Electronics & Computers Deals here!
Entered CNET Catalog: 06/25/2004
SKU: FPCM41401
Manufacturer: Fujitsu
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 09/08/2004
The S7010's sturdy, silver, magnesium-alloy case complements the laptop's trim dimensions: it measures 12 by 9.7 by 1.3 inches and has a portable 4.3-pound base weight. Open the lid, and a comfy keyboard greets you, with a pointing stick between the G and H keys, a touch pad, and two handy Page Up and Down keys that double as Home and End in Fn mode. The two mouse buttons and a third scroll button are dome shaped, which helps your finger find where the buttons start and the wrist rest ends.
The swappable modular bay, which accommodates CD, DVD/CD-RW, and DVD+/-RW drives as well as a second battery, lies on the right edge between ports for a 56Kbps modem and USB 2.0. Two more USB 2.0 ports, IrDA, and Gigabit Ethernet bring up the rear, while the VGA port is nestled on the left. Also on the left are FireWire, audio-in, headphone, and microphone ports, plus two Type II (or one Type III) PC Card slots, one of which features an embedded smart-card reader. Finally, the front edge features a handy wireless on/off switch.
The LifeBook S7010 offers fairly fulfilling features for a thin-and-light notebook. It has a Pentium M 735 Dothan chip at 1.7GHz, 512MB of speedy 333MHz memory, an 80GB 4,200rpm hard drive, and a one DVD/CD-RW drive. The S7010's lackluster graphics chip, the Intel 855GM, borrows up to 64MB of video RAM from the main memory.
Fujitsu offers three operating systems for the S7010--Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, and the aging Windows 2000. The company includes only the Microsoft Works 7.0 minisuite and Intuit Quicken 2003 New User Edition. Systems that include DVD/CD-RW or DVD+/-RW drives come with InterVideo WinDVD for DVD viewing, along with two disc-burning programs: WinDVD Creator Plus and Sonic RecordNow DX and DLA.
The Fujitsu S7010 holds its own in terms of performance against top thin-and-lights, such as the IBM ThinkPad T42, it and delivers noticeably better battery life than some of its competitors, such as the Sony VAIO VGN-A190.
Fujitsu offers the same one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the S series that most laptop manufacturers provide for their systems. That term includes mail-in service and 24/7, toll-free phone support. For an extra hundred bucks, you can up the term to three years. The system ships with an extensive user manual that includes plenty of operating and troubleshooting tips. In addition, Fujitsu's site includes the ability to chat in real time with a tech-support rep.
To find out more about how this product's warranty really stacks up and what you should look for in terms of service and support, take a look at CNET's hardware warranty explainer.
 |
BAPCo MobileMark 2002 performance rating |
|
BAPCo MobileMark 2002 battery life in minutes |
System configurations:
Fujitsu LifeBook S7010
Windows XP Professional; 1.7GHz Intel Pentium M; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; Intel 855GM (up to 64MB); Hitachi DK23FA-80 80GB 4,200rpm
IBM ThinkPad T42
Windows XP Professional; 1.7GHz Intel Pentium M; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 32MB; Fujitsu MHT2040AH 40GB 5,400rpm
Sony VAIO VGN-A190
Windows XP Home; 1.7GHz Intel Pentium M; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 64MB; Hitachi Travelstar 80GN 80GB 4,200rpm
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
User Rating: 
5/10
Think Twice
Pros: Very fast, very light, EXTREMELY LONG BATTERY LIFE
Cons: REPETITIVE PROBLEMS, SHAKEY SERVICE
1. The aspects that work, work exceptionally. However, if you get a computer from them that has any signs of problems, TURN BACK. My lifebook S6000 (YES S6000 not S7010) had a screen problem within the first 2 months. The back light went out. We shiped it in. It took 2 weeks. When we got it back it worked for 3 months. The backlight went out again. We shiped it in. 2 weeks later we got it back. it worked for one month this time. we shiped it in, and within 2 weeks of getting it back it went out again. This was an incredible hassle with their costomer support, but after 3 weeks of complaining EVERY DAY about the sleeping giant they would awaken if it happened again, they declared the computer a "lemon". The next day I had a brand new lifebook 7010 at my door. (definitly a plus for their previously un cooperative customer support. Within a week the battery shorted out, and blew out all periferals (we didnt find this out till 2 months later when i was able to ship it in. i got it back. They had accidently wiped the harddrive. I lost all my work. (BIG NEGATIVE for SERVICE) 2 weeks after i got it back. the usb ports went out. some fool in the service department had forgotten to tighten a screw. its been a month sence that, and my other USB ports are now going out again. OTHER THAN THAT GREAT COMPUTER
User Rating: 
8/10
Perfect Student Notebook
Pros: small size and lightweight, great performance, nice layout and features, security and application panel wonderfully convenient, great wireless reception, full-size keyboard, good price
Cons: glossy screen hard to see outdoors in daylight and is not widescreen, speakers are horrible
I forgot to mention that the Fujitsu has a wonderfully long battery life as well. I also feel I should comment on it's simple good looks. Not flashy, not blocky and plain, it is conservatively styled and achieves a sleek and graceful look. A word of advice: cut a piece of soft cloth/felt to place between the keyboard and the screen when shut, as the screen tends to get scratched and smudged rather easily otherwise.
