Fujitsu LifeBook T4210

Fujitsu’s long-running LifeBook series of convertible PCs has always enjoyed strong ergonomics and good weight-performance ratios, squeezing a fair amount of speed and functionality into tight packages. The company does not stray from its reputation: All of the familiar strengths and weaknesses of the Fujitsu line continue in this latest iteration, the T4210.
 
Like other recent LifeBooks, the T4210, a 4.3-pound system with a 12.1-inch display, has an exceptional keyboard for its size. The layout is extremely spacious, with full-sized Shift and Backspace keys. The key faces feel large and well spaced, and the feedback was bouncy. The touchpad is roomy and textured, with a scroll pad between the two action buttons for easy scrolling.
 
The LCD is sharp enough, with acceptable viewing angles, but it lacks contrast, and the screen tends to wash out in indirect sunlight. Overall, however, the T4210 performed well in Tablet mode. The screen locks down securely with a reversible latch. Ergonomics are good, with an easily grasped side and a flat bottom for comfortable use on an arm. There are five tablet function buttons, two of which are programmable—relatively generous compared to other Tablets.
 
The stylus has the comfortable dimensions of a thick pen, although it has a cheap plastic feel. Like all LifeBook convertibles, the pen sits within a garage that is flush with the display. The hover distance is quite shallow, so you have to hold the pen very close to the screen to register gesture commands.
 
Like most convertibles, the Fujtisu LifeBook series benefits from the upgrade to Intel’s Core Duo processors. The model we tested included the T2500, which gives this hybrid superb performance. In all operations, the T4210 was exceptionally fast, on a par with other Core Duo models we have tested recently. Applications loaded quickly, and the 1GB of system RAM kept them all humming with minimal virtual drive swapping.
 
The 5,400-rpm 80GB hard drive was quiet and fast. Intel’s onboard graphics won’t drive a 3D game in anything but the lowest resolutions, but they performed well overall. The solid hardware underpinnings of the system produce only a moderate amount of heat, so the unit remains comfortable both on a lap and in the crook of an arm.
 
On the security front, Fujitsu obliges with a screen-mounted biometric fingerprint security reader. While the scanner wasn’t quite as responsive as some others we have tested lately, it succeeded in cataloging and recognizing our thumb swipes after a few tries.
 
In addition to a hard drive protection system, this is the first Tablet to feature Fujitsu’s patent-pending BayLock utility, which safeguards the dual-layer DVD drive when the machine is in Tablet mode. The drive was speedy and snapped our DVD films onto the screen quickly, but multimedia playback was hobbled by mediocre audio and video output.
 
Fujitsu includes a software program designed to filter out echoes and customize the sensitive digital mic for conference-room recordings. In actual use, however, our basic audio recordings were distorted, with feedback and inexplicable electronic background noise. Applying the enhancement software only made the recordings worse. According to Fujitsu, the problem we experienced was specific to our review unit. Time didn’t allow us to test a replacement system for this article, but we will post an update to this review soon at www.laptopmag.com.
 
The Fujitsu Lifebook T4210 is one of the fastest, most travel-friendly convertibles around and the only one to offer a modular bay that supports an optical drive or second battery. But for more than $2,000, we would expect a sharper display and better audio quality.