Fujitsu Siemens LifeBook P7230 laptop review

Too small or just right?

11 June 2007 11:00 GMT / By Stephen Patrick

Fujitsu Siemens may be better known for its cost-effective desktop replacement series but it also does an interesting line in ultraportables aimed at the business traveller.

The Lifebook P7230 is the latest release and weighing in at 1.4kg, it certainly isn’t the lightest notebook on the market but its half the weight of the average machine.

Roughly the size of a good hardback book, size and weight are kept down by the use of a 10.6-inch widescreen Super-TFT panel. It uses LED technology, instead of the more power hungry fluorescent technology, which helps to improve battery life.

When it comes to using this machine out and about the weight and size are a definite advantage but what will really impress you is the battery life, We used this machine out and about for a few days and regularly got over five hours from the battery pack, which is great news for those who need to keep working wherever they may be.

If you need to keep in touch with the office, or simply need contact to the internet, the inclusion of 3G capabilities is a bonus in this machine.

The notebook is thicker than most machines at this size but as it manages to fit in a DVD rewriter, you won’t be disappointed with the extra size. The keyboard spans the width of the main body and while the keys are on the small side we found them comfortable to use.

The touchpad and mouse buttons are also rather small but you’ll find a biometric fingerprint scanner nestled between the keys. This is a great way to keep your files locked away from unauthorised users.

Where this machine doesn’t quite cut it in terms of specification. To keep things cool, Fujitsu Siemens has opted to use an Intel Core Solo U1400 processor. This 1.2GHz chip is an Ultra Low Voltage variant, which helps support battery life but does little for performance.

Don’t get us wrong, it runs basic tasks adequately and with 1024MB of memory in support, as long as your needs are basic it’s fine. However, we found it struggle when we had more than one window open at any one time.

The 60GB hard drive isn’t a standard notebook drive, instead is a 1.8-inch drive, which is more commonly found in MP3 players. However, it comes with a shock senor, which if the notebook rocks, or is dropped, you’ll find the hard drive heads will dock.

This helps save the integrity of your HDD. Other features include Bluetooth, as well as a 1.3-megapixel webcam set above the panel.

Verdict

The Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook P7230 isn’t ideal for everyone. If you need a machine that is powerful enough to handle anything, then it isn’t for you.

However, if you’re out and about for long periods of the working day and need to work, as well as stay in contact with email, then you’ll find the combination of size and battery life impressive to say the least.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Fujitsu-Siemens
Price as reviewed: £1360
The good: Stunning battery life, lightweight
The bad: Rather slow
Quick verdict: For such a lightweight notebook it isn’t the slimmest of machines but it has an amazingly long battery life
Score