X2 Computing X2372 Review

X2 Computing announced a seven-inch tablet that runs Windows 7 on a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor. The ruggedized X2372 has up to 2GB of RAM and 64GB of SSD (solid state disk) storage, a resistive touchscreen with 1024 x 600 pixels, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, plus options including an encrypted PIN pad and a three-track MSR (magnetic stripe reader), the company says.

Evesham, U.K.-based X2 didn’t disclose the X2372’s origin, but it seems clear to us that the device is a rebadged version of the DT Research DT372, announced earlier this year at the National Retail Federation (NRF) show in New York. Both tablets share identical specs, are oriented toward inventory/warehousing and point-of-sale (POS) applications, and have spiky corners that show they’re more than just iPad wannabees.

According to X2, the X2372 (above) meets IP54 and IP64 standards for resistance to water and dust, plus the MIL-STD-810G standard for enduring vibration and shock. The tablet has a seven-inch screen with resistive touch and a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, the company says.

Key for POS applications is the available PIN pad pictured, which hangs from the back of the device — and, when DT Research unveiled it in January, was claimed to be the only one available for any mobile tablet. Employed with the similarly available MSR (magnetic stripe reader), the keypad allows credit or debit cards to be scanned wherever a customer is, and is said to ensure that all data is transferred to collection servers using PCI-certified encryption.

According to X2, other available options for the X2372 include an RFID reader (HF 13.56MHz), a smart card reader, a 1D/2D barcode scanner, and a two megapixel camera. An optional 3G module uses a Qualcomm Gobi 2000 chipset to support GSM or CDMA cellular networks, the company adds.

X2 says the X2372 runs Windows 7, Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows XP, Windows XP Embedded, or Linux on a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor. The tablet comes with 1GB or 2GB of RAM, plus 32GB or 64GB of SSD storage.

Features and specifications listed by X2 for the X2372 include:

• Processor — Intel Z530 clocked at 1.6GHz
• Chipset — Intel SCH US15W
• Memory — 1GB or 2GB of RAM
• Storage — 32GB or 64GB SSD
• Display — 7-inch screen with resistive touch and 1024 x 600 pixel resolution
• Camera — 2 megapixel (optional)
• Keys — 1 power button, 5 front buttons, 1 trigger button
• Networking:
  • WLAN — 802.11a/b/g/n
  • PAN — Bluetooth 2.1
  • WWAN — GSM or CDMA cellular via Gobi 2000 module (optional)
• Other wireless options:
  • 1D/2D barcode scanner (optional)
  • RFID reader (optional)
  • smart card reader (optional)
• Other I/O:
  • magnetic stripe reader (optional)
  • PIN pad (optional)
  • 1 x USB 2.0
  • audio — mic in and headphone out
• Power — 3700mAh battery (life n/s)
• Operating range — 32 to 104 deg. F (0 to 40 deg. C)
• Dimensions — 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches
• Weight — 2.43 pounds

X2 also offers three related tablets, the X2312, X2362, and X2390, that use the same Atom Z530 processor as the X2372 and have similar features. With 10.4-, 8.4-, and 8.9-inch screens, respectively, they too have DT Research antecedents.