheets are compiled from the manufacturer sheets and are not manufacturer datasheets. The manufacturer’s own figures are binding.

The tablet comparison shows all 34 tablets side by side. If you need a laptop instead, see industrial laptops with a serial port (RS-232).

Frequently asked questions

Which industrial tablets have a built-in RS-232 port?

6, all from RuggON. The SOL 7 and the PX501 G5 list one RS-232 port each. The VIKING II 07A, VORTEX 07X, VULCAN 10A and VULCAN 10X list several serial ports that include RS-232. All other tablets in the table list RS-232 only as an option or document no serial port.

Which tablets in the table list MIL-STD-461G?

12: Durabook R8, Durabook R10, Durabook U11I, Getac T800, Getac UX10, Getac F110 G7, Getac F120, Getac K120, Getac A140, Getac G140, RuggON PX501 G5 and RuggON SOL 7. The Durabook R11 and R11L list the older revision MIL-STD-461F. For the Durabook R10 the English datasheet says MIL-STD-461G and the German one MIL-STD-461F.

Is there an industrial tablet with Android and a serial port?

Yes, 2. Per datasheet the RuggON VIKING II 07A and VULCAN 10A run Android 14 with Google Mobile Services and have serial ports built in, including RS-232 and RS-485. Both also list a CAN bus interface.

Can I add a serial port to a tablet that does not have one?

Only where the datasheet lists it as an option. 7 tablets in the table list RS-232 as an option (Durabook R8, R10, R11, R11L, U11I and Fieldbook P101 and P122G2). 4 Getac tablets list a serial module among their expansion options (Getac T800, UX10, F120 and G140). The Getac K120, F110 G7 and A140 document no serial port.