Fujitsu LifeBook N3530

The Fujitsu Lifebook N3530 is marketed as a mainstream 15.4" widescreen desktop replacement and is one of the first in the Fujitsu line to carry Intel's Core Duo processor. Fujitsu is well known for its fantastic CrystalView displays and solid design. Today we'll find out if the Lifebook N3530 lives up to this reputation.
Specifications for the Lifebook N3530:

* Intel Core Duo T2300 (1.66GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB)
* Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
* Memory: 1024MB PC4200 DDR2 533MHz SDRAM (1024MBx1)
* Display: 15.4" WXGA Widescreen CrystalView (glossy) display 1200x800 native resolution, 500:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits
* Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 with 128MB Hypermemory
* Hard Drive: 80GB Fujitsu HDD (Serial ATA, 5400rpm)
* Optical drive: Dual Layer Multiformat DVD Writer
* Connectivity: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (Tri-mode 802.11a/b/g), V.90 56K Modem, Gigabit LAN
* Ports: 4 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, 1 S-Video out, 1 VGA
* Slots: 1 TypeI/II, 1 ExpressCard (54mm/34mm), 1 MutiMedia Card (MS, MS Pro, SD, xD)
* Lithium Ion Battery (9 Cell, 10.8V, 7200mAh)
* Dimensions: 14.25" x 10.51" x 1.57" (W x H x D)
* Weight: 7.92 lbs
* Three Year International Limited Warranty

Reasons for Buying:

I purchased this notebook based on three things. One was size and quality of the display. The second was that I needed a semi-portable computing solution as I am on the road only about two to three months out of the year, so extreme portability was not really a factor. However, this may be an issue for some considering that this is quite possibly the heaviest notebook in its class and is intended to be more of a desktop replacement. Therefore it would not perhaps be ideal for carrying around campus all day should you have the need to do so. The third and last was passable dedicated graphics, a qualification which the Radeon X1400 certainly fills.

Some other notebooks I considered when making my purchase decision:

* HP DV5000Z/DV5000T
* IBM ThinkPad R52
* Asus V6V
* Gateway MX6450

All seemed to have just about what I was looking for. But based on the strength of Fujitsu's outstanding display and being one of the first to the party, along with Acer and HP, to have both the Intel Core Duo processor and dedicated graphics it was the one I ultimately chose. Some may ask why I did not consider the Asus V6J, and that is a fair question as I consider it a very comparable notebook. The simple fact is that I made my purchase decision just before it became available and the final price of the Fujitsu was about $350 less than the V6J. Had the situation been reversed, I could just as easily have purchased the V6J instead.

Where and How Purchased:

This notebook was purchased from Portable One, a long time Fujitsu dealer and service center which sadly discontinued service and sales of Fujitsu notebooks shortly after my purchase. The final cost was $1,549 after a $100 rebate. I personally consider this to be a fair price for a very well built mainstream notebook for what it included, but everyone's budget varies. Even though they no longer sell Fujitsu products, I would still highly recommend Portable One for a notebook purchase as their courtesy and support throughout the transaction was nothing short of commendable. The notebook ordered was shipped direct from Osaka, Japan and arrived double boxed and packaged very securely.