RaNDoM's experience with S6231

Hey guys

I just got my own Fujitsu S6231 in this morning. i have been setting it up with new ram, firefox, plug ins, drivers and other jazz all day. i had a chance to watch bits of fight club and 2 anime episodes on it and even southpark. i will take some pics of it against my Dell 2001Fp and NECFE2111 soon and post them.

but here is a little overview on how i feel personally about it.

First, i like the screen alot. i think it is alot better then the Dell 700m. But, i dont think it is as good as some toshiba qosmio screen or even some sony laptops. The S6231 is very bright, and i have to dim it down a couple notches to get it to the dell brightness. but the detail on the dell 2001 blows it away. I do get the color inverse thing at certain angles, but they are at very strange angles. the screen does not reflect or glare enough to bother me yet. i have watch one anime outside to test this.

Second, i dont really like the keyboard. when i hit lets say the "D" key, it kinds of gives and and sags in the keyboard. you can see the keys around it sag a little in too. the keys are quieter then my logitech Ultrax keyboard and it doesnt feel bad. i just dont like this saging thing about it. it acually isnt bad at all when i type fast, but when i poke hard i can notice it.

Set up has been uber easy for everything. everything installed without a problem. Ram is uber easy to install. and wireless internet worked right away.

The build quality IMO is fantasic overall, it looks very sleek and my parents and g/f thinks its awesome. i had run prime95 on it while i was doing everything and it didnt get hot at all. a little warm on the bottom, but thats it. i didnt hear the fan turn on at all, or maybe it was too quiet.

anime and dvds are nice, but the speakers really, REALLY suck.

My dvd/cdrw drive works fine, i was even installing office and moved the laptop up and down and left and right really fast and it still installed fine.

Overall i am very pleased. the screen is nice, i can get use to the keyboard. it is uber light and i am sure the battery life is fine.

thats it for now, tomorrow i take it to school and will find out how it travels and stuff.
i'll answer any question and if you want a certain picture of it, i'll try my best to take it.

~RaNDoM

 

Thanks for the concise and honest review. Right, the keyboard is not the best in the world, but whenever I configure an IBM online the price runs upwards of $2500 which is more than I want to spend.

I want to buy the S6231 right now, but now I must wait to see what will happen on the 19th. Are there going to be any Fujitsu's in the group of 80 which are to launch on that date.

-David

 

hey!

I too have a Fujitsu S6231. I've had mine for about a week now. I've taken it to school and tested it. It was amazing. The notebook is by far lighter than any textbooks that i have to carry. Battery life is decent. You get a little over 4 hours if you are just taking notes and surfing on the web occasionally when you find the prof to be too boring [8)] But i found it to be quite warm on my lap even when i'm just taking notes down so i invested a little more and got myself a notebook cooler.

Just like RandomMai has said, the keyboard isn't perfect. Sometimes the keys kind of get stuck down and they pop back up later. (it's quite noticeable... out of nowhere you here a *click*) and i always have the problem when i'm typing that i slightly brush the touchpad and it screws up everything. But then that's becuase i still have to get use to the small size of this laptop!

the led that the laptop has is quite hard to see. I wish there was a backlight on it that turns on whenever you need it.

The video is decent on the laptop. I dont expect much from integrated gfx but at least it doesnt slow down the performance overall by taking system memory. At least i haven't felt it yet.

Also, yes the speakers suck. But most laptop speakers suck. But i dont mind it because my desktop have the new logitech speakers which rocks! These speakers suit my needs... i listen to music on it when im away from home... watch some anime / movies as well. but i dont need a huge entertainment center for a portable laptop. If i need, i can buy a pcmia sound card for my notebook. But it works fine for me now anyway...

Everything else aobut the laptop i love!
I was considering in getting either Dell's inspiron 600m or this fujitsu notebook. And i am quite pleased in my selection. First off, the fujitsu notebook is lighter than the 600m and the casing looks much much better than what dell offers. Secondly, the screen is just amazing on the fujitsu. It is very bright and clear. Lastly i got the fujitsu notebook for a nice price! =D much cheaper than the inspiron.

I think this fujitsu notebook is great for it's size, portability and it's low price compared to other small notebooks out in the market. Of course this isn't an IBM t42 but this is a nice substitution.

 

My S6231 should ship from P1 tomorrow. My reason for going with P1 and not the newegg deal(s) was because i didn't want to upgrade myself and the P1 had the 3 year warranty.

Anyways, I'd like to get a neoprene case for it just to protect it while carrying it my backpack. The closest thing i can find is a sony case
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/3379012?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

that would fit the S6231 one right? any other options?

