Advertisement

You Grade The Brands: Fujitsu Notebooks

January 22nd, 2010 by K. T. Bradford  

rating_fujitsu_shIn 2009 we reviewed more than 130 notebooks and netbooks, rating each according to design, performance, usability and more. We usually focus on individual systems, but over time we’ve been able to identify trends based on the vendor. Now it’s Fujitsu’s turn in the spotlight. Evaluating this brand is somewhat difficult because we only received three systems from the vendor in 2009. Though we don’t have a huge sample to work with, we were still able to glean some insights when considering the notebooks in relation to each other and the competition. Check out Fujitsu’s strengths and weaknesses then sound off in the comments and tell us what you think of the brand and about your own experiences. Without your input, our report card will be incomplete.

Strengths

Fujitsu’s focus is mainly on business notebooks. Though we only saw one in 2009 — the multitouch, convertible LifeBook T4410 tablet – the average star rating for those we saw in 2008 was 3.5, the same rating the T4410 received. Overall the business systems we’ve seen are solid performers, and last year’s offering also pleased us by being affordable for a tablet.

The two touch-enabled systems we saw last year both offered a good experience when working with our fingers and the stylus. It was also nice to see Fujitsu catching up a bit with the competition and introducing multitouch in their full-size tablet convertible.

Weaknesses

Though the company produces solid, decent notebooks, we’re rarely wowed by them. The three systems we saw last year had some good qualities but nothing that made them stand out from the crowd in their respective categories.

We were also disappointed that the laptops were behind the curve in terms of features and functionality. The M2010 netbook looked nice and performed well yet had a sub-par keyboard and tragically short battery life. Given that netbooks from 2008 were able to best Fujitsu’s 2009 offering in these areas (not to mention on price) this was a disappointing showing at best.

Fujitsu has also been a bit behind the curve when it comes to design. Though the LifeBook T4410 boasted multitouch, other business notebooks were updating their designs with new colors and brushed metal cases, making the T4410 look a bit dated.

Report Card

The M2010 netbook received the lowest star rating of the three: 2.5. The LifeBook U820 mini notebook is next with 3 stars, and the LifeBook T4410 notched the highest with 3.5. Fujitsu received a decent grade of B- in our Tech Support Showdown, way up from a grade of D+ in 2008.

Last year Fujitsu’s US notebook division updated 24 of its existing models and released 9 new platforms. At CES the company announced eight new LifeBook laptops and tablets for the coming year. With super-fast USB 3.0 around the corner and the inclusion of Core i5 and i7 chips in the newest crop, we’re hoping that Fujitsu will be able to distinguish itself in the market in the coming months.

Now It’s Your Turn

Do you own a Fujitsu laptop? Owned one in the recent past? What does Fujitsu get right and where does the company need improvement? Tell us how you’d grade Fujitsu and explain why in the comments.

Poll
What grade would you give Fujitsu notebooks as a group?
 
A
B
C
D
F
| Results
 Comments (4 Responses) 

Our Related Content

From Other Sites

Related Deals

 

4 Responses to “You Grade The Brands: Fujitsu Notebooks”

  1. C.Brooks Says:
    January 22nd, 2010 at 11:27 pm

    I have had 3 Fujitsu Laptops and am on my first Black Macbook now.
    I also have a 24″ iMac with a 2.4 processor. I love it to bits and have no real need to upgrade.
    Laptops are a different story and find I need to replace after 2-3 years from so much use on my travels.
    The build quality of Fujitsu is outstanding and all my Fujitsu Laptops have been problem free except the DVD player. This died after 2.5 years & replaced with a non Fujitsu and still goes very well with a family member.
    The only other problems have been what I created.
    Vista & the lack of a decent graphic card encouraged me to try out a Mac. The build quality on the plastic Mac is not so good and the DVD unit had to be replaced after 8 months (under guarantee).
    Snow Leopard is great (but with Office for Mac on board of course) and the Macbook works seamlessly.
    I have my eye on the new generation Fujitsu laptops & will await their full reviews.
    I like the extremely portability of Fujitsus and their excellent build quality. The improved processor with turbo
    will be boon when editing photos. I am no gamer so so have no use for the fancy add-ons required for gaming.
    The only decent comparison for me is the Lenovo T400 with the switchable graphics, except its weight.
    There is bloatware to remove but that is not a problem.
    Windows 7 seems to be worth a try and I consider Fujitsu a more reliable with better build than the plastic Mac.

