Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 Review pics, specs

Introduction:

The new Fujitsu Lifebook S2110is a thin and light notebook built on the mobile technology of the AMD Turion 64. The new processor will allow you to run the 64-bit applications of the future. This also includes the HyperTransport Technology (www.hypertransport.org) that greatly improves mobile notebook performance, increases bandwidth, and reduces latency. The ATI Radeon XPRESS 200M integrated graphics card lets you select up to 128 MB of shared video memory.

Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 (view larger image)

Specs:

• AMD Turion 64 MT-28 1.60 GHz
• ATI Radeon XPRESS 200M
• 13.3″ Crystal View XGA display
• 60 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
• 1 GB DDR333 SDRAM
• Atheros Super AG Wireless LAN 802.11 a/b/g
• Modular DVD/CD-RW combo drive
• 10/100 Base-Tx Ethernet and modem
• Lithium ion 6-cell 5200 mAh Battery
• Microsoft Windows XP Home
• One-year International Limited Warranty

Reasons for Buying:

I haven’t bought a laptop for a very long time. So, when I started looking recently I was overwhelmed to say the least. At first I told myself that I would buy a cheap Dell off of ebay for $400. Then I figured why not buy a brand new Acer, HP / Compaq, or Toshiba for just a little more. However, I soon realized that nothing in the $500-$1000 range was going to have everything I needed. I felt that the laptops in that range were seriously lacking build quality. After finding this website (NotebookReview.com) and tons of research, I quickly found what I consider to be the two top brands of notebooks today — Asus & Fujitsu. I eventually decided on the Fujitsu S series because of the battery life, screen, and build. I have a great desktop computer that I use for business but I wanted a notebook to use strictly for entertainment purposes only — movies, music, and games.

Where and How Purchased:

The Fujitsu S2110 was purchased from Portableone.com, which I was referred to by the nice people of notebookreview.com. P1 is a great company and I had the pleasure of talking to them over the phone. They took my order with great care and kept me updated via e-mail of my shipping progress. They even check your computer for dead pixels and overall performance before they ship. However, the best part about P1 is their customer service. If you have any problems with your computer there is no need to go to Fujitsu, P1 is there to assist you.

Build & Design:

Fujitsu has some of the most stylish notebooks on the market today. The sleek black design of the S2110 is very professional looking. Even though the S2110 is extremely stylish, Fujitsu does not forget the build quality. The S2110 features a Magnesium Alloy Case that protects the LCD. The rest of the body is protected by polycarbonate and other versatile plastics. This is my number one reason for buying Fujitsu — build quality! The frame does not bend or twist it is very sturdy! There is even an LED that shows your power status. The quick start buttons are great for controlling applications or media with a very clean and simple design to them.

Screen:

If you hear people talk about Fujitsu, their screens will be a common topic. Some buy only Fujitsu, based solely on their screen quality. The S2110 uses a 13.3″ Crystal View XGA TFT LCD with a resolution up to 1024×768 that looks amazing. Once you watch a DVD on the Crystal View screen you will never want to go back to what you were using.

Speakers:

Generally laptop speakers are fairly weak. The S2110 is no exception. If listening to music headphones are recommended. I hook my audio / video up to my home entertainment system for watching movies and the sound is great.

Processor and Performance:

The AMD Turion 64 MT-28 1.60 GHz processor is fast and allows for a great battery life. However, Fujitsu did not intend for this to be a gaming laptop. Although some games like Unreal Tournament with play fairly well, the more graphic intense games like DOOM, wont cut it for serious gamers. The ATI Radeon XPRESS 200M lets the user select how much shared video memory (up to 128 MB) one would prefer to use. Even though I bought this notebook for entertainment purposes I also knew I would be doing some video / photo editing. With that said, and after reading the first review of the S2110, I decided to upgrade to the 60 GB 7200 RPM and 1 GB of ram. I believe the combination of the two has improved what was already an extraordinary notebook. This has enhanced boot time and programs like Photoshop are quick to respond.