Oh and thanks for sharing your impressions of the S6231.

 

Try http://www.thepouch.com They will make a neoprene sleeve to size. I have three of their sleeves and I'm very happy. They just made one for my S6231 (also from P-1), and it fits like a glove. Regards, Ace [8D]

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by jr711

 

Hey guys

@allybert
wow, how did you get this for cheaper then a 600M. i paid ~1300 for mine.

@drw
What do you mean group of 80?

@jr711
i clicked on the like for your bag,nothing came up.

I got the samsonite rafter bag from ebags for 28 bucks shipped. it is suppose to be in next tuesday, i'll post my thoughts on it

anyways, i am typing this up on campus right now and the Fujitsu has been great so far. i just stuck it inmy bag like a book and it doesnt add to the weight really at all.

my thumbs does hit the touchpad while i type. it sucks, something new i gotta get use to. i had this thing on for a hour and 10min during class in my lap and it didnt feel hot to me at all, maybe the HDD you got gets warmer then mine?

This thing picked up the connection from school, friends house, and my house all right away.

i got class in 10min so i gotta cut this off.

~RaNDoM

 

The 80 notebooks is the number Intel is touting that will announce on the 19th with the Sonoma launch. Fujitsu will refresh the S and P in march from what we hear.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

I don't have my review unit yet, but based on what I saw at the CES, I strongly recommend the Sumdix product. It will offer great protection and comes in a 10.6" size. Another option for a soft sleeve is the Case Logic DVD shuttle sleeve. It's $15 or so from places like Circuit City.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

Try using a cordless mouse (I like the new Logitech V500) and set the touchpad to disable when the wireless mouse is plugged in. Even if the keyboard has a tiny bit of flex to it, what's the problem? Works perfectly! The keys should not stick though. You may have a defective keyboard. Get a good quality set of headphones and you won't need a PCMCIA soundcard.

BTW, better get your genuine IBM notebook while you can. IBM sold their PC and Notebook divisions to a Chinese firm. Who knows what they will modify or trim-out. Regards, Ace [8D]

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by allybert

 

good set of headphones hmmm... maybe i will. which one do u suggest? are there any wireless ones out there? i dont want to be carrying so much weight around...

haha.. i live up in canada and i bought my fujitsu notebook from a chinese computer store (a family friends) so i got a great deal from them hehehe

i paid ~1400 canadian for mine while the 600m is selling for ~1600 *shrugs*

the keys now dont stick. maybe it just had to be worked in a bit. Since i only had this laptop for a couple of days...

heat wise.. it's not to bad actually. i compared it to a couple of my friends laptops and it was noticeable cooler than theirs. so i am quite happy about this laptop!

maybe i'll get another one to replace my desktop.... all in good time.... [ ]

 

Good headphones, take a look at Shure.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

alright, I just had two really long days at school, tuesday was 8am-9pm and today was 10-6pm. I got a lot of use out of this laptop these past two days.

First, I have to say I could not use this laptop in the direct sunlight. Living in FL, I was hoping I could. It gave me this weird greenish screen and I could not see anything black or blue well at all. When I was sitting outside at the lunch area under some shade, I could use the laptop very well though.

I really have grown to love the size and weight of this laptop. So far I been sticking it in my regular school bag (which is a crappy 10dollar walmart bag) and it has not been a problem at all. I don’t even notice it is there.

I am really happy I didn’t get a widescreen laptop like the Dell 700M. I would say 90% of my anime is in fullscreen and looks great on this laptop, not too small and not squished. I also believe I get more room for typing papers and reading webpages.

The screen really impress me, as long as I don’t have black or blue on the screen, it seems I never get the inverse color effect. I was sitting in the second row of a stadium type class, and playing a street fighter tournament match video. My friend all the way in the back knew exactly that I was playing the daigo vs Justin wong match were he parrys all the kicks. That’s really impressive if you ask me! I like just dimming the brightness 2 down from max the best.

The keyboard has not have any stuck buttons, but I still like my Logitech Ultra X way better. I finally felt what other are talking about with the laptop getting warm at the bottom, I guess I never notice it because it has been cold and I been wearing thick jeans. The laptop does get warm, but it is only at the bottom and IMO not a problem at all.

This laptop is uber quiet; I can only hear the fan when I first turn it on, then it is died silent. When in use, I can hear the HDD every now and then, but it is little access noise. I don’t think normal people will even notice it. I am gonna change this out for a Samsung 80gig and then this thing will be even quieter then my zen shuttle I hope.

