Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010

When you pick up the Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010, your first reaction will be disbelief at how little it weighs. Your second reaction will be to hand it to someone else to see their reaction. That’s how light the Q2010 feels. If smallness and lightness are your primary concerns when buying a laptop, the Q2010 will delight. Just be aware of the trade-offs this 2.2-pound, three-quarter-inch-think chassis necessitates.

 

Happily, one trade-off is not the size of the display. Fujitsu includes a sharp, clear 12.1-inch glossy widescreen. In fact, the company correctly claims that the Q2010 is the slimmest, lightest 12.1-inch notebook on the market. The panel’s WXGA resolution (1280 x 800) makes good use of the screen real estate, though type and icons might be a tad on the small side for aging eyes. Viewed head-on, the screen image is stunning. But the panel’s ideal viewing angle is not as wide as we’ve seen with other screens; you’ll notice color shift and a drop in brightness as you move off axis.

 

Open the matte-black lid, which features sharp glossy accents, and you’ll find a black keyboard set off by a dark grey deck. It’s an elegant, understated design, and the faux suede on the bottom of the machine makes the unit comfortable to carry while keeping it cool to the touch.

 

Unfortunately, the keyboard is smaller than full size (with an 18mm key pitch, instead of 19mm) and will certainly feel cramped to those with large hands. And the truncated comma and period keys will take getting used to. On the plus side, the Enter, Shift, and Backspace keys are properly scaled. Below the keyboard is an easy-to-use, responsive touchpad (again, a bit on the small side), and we’re happy to see a fingerprint reader nestled between the mouse buttons, as well as four programmable quick-launch buttons alongside the keyboard.

 

The port array on the Q2010 is basic (two USB 2.0, one FireWire) but it’s good enough for an ultraportable; just keep in mind that you’ll need to use the included combo VGA/Ethernet adapter to connect the system to an external monitor or LAN connection. Given that this system has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in, we don’t think too many people will gripe about the lack of a modem jack.

 

If you want to plug in a PC Card modem or other peripherals, there’s a single PC Card slot. You’ll also find a Secure Digital card reader. However, as with other two-pound laptops, there is no optical drive onboard. You’ll need to supply your own external unit, or opt for Fujitsu’s docking solution ($299), which includes a 4X DVD burner.

 

Performance from the 1.2-GHz Intel Core Solo Processor U1400 and integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics in our tested configuration is fine for business chores. The Q2010 scored 187 on MobileMark 2005, which is right in line with other ultraportables we’ve tested this year. As expected, graphics performance was weak, as this system turned in a 3DMark03 score of 921.

 

Battery life from the standard three-cell battery was an anemic 1:39. Luckily, our top-end configuration came with the extended 6-cell battery ($179 value), which lasted an impressive 5:19. If you can afford this option, we actually prefer the usability of the Q2010 with the larger power pack: It protrudes out from the bottom of the unit at the rear, giving a nice ergonomic angle to the keyboard as you work while adding just 9 ounces to the weight.

 

In addition to the extra battery, this configuration also comes with an 80GB hard drive (as opposed to 30GB in the base configuration) and a three-year international warranty. But those extras push the price to nearly $3,200 (and that’s still without the docking station). This is enough to give your IT manager pause unless you have some combination of “Chief” and “Officer” in your title. The rest of us can get the light weight and sharp screen in a configuration starting at $1,999, not including the highly recommended battery upgrade.

 

If the ultimate in portability married to a comfortable screen is the formula you seek, the Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010 will make you happy. Just be sure you can live with that smallish keyboard.

 

To see our Editors' Picks for ultraportables, click here.