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By Michelle Thatcher, CNET.com
Dec 11, 2007

Given the number of budget laptops on the market today we're a bit confounded by the Fujitsu LifeBook V1010. Its low price is certainly attractive, and its light weight and mostly solid design look great--in a vacuum.

But the V1010's minimal feature set and previous-generation components don't hold up all that well when compared to similarly priced systems. And for just hundreds of dollars more, users could buy the far more full-featured (though slightly heavier) LifeBook A6110. Two advantages the LifeBook V1010 does offer are respectable battery life (especially for a budget laptop) and a beautiful display. But unless you're willing to sacrifice some connectivity and features for more computing time, you'd be better served by a different low-cost laptop, such as the LifeBook A6110 or the Lenovo 3000 N200.

Editors' note : This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some of other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia. Please check directly with your local distributor for details.

Design

The boxy LifeBook V1010 features a black lid and silver base that will right fit in to business environments. The plastic case seems fairly well constructed, except for the lid, which flexes slightly under pressure; it's flexible enough that we'd worry about carrying the LifeBook V1010 in a tightly packed laptop bag. Still, the laptop's screen hinges and spill-resistant keyboard seem capable of standing up against everyday abuse. Its 2.8kg weight shaves a few grams off that of Fujitsu's 15-inch consumer LifeBook, the A6110, and is reasonably light enough to carry on the occasional business trip.

     

For more details on the V1010's design, click on the image.

The LifeBook V1010 features a 15.4-inch display with a fairly typical 1,280 x 800-pixel native resolution. Text and icons looked sharp and were large enough to read without squinting. Like most mainstream Fujitsu laptops, the V1010's screen produces remarkable color saturation and contrast that makes movie-watching a pleasure. Of course, there's a small trade-off: The screen's glossy finish, partly responsible for its depth of color, also produces slight reflections, particularly if you're working with a light source or window behind you. There is no option for a matte-screen finish, which is a noteworthy omission for a business system that is likely to see more spreadsheets than movies. The V1010 lacks the built-in Webcam found on higher-end LifeBooks, such as the A6110.

The LifeBook V1010's case is wide enough to accommodate a full-size keyboard. Typing was comfortable; the keys provided just enough resistance as well as a satisfying, yet muted, clickety-clack. The laptop's touch pad incorporates a rough surface that provided a bit too much drag for our tastes. However, we liked the V1010's ample mouse buttons, which drop down at the front, making it easier to press them. Even on a business-focused system we'd expect to find a row of quick-launch keys or perhaps volume controls on the keyboard deck, but the LifeBook V1010 includes just a single Support button that launches a suite of diagnostic tools with links to Fujitsu's support Web site. The final feature of note on the keyboard deck: Two speakers that emit tinny, disappointing sound.

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