All in all I am really happy I got this laptop, I don’t think there is any other laptop I would like better other then the fujitsu P7000. I get comments all the time about the weight and sleekness and the screen on this laptop. I still think some Toshiba qosmio and sony xbrite look better though. But the Toshiba qosmio I have seen are way to expensive and big, and all the sonys I have seen have LOUD fans. I am a regular at SPCR and noise just drives me nuts!

Pros:
Thin and light
Screen is easily in the top three of all laptops
Good battery life
Very, very quiet. Would easily be died silent with HDD change
Touchpad has been very good
Applications buttons work very well and I find very useful
Build quality is great. I really think only IBM is better and maybe apple
AC battery is small and light!
Boots fast?
Looks good?

Con:
Keyboard is average at best
Inverse color effect with black and blue colors.
Cant use in direct sunlight well
No vid card, but to me that is more of a pro because I don’t need it and it would only add heat and noise!
Need backlight for status bar
Have to use S-video adapter for S-video out

Highly recommended for college student and people who watch anime!
I will post some picks soon I promise!

~RaNDoM

 

P1 is no longer the best place to get a Fujitsu. After Fujitsu reduced its price, several vendors followed, but not P1.

Also, their custom configurations, that they talk many people into, are way overpriced. If you have any technical skills at all, you can do much better buying the notebook and parts elsewhere and installing them yourself.

Also, you can get the extended warranty at Fujitsu any time within the first year (before the standard 1-yr warranty expires).

________________________________________________

Who is John Galt?

 

You make the statement that P-1 is not the best place to buy a Fujitsu without offering any "better" alternatives, comparing things apple to apple. I have never found that P-1 sales staff tried to talk me into anything. In fact, they were always very courteous, helpful, and professional.

If you attempt to replace a Fujitsu hard drive, for example, it may very well void the Fujitsu warranty. As far as warranty goes, yes you can purchase an extended warranty during the first year, but why not just get a 3 yr factory warranty free from P-1. In any event, I don't think this is the proper forum to discuss the pros or cons of P-1. Regards, Ace [8D]

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by John Galt

 

John, our prices included the 3 Year upgrade which is valued at $179, if you do not want we can give you monetary discounts, if you like.


<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by John Galt

 

wow, i didnt know you would have given me a discount if i didnt want the 3yr warrenty, i would have ordered from P1 then maybe. What other ways could i get discount? Being a college student?

thx
~RaNDoM

 

Hmm, I can't see somebody who plans to use their lappy everyday NOT wanting the warranty, unless they plan to buy a new machine every year. Bummer that upgrading your HDD at home will void the warranty. Does upping the RAM by yourself void the warranty as well?

 

That is a user upgradeable part and they actually show you step by step instructions on how to do it in the manuals, usually on pages 40 thru 45 (depending on which unit you have).

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Who is John Galt?<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>http://www.atlasshrugged.tv/home.htm

-David

 

Just got my S6231 today...using it now as I post this message. Here are my initial impressions, most of which confirm with what RaNDom has said so far:

1)I'm very impressed with the overall quality of this machine. I've heard some complaints about this notebook being flimsy...I don't think so at all. As for design/look, while it is not as stylish as some Sony VAIOs, it is definitely a sleek looking laptop.

2)I love the screen...very brite and clear. But i can definitely understand how some people may find it irritating as it is quite reflective under certain angles and with a black background.

Size of screen is perfect for me...in fact, I prefer the full screen over a wide screen.

One thing about the screen though...the color seems to be a bit lighter at the bottom of the screen, along the edge. Is this normal?

3)It feels lighter than I had expected...can hardly notice when it is in my bag.

4)The keyboard, while not as firm as some others that I've used, is still acceptable. I should have no problems writing papers with this thing...and the size is perfect.

5)The machine is quiet overall. The fan came on for a few seconds when I powered it on and I haven't heard it since. However, I find the harddrive a little loud (i have a toshiba btw).

Anyways, that's it for now...haven't really used it much but pretty happy with it so far.

I'll try to take some pics when I get the chance...

 

About the screen, I've notice the same thing. Especially when viewing images with lots of dark blues and blacks. The coloring/brightness becomes uneven most notably along the top edge and top corners. It is not noticable at all when viewing a webpage or something that is predominantly white/grey.

 

I apologize for ragging on P1. I've been working with Ivan and am impressed. I will be ordering a S6231 with the 7200RPM HD. I'll post and report on my P1 experience, as well as with notebook.

- John

________________________________________________

Who is John Galt?