Do keypad PDAs have touchscreens too?

Yes. The CK65 has a 4-inch and the CK67 a 4.3-inch Gorilla Glass touchscreen together with a physical keypad, and the PM352 also uses a 4-inch screen with numeric and alphanumeric keypads.

What should sites that often drop PDAs look at?

Look at drop height and tumble count. The CK65 is rated for 3 m drops at room temperature, 2.4 m across the operating temperature range, and 3,000 tumbles at 1 m; the TC22 is rated for repeated 1.5 m drops with a protective case.

Do cold storage PDAs use a different battery?

Yes. The Honeywell CK65 cold storage model uses a dedicated 18.7 Wh battery instead of the standard model's 25.2 Wh (7,000 mAh) battery, and its lower operating temperature limit drops from -20°C on the standard model to -30°C.

How to choose an industrial PDA: input type, connectivity, scan range, and environment

Choose an industrial PDA by deciding 4 things in order: input type, connectivity, scan range, and operating environment. For sites that enter many numbers while wearing gloves, the keypad type fits. For delivery and inspections taken outside the building, choose a cellular model; for high rack labels, a long-range engine; and for -30°C freezer warehouses and hazardous areas, there are dedicated configurations.

7 representative models compared

Model	Form and display	Connectivity	Sealing	Operating temperature
Zebra TC22	Smartphone type, 6-inch	Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (cellular on the TC27)	IP68 and IP65	-10 to 50°C
Honeywell CT32	Smartphone type, 6-inch	Wi-Fi 6E, 5G on WWAN models	IP65 and IP68	-20 to 50°C
M3 Mobile SL20 (2024 X/W edition)	Smartphone type, 5.45-inch	Wi-Fi, LTE on X models	IP67 (2020 edition IP65)	-20 to 55°C
Point Mobile PM352	Keypad type, 4-inch	Wi-Fi 6E, LTE models	IP65	-20 to 50°C
Honeywell CK65	Keypad type, 4-inch	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	IP65 and IP68	-20 to 50°C (cold storage model -30°C)
Honeywell CK67	Keypad type, 4.3-inch	Wi-Fi 6E, 5G on X1N models	IP65 and IP68	-20 to 50°C (cold storage model -30°C)
i.safe MOBILE IS540.1	Intrinsically safe smartphone, 6-inch	5G and LTE, Wi-Fi 6	IP68	-20 to 55°C (explosion protection standard)

Weight difference between smartphone and keypad types

Among smartphone types, the TC22 weighs 236 g with a 3,800 mAh battery, the CT32 269 g, and the 2024 edition SL20 250 g with a 5,000 mAh battery, so they are carried in a pocket. For work that involves looking at and tapping the screen a lot, such as in-store price checks, inventory counts, and delivery apps, these are more convenient.

The keypad CK65 weighs 498 g and the CK67 516 g, close to twice the smartphone types; in exchange, they are chosen for entering quantities with physical keys while wearing gloves and for ordering alphanumeric or numeric layouts. The 4-inch PM352 weighs 320 g, fitting sites that need a keypad but find the weight a burden.

Wi-Fi models and cellular models

If used only inside the building, a Wi-Fi model is enough. The TC22 is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth only, and if 5G or 4G is needed in the same body, choose the TC27. Using 6 GHz band Wi-Fi 6E on the TC22 requires a separate Zebra Mobility DNA Enterprise license.

Even within the same model, cellular or not is split by order number. If it is taken out beyond Wi-Fi reach, such as for delivery or field inspections, order the CK67 as the X1N model with 5G, and the 2024 edition SL20 as the X model with LTE.

Working range by scan engine

The SL20's SE4710 engine reads 20 mil Code 39 at 5.08-76.2 cm, suiting products in hand or box labels right in front. The CT32's S0803-FR (FlexRange) engine reads up to 11 m.

To read location labels high on racks from the floor, choose a long-range engine that reads up to 11-27 m. The CK65 with the FlexRange XLR engine reads 7.6 cm-24.3 m, and the CK67 with the FlexRange ULR (S0903-UR) engine reads 13 mil UPC-A from 6.0 cm and 100 mil Code 39 out to 27.27 m.

Configurations for freezer warehouses and hazardous areas

Freezer warehouses use cold storage models with a lower operating temperature limit of -30°C. The CK65, CK67, and CN80 have separate cold storage configurations, while the smartphone types in the table have a lower limit of -20°C or -10°C.

Only explosion-protection certified equipment is carried into gas or dust explosion hazard areas. As a device to carry into areas rated for gas and dust hazards, there is the IS540.1, certified for both international ATEX and IECEx Zone 1/21 and Korean KCs explosion protection. Its operating temperature differs by the standard applied: -20 to 55°C under the explosion protection standard and -10 to 50°C under the general electrical safety standard.

Operating system support period and battery replacement

PDAs are used for years, so check the Android support range. The CK67 guarantees support by version from Android 14 through 18, and the SL20, based on the 2020 edition, requires an M3 SPEED CARE contract for upgrades after Android 11.

For all-day use across shifts, choose a hot-swap model that changes batteries without powering off. The CK67 changes batteries within 60 seconds, the PM352 keeps its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections if the battery is changed within 30 seconds, and the SL20 also briefly maintains its wireless connection during the change.

The Windows Embedded-based PM450 already in use is not in Point Mobile's current list as of September 2026, so compare replacements with Android models such as the PM352. For cases that use only a scanner instead of a PDA, see types of barcode scanners.