Looking for advice Fujitsu Lifebook NH570 feedback

I want to ugprade to a desktop replacement laptop, but I am at a loss as to which laptop is right for me. I have already filled out the FAQ's and posted in the "What notebook should I buy" forum but I am looking for information on a certain laptop that I found.

I can get a Fujitsu Lifebook NH570 from Costco right now for $1249 (specifications below) but I have never heard anything on this brand (in fact I only heard about it a few months ago) I am curious as to what the quality is like. Can anyone provide any feedback on this one and whether a Fujitsu laptop would be a good investment for me and last at least 5 years.

Intel® Core™ i5-430M Processor, 2.26 GHz (3 MB L3 cache)
4 GB (shared) DDR3 SDRAM
500 GB Serial ATA, 5400 rpm
CD-RW\DVD±RW dual-layer drive
MemoryStick®/SD card reader
18.4-in. Crystal View HD display (1680 x 945)
1 GB (dedicated) NVIDIA® GeForce® 330M graphics
Integrated stereo speakers
Bluetooth® (A2DP) for wireless audio streaming to Bluetooth® enabled Headphones or speakers
10/100/1000 integrated Gigabit Ethernet LAN
Integrated wireless LAN, 802.11b/g/n
Integrated 1.3 MP webcam and digital microphone
Full-size, spill-resistant English keyboard with numeric keypad
Integrated touchpad pointing device
1 x ExpressCard® slot
4 x USB 2.0
eSATA
HDMI™

Costco extends manufacturer warranty to 2 years

Thank you

 

5 years is a long time for any notebook - there are no guarantees. Fujitsu does make reliable machines, though.

Starting price in the states is 1199, before a $50 online discount. That's with a 1yr warranty. If your price includes a 2nd year, then the price is basically the same. If that costco price is CAN dollars, then so much the better.

It's a very recently refreshed model, so it's got modern components. Core i5 CPU, HDMI out, e-sata port, etc. That's all good,especially if you'll be hanging onto it for a while.

The CPU and GPU are pretty good. Not blazing, but pretty good for general use. The Core i5 CPUs have hyperthreading and turbo mode (auto overclocking) so performance should compare quite favorably to older Core2Duos clocked at "the same" 2.26.

Nice to get 4GB RAM included. No need to worry about exorbitant upgrade fees, and no need to do the upgrade yourself.

I know very little about the market for 18.4" machines, so I can't really comment about competing models or prices. Sony used to have a really big notebook - not sure if they still do. Maybe Dell has one?

Either way, I'd take a Fujitsu over a Dell or Sony if I was concerned about longevity.

Other stuff to consider that doesn't show up on spec sheets: how does the keyboard feel? How does the display look? That's the nice thing about finding it retail - you can check those things out before buying.

Is that exact machine the best option? I have no idea - not knowing the market for machines that large, and not knowing exactly how you'll use it. Is a solid option? Sure. Is Fujitsu a good option if you plan to hold onto a notebook for several years? Sure.

 

I currently have a (15.6") Fujitsu E8210 for almost 4 years, and I've been very pleased with it, especially the gorgeous CrystalView display and excellent keyboard. I would definitely recommend the brand.

In fact, now that my daughter will soon need a laptop for college, I was considering giving her my E8210 and buying one of the 18.4" screens now available since I don't carry my laptop around. I immediately considered the Lifebook NH570 you mention because it's a Fujitsu, and I only had one concern, which I bring to your attention. My gorgeous screen has, I believe, 300 nits (brightness level), which I thought was integral to the "Crystal View" tag. The NH570 is listed as only 220 nits. Now maybe that's more than enough -- and as long as you can see and judge it in person, fine -- and in fact I'd appreciate your feedback as I can only see it online. I'd just make sure that it maintains Fujitsu's glorious screen standards despite the lowered brightness (I wonder why they did that?).
Good luck!

