To say that Fujitsu has improved upon its first netbook would be an understatement. The LifeBook MH380 offers a better keyboard, a higher resolution display, and much longer batter life than its predecessor (the M2010)—all for the same price. We also like the unique circular scroll wheel on this machine. Unfortunately, $449 is a lot to spend on a mini-notebook, especially one with a touchpad that’s almost laughably tiny. Are the MH380’s enhancements and perks worth the premium?
Design
Weighing 3.0 pounds and measuring 1.9 inches thick, the MH380 is one of the heaviest and chunkiest netbooks. The fact that the six-cell battery juts out from the bottom of the system doesn’t help matters, either. Still, this is one of the more attractive netbooks we’ve laid eyes on, thanks to the glossy ruby red lid and deck. This chassis also has modern rounded edges and a classy chrome treatment on the inner hinge. Unlike the earlier M2010, Fujitsu wisely minimized its infinity symbol logo. Too bad there aren’t other color options.
Although the MH380 felt solid at first, we noticed that the bezel and hinge creaked a bit as we raised and lowered the display, which raises some doubts about long-term durability. Also, the lid picked up some fingerprints during our testing, though we’ve seen worse.
Keyboard, Scroll Wheel, and Touchpad
While we criticized the earlier M2010 for its cramped keyboard and oddly placed right shift key, the MH380 has one of the best netbook keyboards yet. All of the keys are located where touch typists would prefer, and the keys themselves provided solid and springy feedback with little flex. We could type quickly on this system within the first few minutes.
The MH380’s standout feature is its scroll wheel, which consists of a small divot to the right of the touchpad. By tracing a finger in a circular motion, we could quickly move up and down Web pages. Yes, the right area of most touchpads mimics this functionality, but many users don’t know that. While you can also use this wheel for zooming in and out on photos, we found it erratic in this mode.
As handy as some may find the scroll wheel, it results in one of the smallest touchpads we’ve ever seen on any laptop (1.8 x 1.3 inches). And the mouse buttons aren’t much larger than Tic Tacs, even though they provide decent feedback. We’d classify the experience as initially claustrophobic but usable. Just be sure to turn off the annoying momentum gesture on the touchpad, which tries to compensate for its small size by shooting the cursor across the screen, trackball-style.
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