The LifeBook Q2010 redefines how thin and gravity-defying a notebook can get. Unfortunately, being at the forefront of mobility requires a significant sacrifice to the feature set as well as your budget.

The pioneer of a new series from Fujitsu, the main appeal of the LifeBook Q2010 is its design. With its slender profile and strong security features, it battles with the likes of the Lenovo ThinkPad X60 and Toshiba Portege R200 for the travelling corporate user. Based on the latest Centrino platform, it requires the Intel Core Solo Ultra Low Voltage processor for a reduced heat signature due to its slim chassis. Complete with bundled docking bay and accessories, the Q2010 is an adequate system for the business user who happens to have AU$4785 lying around to spend.

Design
Have you ever picked up a dummy mobile phone and known instantly that there was nothing inside the shell? Well, our senses took a beating when we unpacked the LifeBook Q2010 and lifted it for the first time. With a heft of only 1kg even after slotting in the three-cell battery, we thought the dispatch guy had sent us a dummy unit by mistake. Putting the notebook on the desk, the slim 20mm machine has a footprint of only 297 x 219mm, which is slightly wider than the standard A4 size. To put it in perspective, magazines like Cosmopolitan take up more space in the bag than this ultraportable.

The Q2010 is not only slim but encased in an ebony magnesium shell which offers protection against the elements and clumsy users. Special care was put into the hinge and the Japanese manufacturer decided on the more expensive but hardier titanium material to ensure a longer mean time before failure. In order to accommodate the keyboard and touchpad, the borders around the display are unfortunately rather wide and make the 12.1-inch transflective widescreen seem smaller.

Not unexpectedly, some sacrifices have been made to maintain a sleek profile. The standard VGA, LAN and modem ports are just too big for the chassis. Fujitsu's solution was to do away with the modem entirely, while creating a proprietary slot that requires an adapter for the monitor and Ethernet ports.

Features
Based on the latest Centrino Core platform, Fujitsu claims the LifeBook Q2010 is capable of running the upcoming Windows Vista, though with its single-core processor and integrated graphics chipset, you may have to tune the OS to its lowest setting, hence missing out on the full Vista experience like the Windows Aero visual effects.

Like most ultraportables, compromises were made between connectivity ports and mobility. The laptop hosts two USB 2.0 ports, a mini-FireWire, SD memory card reader, PCMCIA Type II slot and a proprietary connector for the VGA and Gigabit Ethernet adapter in its body. Though we had hoped for ExpressCard compatibility -- which is supposed to render the PCMCIA format obsolete -- a more conspicuous absence is the Kensington lock slot. Users who want to physically secure the Q2010 need to bring along the docking station -- where the aforementioned locking standard is located -- which will add significantly to the carrying weight. In contrast with other ultraportables like the ThinkPad X60 which has one more USB 2.0 port, modem, discrete VGA and Ethernet ports, potential consumers will have to decide if the reduced features warrant the 50 percent weight reduction.

The 12.1-inch display is the glossy transflective type, which is brighter than the transmissive screen used in the ThinkPad X60 but results in distracting reflections in brightly-lit environments. Capable of 1,280 x 800-pixel resolution -- common for an ultraportable -- the widescreen LCD offers more screen real estate than a standard ration monitor. The full-sized keyboard is comfortable to type on for long periods, with shortcut keys located on the left.

The expected 802.11a/b/g wireless compatibility, Bluetooth standard and Gigabit Ethernet ports are included. However, the occasional dial-up or fax user may be disappointed by the lack of an internal modem, which is standard on most contemporary notebooks. A saving grace is the strong security setup handled by the fingerprint scanner and TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip, ensuring that your data remains inaccessible in the event of theft. Dual digital array microphones -- which are supposed to be more sensitive and to cut out background noises better than the standard analogue mics -- provide a better VoIP experience.

Feature-wise, things start looking up with the included docking station, which ups the USB 2.0 count by four and includes the standard monitor and LAN cable connectors. A DVD Super Multi writer is also integrated with the docking station. Complete with a slipcase and two batteries, the total bundle costs a whopping AU$4785, AU$1000 more than the Lenovo ThinkPad X60. This ultraportable is definitely not for the faint-hearted budget consumer.

Performance and battery life
Considering the modest componentry, the Q2010 manages a very good score. The Core Solo processor is a relatively new design, and for a low speed of 1.2MHz is almost able to beat out older generation processors which are almost twice the clockspeed.

In our MobileMark 2005 performance benchmark the notebook managed a very respectable 152 marks. As a matter of comparison, the Asus U5F with its first generation Core Duo at 2GHz was only a couple of points better at 161.

And the Fujitsu's processor is a lot more energy efficient as well. It's an Ultra Low Voltage part which uses up to ten times less power than a Core Duo CPU. However, the CPU is only one factor when determining battery life -- the screen and wireless adaptor also suck a fair proportion of juice.

In order to test the worst case scenario, we set each screen to maximum brightness and turn any power management settings off. Again using our MobileMark software we tested the two batteries that came with the package. The 3-cell battery itself is incredibly lightweight, and it's no surprise that it only holds 69 minutes of juice.

The 6-cell adds considerable bulk to the laptop but the tradeoff here is considerably longer life -- it managed 215 minutes before conking out.

Service and support
Fujitsu LifeBook has a one-year international warranty with second-year and third-year local warranty. At Fujitsu's support Web site, LifeBook owners can register their warranty online as well as download the latest drivers. For simple problems, the company offers a helpline and e-mail address for troubleshooting. Should the unit require further diagnosis or repair, the customer will have to send the unit to any service center worldwide during the first year. Subsequently, Fujitsu will only honour the notebook's warranty for the subsequent two years at the original country of purchase.

Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010
Company: Fujitsu PC
RRP: AU$4299

Ty Pendlebury from CNET.com.au contributed to this article.