 

Thanks. Unfortunately, the laptop is only available online so I can't see it in person either. I would much prefer to see it in person to get a feel for it so I may wait and do a bit more research. I am just so undecided on what to get

 

My Lifebook S6520 has a 300nit display as well. It's nice because it's bright enough to overpower the reflections when I use it in sunlight. But I rarely take advantage of that. For one thing, it kills the battery. For another, you don't really need retina-searing brightness when you work indoors. When my notebook is plugged in, it's usually on my desk, connected to an external display. When I'm using it away from my desk, on battery, I find I almost never need to use more than 50% brightness.

So 220 nits should be just fine for most circumstances. If you don't plan on using the machine in direct sunlight, you should care more about, say, the display's contrast ratio or its color gamut. How black are its blacks? How full are its colors? That'll make a much bigger difference.

It looks like I was wrong above. Sony discontinued their 18 incher, and it looks like Dell never had one. Lenovo either. I found an 18" Acer on Amazon for about the same money as the Fujitsu, and with about the same specs.

If that's the sort of comparison you're looking at in Canada, I'd say to pick the Fujitsu. Nothing against Acer. But if I'm spending over $1000, and I'm really interested in getting something that will hold up over time, it isn't much of a contest.

Hp's dv8t is another 18-incher for about the same amount of money, and it has a Core i7 quad CPU. If you're concerned mainly about performance, that HP will be faster than the Fujitsu. It's probably worth a look, though I'd still favor Fujitsu for reliability...

 

I am not really looking for an 18-incher but I came across this one and just thought I would check it out seeing as it is in my price range. I do however want at least a 17-inch that has the full keyboard with numpad.
I am totally against buying an Acer and HP is still a bit iffy for me, but I could be convinced. Right now I have an LG and its been great other than it keeps losing the connection to the wireles mouse, and I am on the third mouse! I would consider getting another LG but going up to a bigger screen is way over my budget.
I guess I will just have to keep searching!

 

The Fujitsu's graphics processor is pretty good. But if you have no need for a dedicated gpu, you could save money by looking at 17-18" notebooks with integrated graphics.

Dell's Studio 17 springs to mind. Toshiba has inexpensive desktop replacement models with Intel integrated graphics. You can get either of them with a new Core i5 processor (similar or identical to the one in that Fujitsu) for under $1000 USD.

Is the $200 savings worth it? In most cases, I'd say no. The Fujitsu you saw has an additional year's warranty, a respectable GPU, and probably better build quality.

That said, if you're fine with integrated graphics and are willing to compromise with a shorter warranty . . . $200 is $200. Maybe the Dells and Toshibas are worth a look.

Happy hunting.

 

Yeah I have been looking at some of the Toshiba Satellite Pros. The guy I bought my LG from is getting some new ones in and is supposed to let me know the specs, etc when he does.
I do like the look of the Dells and then fact that I can configure it to what I want, but I am just not sold on their customer service. So the hunting continues!

 

I bought this machine for my wife and we've now had it for a couple of weeks. The screen looks great, the keyboard feels quite sturdy and I find typing to be easy. The full size number pad is great, as well. I get close to 4 hours of battery life out of it, which is way higher than I was expecting. I bought it when Costco had the $150 coupon online, so it was $1225 CDN after taxes and shipping, and has the 2 year warranty.

I'd highly recommend this laptop. Works great for photo editing, and we'll be trying AutoCAD on it as soon as I receive my copy of the 2010 version.

I bought a Fujitsu laptop in 2002 which I used heavily for 4 years before upgrading, and I never had a single problem with it. That was the reason I felt comfortable ordering this one online.

 

Bought this laptop a week ago at Fry's Electronics and can't say enough good things about it. It's fast, super quiet, and the display is excellent. But I agree with Chris, if you don't need a dedicated GPU it's not likely worth the extra cash. I paid extra as I do some editing occasionally. Plus I love the large screen.