One of the few notebooks on the market to feature an integrated TV tuner, the $1,999 Fujitsu LifeBook N3510 delivers a near-complete multimedia experience that, aside from gaming, incorporates everything from TV to music to DVDs. While it's a good system for mixing desktop work and play--particularly for those short on space--the LifeBook N3510 may prove too small for TV enthusiasts (check out some 17-inch notebooks here), too heavy for regular travelers (check out more portable multimedia laptops here), and at $1,999, too expensive for those on a budget (check out our budget picks here). Though we think it's an all-around solid laptop for the money, we also like HP's much less expensive Pavilion dv4000 (which lacks a TV tuner), and we're anxious to review the LifeBook N3510's closest competitor, the Toshiba Qosmio F25, the little brother of the Editors' Choice-winning Qosmio G25-AV513.
Roughly the same size and shape as most other notebooks with 15.4-inch displays, the LifeBook N3510 runs 14.3 inches wide, 10.5 inches deep, and 1.7 inches thick; the Toshiba Qosmio F25 is quite a bit bulkier but lighter. At eight pounds, the LifeBook N3510 is a bit overweight for its size--in fact, it's a few ounces heavier than some notebooks with 17-inch screens, and with its one-pound AC adapter, it makes for a fairly heavy travel package. We like the black lid and sides, which go well with the gunmetal-gray interior, and that the notebook runs quietly and stays quite cool. There's a roomy keyboard with well-sized keys and a small but nicely textured touch pad. The mouse buttons are also on the small side, but there's a scroll button between them.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The Fujitsu LifeBook N3510's 15.4-inch wide-aspect screen display is quite bright--even brighter than the Qosmio F25's. Both have a standard 1,280x800 native resolution that's adequate for most business and entertainment applications. The LifeBook N3510 has multimedia controls scattered around its interior, including quick-launch buttons for the TV and DVD-player applications, the channel and volume controls (though no mute), and the Wi-Fi on/off switch above the keyboard; just below these is a small row of status LEDs. To the right of the keyboard is a set of track-advance buttons that double as configurable quick-launch buttons. Along the right edge resides the system's double-layer DVD-recordable drive.
You won't find Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2005 on the LifeBook N3510; instead, it runs XP Home. We prefer MCE 2005's superior multimedia functionality, but the LifeBook N3510 delivers a good set of entertainment features for playing and recording TV, music, and movies. In fact, Toshiba's MyMedia instant-play software lets you watch TV or a movie or listen to an audio CD without booting Windows at all. Unfortunately, the MyMedia app won't play MP3 music discs, and it can record TV on only DVD-RAM discs, which are more expensive and harder to find than conventional DVD media. Once you're booted up, however, you can use the included InterVideo WinDVR software, which lets you record shows on the hard drive, and TitanTV's online programming guide, which helps organize your viewing and recording schedule.
Unlike the HP Pavilion zd8000, which has an external TV tuner, the LifeBook N3510 can't simultaneously record one show and display another. We also found that the LifeBook N3510 delivered somewhat spotty reception compared to that of the Sony VAIO VGN-A690 and the Qosmio G25-AV513. We really like the LifeBook N3510's remote control; it works from as far away as 23 feet and has all the controls you could want.
Offering a set of ports and connections comparable to the Qosmio F25's, the Fujitsu LifeBook N3510 has four-pin FireWire, audio, S-Video, and component-video connectors; four USB 2.0 ports; and headphone and microphone jacks. About all that's missing is a DVI connector. You also get a two-in-one flash-card reader that supports Memory Stick and Secure Digital. In addition, there are two card slots: one for Type II cards, the other for PCI-Express. The machine can get you online with V.90 modem, 100Mbps LAN, and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capabilities, though we found its wireless range to be a bit shorter than average.
The LifeBook N3510 comes equipped with some fairly cutting-edge components. Built on Intel's current-generation Centrino platform, our test model had a 1.7GHz Pentium M processor paired with 512MB of high-speed 400MHz memory; the system can accommodate up to 2GB of RAM. Our system had a big but slow 100GB, 4,200rpm hard drive. Also included was ATI's Mobility Radeon X300 with 64MB of video memory--better than an integrated chipset, for sure, but still no match for the Qosmio F25's superior Nvidia GeForce Go 6600. With frame rates of 17.4fps on our Half-Life 2 test and 8.7fps on Doom 3, the LifeBook N3510 struggles with today's more advanced games.
With a strong showing in CNET Labs' mobile benchmarks, the N3510 proved itself a good performer, blowing away the similarly configured Sony VAIO VGN-FS570 and edging out the HP Pavilion dv4000, which had a faster processor and more RAM. Even with a large 7,200mAh battery pack, the LifeBook N3510 ran for a mere 2 hours, 45 minutes, nearly an hour less than the VAIO VGN-FS570 and 22 minutes less than the Pavilion dv4000's 187 minutes. We have not yet tested the Qosmio F25.
Fujitsu backs the LifeBook N3510 with an industry-standard one-year warranty, which can be extended to three years for a tolerable $180; extended screen-damage insurance costs $380, however. In addition to online registration, FAQs, system software, and drivers, Fujitsu's site has downloadable manuals and a helpful chat room to sort out complex problems. You can call or e-mail Fujitsu's toll-free help desk day or night; it promises a reply within 24 hours.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
 | BAPCo's MobileMark 2002 performance rating | Â Â |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
| BAPCo's MobileMark 2002 battery-life minutes | Â Â |
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System configurations:
Sony VAIO VGN-FS570
Windows XP Home; 1.73GHz Intel Pentium M 740; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; Intel 915GM/GMS 910GML Express 128MB; Fujitsu MHU2100AT 100GB 4,200rpm
Fujitsu LifeBook N3510
Windows XP Home; 1.73GHz Intel Pentium M 740; 512MB DDR2 SDRAM 400MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon X300 64MB; Fujitsu MHU2100AT 100GB 4,200rpm
HP dv4000
Windows XP Professional; 1.8GHz Intel Pentium M 745; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; Intel 915GM/GMS 910GML Express 128MB; Toshiba MK8025GAS 80GB 4,200rpm