You might wonder whether or not it’s worth it to buy a rugged computer. If you want to be sure that your office equipment is going to do what you need it to, the answer is a resounding yes. For real dependability, ruggedized hardware is just about the only option.

Rugged and semi-rugged computers have to meet specific standards, and have been carefully designed for protection against all kinds of damage. Here is a look at a few of the everyday situations in which your computer might be damaged, and how a rugged computer could prevent the problem.

Drops and falls happen all the time – your notebook might fall from a security table or overhead storage during air travel, take a fall from a car seat or tumble around in a car bonnet, or just fall off the surface of your desk. It doesn’t really matter how the drop happens – the outside casing, LCD, and hard drive could all be seriously damaged.

When you use a portable computer in a moving vehicle that doesn’t offer vibration protection, you’re setting yourself up for problems as well. Computers in this kind of use develop internal problems over time, and even suffer keyboard failure. Unless you have a computer that’s been ruggedized, this could be a real problem.

Liquid and moisture are also the enemies of electronics, whether the computer ends up being rained on or just has a drink spilled on it. People who need to work in unusual place may also find that their computers develop internal condensation from changes in temperature. Water or other liquids cause damage to most internal parts of your computer, including the keyboard, hard drive, and other vital areas.

It might seem like dust is less dangerous than liquid until you take a computer to a construction site, storage location or other area where there’s a lot of dust in the air. Particulates can cause serious issues if you’re dealing with moving parts. Disc drives and any other moving component may simply quit functioning.

Extreme temperatures will do a number on high quality electronics without proper insulation or heating and cooling mechanisms. If your car is stored or used outside, in an unheated car, or in a building without climate control, the electrical components and battery are going to suffer.

If you choose a rugged computer instead of the ordinary type, you’ll keep up and working, regardless of the conditions you’re exposed to. It prevents problems in regular offices, too – after all, few of us work in places where there’s no chance a computer will fall, temperature and humidity are constant, and there’s no dust at all.

Failure rates of up to twenty-five percent a year have been reported for non-ruggedized devices. Rugged computers fail at only one and a half percent. The numbers can’t lie – rugged computers are the best way to feel secure that your data and all your work is safe.