User Rating: 
9/10
no way is the 7010 the "toyota corolla of notebooks", it is the lexis!
Pros: good battery life, sleek as hell, quiet fan, light and reliable
Cons: not as light as the s6000 series from fujitsu, scroll button not as easy to use, expensive compared to light and thins like hp and compaqs, but still a better machine overall and worth the extra money
for those complaining about the "flex" of the keyboard, i don't understand what the problem is. fujitsu has soft keys which i like (the 7010's are more "matted" than the "slippery" feel of the 6231, but both were fine). keyboards from the toshiba and the hp models i tested, were too deep and hard to press, and after being used to the 6231, my fingers were really pink and sore afterwards. so i say, a little flex is better than hard keys.
User Rating: 
10/10
Awesome laptop, knowledgeable Fujitsu service
Pros: Everything
Cons: Runs little hot (only sometimes)
Had some issues with the original one. The second time I sent to fujitsu for service for the same problem, they just sent me a brand new one! Very helpful and knowledgeable service reps.
Fujitsu also now has an ebay store where u can get a similar config. for $1400 after bidding! I got mine for $1000! Lucky me!
http://stores.ebay.com/Fujitsu-Computer-Store_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm
If u need a super and light laptop, get this and get the dock too! U won't be sorry u did!
I have done it a couple of times! Not a big deal!
Some folks have said its a problem. Not for me!
User Rating: 9/10
great, portable, sturdy, and sexy
Pros: lightweight, very long battery life, just about everything.
Cons: only bad thing is the ponting stick... it is...strange and not reliable, because it has no buttons.
A great laptop, look into it if you are a traveler.
User Rating: 10/10
Best compromise available
Pros: 14 inch screen, light, good battery life, good quality, modular bay
Cons: weak speakers
Weight of just under 2 kg is acceptable. The main battery (4.5 hours) could be more powerful, as could be the speakers. Documentation does not include instructions on changing the harddisk and it is a bit annoying that the machine has no in-build microphone.
Overall, even with the Toughbook Y2 around, I would still buy this notebook today, particularly as it comes at a very reasonable price and is of sturdy quality.
User Rating: 10/10
Top laptop for Linux
Pros: Lightest 14.1 screen laptop, fully suse 9.2 compatible.
Cons: Absolutely none
Linux: worked almost perfectly (wifi excl.) with suse 9.1. Switched to suse 9.2.
Everything works perfectly (nibble excl., not such big problem) out of the box.
Windows: wifi drops occasionally. Rest is fine.
IR gprs connection with Siemens S55 OK.
IR synchro with IPAQ works perfectly.
User Rating: 
2/10
A truly mediocre notebook, fron duplicitous vendor
Pros: Lots of ports
Cons: Everything else
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent thin and light with few compromises
Pros: built like a tank, exceptional screen, and good looking to boot
Cons: no buttons for pointing stick and integrated memory
The hard drive is, indeed, user accessible. Perhaps the reviewer had an earlier model or a different model altogether. The current model even has instruction in the user guid on swapping out the HDD.
Similar comment about heating up. I haven?t used many notebooks, but the S7010 does not seem at all hot to me. The bottom is a little warm after a while, but nowhere near hot.
I have been very happy with this little lappy. I don?t really write review like this, but feel compelled by how content I am with this notebook. It feels incredibly solid, not at all squeeky or plastic like Dells and many others.