  2. Chris Says:
    January 22nd, 2010 at 11:57 pm

    I have a Fujitsu Lifebook S6520. When I was shopping for a notebook last Spring/Summer, I was looking for something business-oriented that would be rock-solid reliable, that would offer fantastic performance, and that would be portable. Did I make the right choice? It hasn’t been long enough to weigh in on reliability, but the components and build quality seem first rate compared to Dells and even Apples that I’ve owned previously. My take on the machine:

    Pros:
    (1) Small footprint for a 14″ notebook.
    (2) Lightweight. Under 4lbs with DVDRW, less than that with modular bay cover, and slightly more than 4lbs with the bay battery.
    (3) Fast P9700 processor. The first notebook I saw that offered that CPU
    (4) No bloatware. It boots Windows 7 Pro (x64) in 25-30 seconds.
    (5) I added the Intel X25M SSD myself – no credit to Fujitsu there. Except that it was easy.
    (6) Discrete GPU allows for light gaming (plays Left4Dead, for example). Uncommon in ultraportables
    (7) Intel 5300 WiFi chip standard

    Cons:
    (1) Would have preferred HDMI and VGA ports instead of s-video and VGA ports
    (2) Won’t turn any heads at Starbucks. I couldn’t care less, but for some this is a drawback.
    (3) Fairly expensive for a Windows machine
    (4) The new model (S760) has a slightly better discrete GPU, optional i7 CPU, HDMI port, and weighs even less. That’s not a strike against Fujitsu, though. Just a strike against my model now that its replacement is available.

  3. mcsouth Says:
    January 23rd, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    I have used a lot of different laptops over the years, starting back in the late 90’s – IBM Thinkpads, Toshiba, Dell, HP and Fujitsu. Most of these have been for work; I have only had two personal laptops that I have spent money on – both have been Fujitsu.

    I started with a Fujitsu 7020D, which I used for 1-1/2 yrs; my wife used it for a year, and now my kids are using it.
    Pros
    – fast Pentium M processor
    – lightweight
    – great screen
    – easy to upgrade
    That laptop has been very durable, and lasted me for two years; my wife used it for another

  4. mcsouth Says:
    January 23rd, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    I have used a lot of different laptops over the years, starting back in the late 90’s – IBM Thinkpads, Toshiba, Dell, HP and Fujitsu. Most of these have been for work; I have only had two personal laptops that I have spent money on – both have been Fujitsu.

    I started with a Fujitsu 7020D, which I used for 1-1/2 yrs; my wife used it for a year, and now my kids are using it.
    Pros
    – fast Pentium M processor
    – lightweight
    – great screen
    – easy to upgrade
    That laptop has generally been very durable; the casing is sturdy in all areas except for just over top of the PC card slot, where the casing flexes.
    Cons
    – battery life was average when new
    – unit was quite noisy when working at 100% processor load
    – unit exhausted very hot air from left side, especially when working at 100% processor load
    After 3 years of use, the fan started making a lot of noise; I have investigated replacing it, but it looks as if entire laptop needs to be disassembled to get to it (no where as convenient as my wife’s old Dell was to service).

    My next (and current) laptop is a Fujitsu T4215 convertible tablet PC, which I have upgraded several times with more RAM and bigger hard drive.
    Pros
    – powerful C2D processor
    – lightweight, even with DVD drive
    – terrific screen (I got the outdoor screen option)
    – solid performance
    – good selection of ports
    – DVD drive can be removed to reduce carry weight
    I am still using this laptop today; it is my primary personal PC.
    Cons
    – battery life average at best when new; replacement battery direct from Fujitsu does not last as well as original battery did when new
    – keyboard is slightly “springy”, so occasional typing errors do occur
    – touchpad is very small

    Overall, I have been very pleased with the two Fujitsu laptops I own. I do agree with the author, however, that Fujitsu has not been very innovative with their designs. As much as I like my T4215 tablet, I am looking to upgrade to new laptop, with either a C2D CULV processor and discrete graphics, or possibly with a new Core i3/5/7 processor. However, the recent designs that Fujitsu has announced have been uninspiring, and don’t come close to meeting my criteria of ultra-portable weight, 13″ screen, switchable graphics and long battery life. As a result, the new Sony Z Series or Asus UL-VT series laptops are more likely to be my next laptop.

Leave a Reply

Featured Sponsors