S$2688
Product Summary
7.3
out of 10View score
The bad: Below-average performance; notebook base heats up significantly; exterior easily picks up fingerprints and oil stains; integrated graphics chip; poor audio performance.
The bottom line: For the budget-conscious executive or student who does little gaming or use processor-intensive applications, the excellent design and quality materials used could be the decisive factor.
Read full review of the Fujitsu LifeBook S2110 »
Average User Rating
from 3 users
8.7
out of 10CNET Asia Review
For the fashion-conscious, the LifeBook S2110 is undeniably appealing. With a black color scheme reminiscent of the LifeBook S6240 and coupled with Fujitsu's well-known build quality, the notebook raises the bar with a sleek design which also manages to incorporate an internal optical drive.
The first LifeBook to use the AMD Turion processor, this laptop is also futureproof as it can handle current 32-bit programs as well as future 64-bit applications. The bright 13.3-inch transflective display is usable in strong sunlight. With a reasonable price tag of S$2,688, the LifeBook S2110 is a welcome gift for any executive or student.
Design
One of the lightest and thinnest notebooks with an internal optical drive, it has a footprint no larger than an A4 size paper and an impressive depth of only 30.5mm. For the busy executive or student wearing metal-band watches, carrying and typing on a notebook with plastic case results in disfiguring scratches. Sculpted with a magnesium-alloy top and carbon-fiber base, the high-end material ensures the Fujitsu S2110 can take on daily wear-and-tear without scars. Unfortunately, the metal top is extremely prone to picking up oil stains and fingerprints. Despite using clean hands, the case shows palm imprints and requires regular cleaning.
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In line with a minimalist theme, most of the ports are located at the rear of the unit with the exception of audio jacks, PC card slot and optical drive. Under the hood lies a 13.3-inch screen while a row of media player control buttons found at the top of the full-sized keyboard allows easy playback of music and video. Overall, this Fujitsu LifeBook is a well-designed piece of machinery with the caveat being that the exterior requires high maintenance efforts.
Features
In contrast with the current crop of Pentium M chips which are only 32-bit capable, one of the key features of this notebook is the 64-bit compatible Turion processor running on an ATI chipset. Since the upcoming Windows Vista operating system is slated for 64-bit processes, this notebook will fit right in with current and future programs. Unfortunately, the unit heats up rather quickly which could be the result of cramming so many components into its sleek profile.
The machine has the standard connectivity options for notebooks in its category. Wireless features include Wi-Fi and infrared, while expansion needs are fulfilled by three USB2.0 ports, one PC Card slot and FireWire port. Linking to external display devices can be made through the monitor port or S-video connectors. A memory card reader is compatible with SD, MMC, Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro cards which are commonly found in digital cameras and PDAs.
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The screen uses the latest transflective display. At 13.3 inches, the screen has sufficient real estate for work and presentations. The bright LCD is readable even under strong external light and, with eight levels of brightness, you can adjust the display depending on external environment.
A row of buttons above the keyboard simplifies control over the software media player. With the press of the rightmost key, the context can be switched such that the same buttons launch applications instead. However, we feel that the volume control buttons are more useful. As for audio reproduction, the two stereo speakers lack bass and at high volumes create distortions in the sound. The mobile audiophile should consider using a good set of headphones with this portable as music from the headphone jacks is significantly superior.
The optical drive bay is modular and allows the user to easily remove the internal drive and replace it with an optional second battery for increased mobility or optional weight-saver to further decrease the carrying load. Though this notebook does not have bells and whistles such as widescreen or Bluetooth, the LifeBook S2110 is adequate for most work-related uses and multimedia entertainment.
Performance And Battery Life
Our test unit came with an AMD Turion MT-28 1.6GHz processor and 512MB of DDR2 RAM. Though the AMD Turion processor is futureproof due to its 64-bit compatibility, it was unfortunately underpowered with the current crop of 32-bit programs. This was probably due to the 512KB L2 cache of the AMD chip as opposed to the 2MB L2 cache of the Pentium M processor as well as the slower DDR RAM running at 333MHz (the Pentium-based systems use DDR2 RAM chips which support up to 667MHz). The performance was not helped by the fact that the LifeBook S2110 uses the integrated ATI Radeon Express 200M graphic chipset which has poor gaming performance. The MobileMark 2002 score of 154 fell far behind comparable Pentium M notebooks like the older Fujitsu LifeBook S6240 and the BenQ Joybook S52.
| BAPCo MobileMark2002 performance rating (longer bars indicate faster performance) |
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The battery gave up at around 3 hours. Considering the below-average performance, great battery life could be a redeeming factor but alas it was not to be.
| BAPCo MobileMark2002 battery life in minutes (longer bars indicate longer battery life) |
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Service And Support
Fujitsu LifeBook has a one-year international warranty with second-year and third-year local warranty. At Fujitsu's support Web site, LifeBook owners can register their warranty online as well as download the latest drivers. For simple problems, the company offers a helpline and email address for troubleshooting. Should the unit require further diagnosis or repair, the customer will have to send the unit to any service center worldwide during the first year. Subsequently, Fujitsu will only honor the notebook's warranty for the subsequent two years at the original country of purchase. For users who use their laptops for time-critical work with no margin for downtime, it must be noted that most Fujitsu service centers in Asia Pacific operate only during office hours. There is no option to upgrade the warranty terms.
Rate It Now
User Reviews
Good to look at and use
Apr 6, 2006Rating: 8 out of 10 (Excellent)
Pros: Light, good performance for office use
Cons: Smudges easily, no bluetooth, weak battery
Opinion:
I was recommended this the S2110 as a cheaper (and smarter) alternative to the new P7120 by a pretty good salesman at Funan Centre.
As a believer in AMD chips, the S2110 has not disappointed at all in terms of performance and reliability.
However, I do find the keyboard a mite bit smaller than I am comfortable with.
The screen is a joy to view, but is not the best money can buy. But that is just not the point.
I recommend the S2110 for cost-conscious users who need something light, reliable and look good.
Seriously, the battery is really not that great. Mine gives up after way less than 2 hrs of office work.
It's what you want and need
Aug 12, 2005Rating: 9 out of 10 (Spectacular)
Pros:
Cons:
Opinion:
Just right scrren size. Unbelievable battery life. It's a Fujitsu. It's a Turion 64. And the price is not too harsh at this quality. Just hope that it will have custom CPU choices or upgrades such as Turion MT-32, MT-37 also. (Not only fixed to just MT-28.)
Sweet machine!!
Aug 10, 2005Rating: 9 out of 10 (Spectacular)
Pros:
Cons:
Opinion:
Lightweight, long battery life and ready for 64-bit OS. Who could ask for more.
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