Fujitsu LifeBook S7020D

Fujitsu's LifeBook S7020D is a good-looking system with a couple of unique extras. It doesn't have the cutting-edge wireless broadband or more advanced durability features others in the field now have, but you won't be disappointed by the S7020D, either. At $1,949 with an 80GB hard drive and a multilayer, multiformat DVD burner, the price is fair.

The single-core 2-GHz Intel Pentium M Processor 760 and 512MB of RAM are no longer cutting edge, but the machine earned the top score of 245 in MobileMark 2005. The 4.3-pound chassis is refreshingly light, and the six-cell battery delivered 3 hours and 42 minutes of runtime with Wi-Fi off. That's not stellar, but it is in line with others here.

The 14-inch display is the standard 4:3 aspect ratio, which could be an issue for use on airplane tray tables, where taller screens don't hold up as well to a passenger reclining his seat. The screen looks washed out when viewed from above with the lid open less than 90 degrees, but otherwise the screen is bright and crisp. The panel on our test unit is a high-res SXGA (1400 x 1050) unit, which is fine for packing in a lot of information, but type can be tough to read (even at the largest font size). Zoom will be your friend, or you can opt for the XGA screen. In DVD playback, colors were rich and action scenes showed relatively little smearing. Sound from the small speakers is a bit tinny but adequate for business use.

The S7020D's keyboard has a good feel while typing, but the clicks are a bit louder than your neighbor on the plane or conference table might care for. The S7020D features a unique LCD strip above the keyboard that shows battery life, wireless status, and more. However, the notebook doesn't offer dedicated volume buttons (you need to use a function-key combo). You'll find both a pointing stick and a touchpad but only one set of mouse buttons.

For wireless, the S7020D uses the versatile Atheros Super AG 802.11a/b/g chipset as well as Bluetooth. Wi-Fi throughput was on a par with other systems reviewed here. Unfortunately, Fujitsu doesn't yet offer an embedded wireless broadband option. For security, the company has augmented a TPM chip with a fingerprint reader. For more security, you can set the machine to boot the OS only after a four-digit code is entered on the keyboard.

Like the Dell Latitude D620, this system's hard drive is shock-mounted, but it does not benefit from an active protection system. Nor does the Fujitsu S7020D feature a spill-resistant keyboard, like most systems here.
Once it upgrades to dual core, the LifeBook S7020D will be an even stronger contender. If you can find the current model at a closeout price, you should be pleased.

Editors' Note:
Fujitsu says an updated model, due as you read this, will come equipped with Intel's Core Duo processor, enhanced security, a new port replicator, and improved durability features, including a spill-resistant keyboard.