The screen is remarkably bright and clear with only minimal glare. Some people like the glossy screens because they help bing out contrast and colors on the screen, but others feel that this is outweighed for some by the reflective quality of these screens. Fujitsu seems to have done a better job than other manufacturers in cutting down on the reflection. It bothers some, but for me the clarity and brightness of the screen far outweighs the drawback of the Fujitsu. I cannot say the same about the Sony and other versions of theses screens. My only complaint is that Fujitsu does not offer a widescreen option.
Like one of the other reviewers, I am perplexed as to why Fujitsu would offer the pointing stick without buttons above the touchpad. You can configure the top of the touchpad to act like L and R buttons, but this seems too fussy for most.
Except for my sister-in-law?s ThinkPad, I have never used a notebook that has felt so sturdy. Absolutely no concerns. There is no perceptible keyboard flex and the screen lid is stong.
Highly recommended if you want a 14.1? screen.
User Rating: 8/10
Handsome, Light and Fast! with a few flaws of its own...
Pros: Looks very nice, Very fast with the right HD, Great Screen, Finger Print Sensor!
Cons: Pointing Stick hard to use, Outdated Drivers
1- The Pointing Stick that comes as a free option doesn't have dedicated buttons on top of the touch pad so you need to reach for the touch pad buttons which makes it really hard to use it. This is a direct design flaw in part of Fujitsu and I'm surprised they even let this slip.
2- We have some issues with the Modem Driver which has not been updated in 2 years although the laptop has come out less than a year ago! This applies to all the other drivers on Fujitsu website which are quiet old and out of date and it doesn't look like Fujitsu is planning on spending time updating them either!
Other than these two flaws we couldn't really find anything else wrong with this outstanding unit. It's the right size and weight which puts the other 7 lb. "laptops" to shame!
Oh and I forgot to mention, the Hard Drive is NOT a user accessible part! That means if and when you have a HD failure you won't be able to change it yourself which is not a positive thing.
User Rating: 8/10
Bought specifically for running linux, and works fine.
Pros: Have the "D" submodel that uses the Atheros wireless chipset instead of the intel one, and everything works fine under linux. I don't know about Bluetooth or the point-stick since I passed on those options. Small size and long battery life make this per
Cons: Mediocre graphics - but you don't buy a compact laptop for playing games. Heat - only really an issue when compiling code - no real problems under normal usage. When powered on, the fan revs like a ricer at a red light - could be a pro for some people.
User Rating: 8/10
Great Reliability
Pros: This is my 3rd S-Series machine since 2000 and I have not had ONE problem in almost five years. Excellent machines - you can't go wrong.
Cons: Video chip is a bit lame but this is a business class machine after all...
User Rating: 
7/10
Better design & value that IBM T42
Pros: Nice form factor/low weight. Hot-swappable optical drive. Security panel for the truly paranoid. Large disk available (80 GB). Memory expandable to 2 GB. Keyboard has a solid feel to it. Low price for the feature set.
Cons: The touchpad is occasionally flaky and annoying for the first 10 minutes after cold boot. During that time, the pad is often overly sensitive; adjusting mouse settings to compensate is an extremely tedious process. The computer runs a bit hot, but not o
User Rating: 5/10
so far, not so good
Pros: super lightweight and seemingly great for my on the move career but ...
Cons: the day i got it, it looked like 2 pixels on the screen were burnt out. hoping they weren't i loaded all of my info and finally determined there was a problem - 3 phone calls and a manger later, all they can do is offer that i will recieve an email in 2 b
User Rating: 
4/10
Heats up easily
Pros:
Cons: bought this in school and is rather exp considering they downsize the config. didn have the quick point and i really think that it heats up too much. resort to removing the combo drive but it is still HOT
User Rating: 5/10
Lets me down under Linux
Pros: Light, rugged. I dropped it 3 times, chipped the case, dropped it once onto concrete from 1.2 meters and once onto a floor from 1.75 meters, and everything works. I am impressed about the ruggedness which is not immediately apparent. Under windows, everyt
Cons: many of the Lifebook convenience are non-functional under linux: 1. the CD Rom seems to always be active 2. Impossible to select between the pointing button and the touch pad. I hate touchpads and can not disable it. 3. The WIFI is non-functional. 4. Soun
%20-%20Laptops%20-%20CNET%20Archive&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/fujitsu-lifebook-s7010-pentium/1707-3121_7-30923433.html){kind=small}