Benchmarks:

Boot Time: 33s

Futuremark PCMark04 ScoresThinkPad T43 (1.86GHz, ATI X300 64MB graphics)Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 (AMD Turion 1.60GHz, ATI X200 using 128MB Shared Memory)Multithreaded Test 1 / File Compression3.33 MB/s2.342 MB/sMultithreaded Test 1 / File Encryption27.19 MB/s23.887 MB/sMultithreaded Test 2 / File Decompression23.4 MB/s19.063 MB/sMultithreaded Test 2 / Image Processing10.88 MPixels/s8.776 MPixels/sMultithreaded Test 3 / Virus Scanning1914.17 MB/s1490.110 MB/sMultithreaded Test 3 / Grammar Check2.82 KB/s2.245 KB/sFile Decryption54.11 MB/s47.333 MB/sAudio Conversion2496.87 KB/s2023.772 KB/sWeb Page Rendering5.27 Pages/s3.610 Pages/sDivX Video Compression51.71 FPS41.155 FPSPhysics Calculation and 3D159.19 FPS63.996 FPSGraphics Memory – 64 Lines868.44 FPS463.269 FPSFuturemark 3DMark05 Scores3DMark Score727 3DMarks458 3D MarksCPU Score3414 CPUMarks—Gaming TestsGT1 – Return To Proxycon 3.3 FPS—GT2 – Firefly Forest2.2 FPS—GT3 – Canyon Flight3.4 FPS—CPU TestsCPU Test 11.18 FPS—CPU Test 22.9 FPS—

Keyboard and Touchpad:

Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 keyboard and touchpad (view larger image)

The keyboard on the S2110 is surprisingly firm. I could not find any areas that would flex more than others. The keypad does get warm but by no means would I consider this uncomfortable. I like the touchpad because its not one of those super small pads that some notebooks have. One point that most don’t talk about is wrist / hand room. I love that my hands fit comfortably on this notebook. Some thin and light notebooks I feel don’t have ample room.

Input and Output Ports:

My number one complaint about laptops under $1000, are their lack of ports, particularly s-video. Since I will mainly use the S2110 to view movies on my TV, an s-video port was mandatory. I felt the mini s-video port on the notebook was a great selling point. I can quickly and easily hook up both the audio and s-video to my television.

• Three USB 2.0
• Mini S-Video out (adapter provided)
• External monitor
• Modem (RJ-11)
• Ethernet (RJ-45)
• IEEE 1394 (4-pin)
• Headphone
• Microphone jacks
• Infrared port (IrDA 1.1 – compatible, 4 Mbps)
• One dedicated Memory Stick PRO / SD card slot
• Type I / II PC Card Slot

Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 right side view (view larger image)

Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 left side view (view larger image)

Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 back side view (view larger image)

Wireless:

I was pleased to find out that the S2110 came with the Atheros Super AG Integrated Wireless Card because I have read some nightmarish reviews about the Intel Cards. The NotebookReview.com forumshave some great information on these two cards. So far I have received perfect connectivity with the Atheros.

Battery:

The AMD processor type notebooks appeal particularly to people looking for great battery life. With the S2110 Lithium ion 6-cell 5200 mAh Battery I can get well over four hours of use. I will admit I’ve never been one who is highly concerned about battery life (notebook is plugged in most of the time), however its great knowing that I can be truly mobile with this laptop. The battery life is superior to that of many notebooks.

Operating System and Software:

The operating system included with this laptop was Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. Following is a list of some of the software available with the LifeBook S2110.

• Adobe Reader
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Intuit Quicken 2005
• Norton AntiVirus 2005
• Fujitsu HotKey Utility
• LifeBook Application Panel
• Intervideo WinDVD
• Fujitsu Driver Update Utility
• Sonic RecordNow

Customer Support:

Support from PortableOneP1 has been great. I doubt that I will ever have to call Fujitsu. From what I’ve read Fujitsu has excellent customer service as well.

Pros:

• long battery life (7 hrs w/ second battery)
• amazing screen
• great build
• modern style
• light weight (4lbs)
• extremely thin (11.54″ x 9.31″ x 1.29″)
• quiet
• low heat
• 64 bit processor
• customer service (P1)
• unique (not many have Fujitsu)
• flexible bay for optical drive or second battery

Cons:

• shipping from Japan takes up to 10 days
• typical speakers w/ high treble and no bass
• no backlight provided for LED display

Conclusion:

The Fujitsu S2110is one of the best price vs. performance notebooks on the market. Anyone looking for a small and light notebook with 64 bit capabilities will want to seriously consider this notebook. The build quality and portability will amaze you. This notebook is great for all your multi-media vices and will satisfy the casual gamer. Fujitsu came through with a great machine that will last for years to come.

Pricing and Availability: Fujitsu LifeBook S2110