Hands-on Review: Fujitsu LifeBook N6420

Fujitsu is showing off this new 17-inch notebook at CES (and it's a contestant for our Last Gadget Standing competition), the LifeBook N6420. I got an early peek and put it through its paces.

What I Like

It's got all the trimmings: Core 2 Duo CPU, 200GB hard drive (a monster!), 1GB of RAM, and a roomy, comfortable keyboard with a full numeric keypad. The HD-DVD drive is also the first I've tested in a laptop that didn't have extreme problems (though it still stutters and whines when you first put in a disc).

Performance was on par with that of other Core 2 notebooks I've tested, with both general apps (231 points on SysMark 2004 SE) and gaming. The graphics card (an ATI X1600) is a bit old, though the 75.9 fps I punched out on Doom 3 make it good enough for most games.

But here's the killer (?) feature that makes the N6420 new: Fujitsu is showing off its new video mode, called Visual Optimizer. Basically, this is a button on the machine that, when pushed, flips the PC from a "PC mode" to a "video mode." Video mode means colors are brighter and more saturated, which lends a lusher, more TV-like feel to the display. As with any display tweaks, it's a question of personal preference, whether you prefer the big, bright colors with Visual Optimizer on or the somewhat more austere look of it turned down. I think Fujitsu's got the right idea with the button: You want it on when you're watching video and off the rest of the time.

What I Like Less

At $2,499 the Fujitsu is a bit tough to swallow, though it's loaded with components that justify the cost. As with most 17-inch notebooks, it's quite large and heavy (9.7 pounds). Battery life, in my testing, was perhaps the worst I've ever seen: a whopping 52 minutes of DVD playback. Suffice it to say this is not a machine you're likely to be carrying anywhere.

I'm generally a fan of Fujitsu's machines, and sure enough the N6420 is a solid 17-incher and a substantial improvement over the company's good-but-not-great N6410.