Tecra M2 or S7010D?

I've been searching for a laptop that's portable (<5lbs) with a good performance for a long time and i finally got down to toshiba M2 and S7010D. The spec I want is basically 1.5GHz 512MB, 40 or 60GB HDD with wireless.
M2 has a better graphics card and more HDD capacity with 3 yrs warranty for the same price, but fujitsu seems to be lighter and cooler looking. I haven't seen any review about M2's battery life and I really wonder how it is. I've heard that S7010D lasts max. 3hrs which is fine with me, but i'd prefer a laptop which can last longer as well. I'm in a dilehma for which one i have to buy. What would you say?

 

I think the Fujitsu wins the quality and support contest, hands down. I suspect you could do better than 3 hours on the battery as well. I doubt you'll have any problem going with the S7010.

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

 

Well, in the Toshiba forums I was reading a thread where someone was describing the M2 as cheap and "plastiky" feeling:

http://www.notebookreview.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1091

and he was disappointed when he saw it in person. Granted, its just one opinion and there seems to be another person who is completely satisfied with the M2 in the same thread. However, that being said, I have NEVER seen anyone describe Fujitsu notebooks as cheap or "plastiky" feeling.

I'm on the verge of ordering the S7010D myself. I'm just wondering if the 4200rpm hard drive and integrated graphics will be good enough for light game playing if I up the memory to 768MB. No 3D games. Rise of Nations, SimCity, Civilization 3 are what I had in mind, basically strategy games.

 

I'm in exactly the same boat you are, having narrowed my choice to the tecra M2 or the S6120 or S7010. BTW, I'm the one who mentioned that I was disappointed with the M2 when I saw it.

It's really a tough decision between these 3 machines. I've not actually seen one of the S-series laptops yet, and thus I won't buy one until I do. One lesson I really learned for the M2 was that at least in it's specs/price/performace, etc. ratings it seemd like "the one" and I was seriously considering buying it sight unseen--and I'm so glad I did not. I had used a Tecra M1, which was a wonderful machine--very solid and well-built, firm keyboard, etc. it also sold new for about $3,800.......So when I heard the M2 was coming out, would weigh less, cost much less, and still be full featured (wireless, firewire, etc) I was sold. Apparently, in order to keep the weight down Toshiba went with lighter componants of the M2, and maybe that's why it felt "cheap/plastiky" to me, but then again the magnesium caes of the Fujitsu's are light too, and no one has described them as "platiky" I guess I was so disappointed in the M2 after having used the solid-feeling M1 and S1 which were magnesium, whereas the only thing magnesium on the M2 is the outside cover of the screen (the lid) and everything else is plastic. That being said, maybe it's just a psychological thing where the metal casings/frames feel more solid......I don't know. Anyway, at this point for me the ONLY reason I would buy the M2 over a Fujitsu is because of the extended no-fault warranty that you can buy for their Tecra line (it's called "system guard") that essentially covers the machine against ANY DAMAGE for 3 years ($179) --so if I drop it, spill coffee on it, whatever, I can get a replacement machine. That's a biggie to me. On the other hand, Fujitsu is well-known for their customer service, and that too is VERY important for me after several bad expereinces with previous laptops and tech support andor warranties that expired and having to pay those #$%@@!$% "per incident fees" just to keep my computer running.....The tech support folks at Fujitsu I talked to (yes, i wanted to check out their service) said they offer free tech support for as long as you own the computer!

So for me, I'm really leaning towards the S6120 or the new S7010. The intitial review on the S7010 isn't so great, both in terms of battery time and he makes mention of not liking the keyboard much, but I can't remember why. I'm going to try and find one I can test drive, and then make my decision.

NP

 

I hear ya. I may go ahead and pull the trigger and order one from PortableOne. They assured me if I was not happy with it I could return it within 30 days if it was in like new condition. They take issue with the ABC article and assure me the keyboard is solid. I asked them a bunch of questions and them seemed assured that I would be pleased with the S7010. The fact they would offer me 30 days is good enough for me. Newegg has it $100 cheaper but no Bluetooth, carrying case, free floppy drive, plus no option to upgrade warranty. $100 for 3yr seems like a no brainer to me. Plus P1 will check for dead pixels before sending out which is great. Newegg will only exchange for same item so if I'm not happy with it you are screwed as far as getting your money back.

If I buy one I'll post my impressions here first. This would actually be my first personal laptop purchase. I've had one through work but that's it. Tired of worrying about what program I load on there.

 

I'm leaning towards S7010D from PortableOne probably w/ the memory upgrade to 512MB and 3yr warranty. I wonder how mar2k got the 30 day return deal. Do I just call them and ask for it? If you don't mind sharing the information, i'd like to try that just in case [ ]

 

niceamos,

That's what they told me via email when they responded to me. I'm not sure if that's their official policy but they were obviously disappointed in the ABC review and felt it was not accurate. Perhaps thats whey they were willing to give me 30 days if unit returned in new condition, but in any case, that's what I was told. They are reputable so I am sure they will honor it.

 

For the record, we've returned a Fujitsu S6000 to them after 25 days and were issued a full refund. Be very careful in the packaging though, as the case can scratch during shipping if not properly secured.

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

 

I figure you really can't go wrong if they offer you 30 days return period. I actually went ahead and placed my order today so I'll post my impressions as soon as it gets here and post some photos as well. I went for the 1.5GHz model with 768MB memory upgrade and 3 yr warranty. If I'm not happy with the unit it will go back, but I'm hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

I am a owner of a tecra m2 and I also looked at the fujitsu S series before I purchased. I decided to go with the toshiba hand down after actually using a fujitsu at my local electronics dealer(frys electronics). The fujitsu has no nicer of a case than the tecra, in fact it is very plain and lacks features. The fujitsu is a very basic machine that lacks things like a dual pointing devices, card reader, firewire, and independant graphics. I like fujitsu and they do make some very nice machines but the S series is just to skimmed down. The toshiba is not quite as small but offers alot more. Contrary to what some in this thread might say, I feel after knowing owners of both brand that toshiba has better quality. Many of the fujitsu owner I know have real problems with keys on the keyboard falling off. Toshiba has a great warranty and I get all the performance I ever wanted out of it.
Games you ask? I play battlefield vietnam all the time on it without a problem (for those who dont know it is a brand new game that is pretty demanding on a system)
The tecra generates very little heat and never cuts off or shuts down on you. I am a big hater of integrated graphics becaus they are so limited in what they can do when it comes to games and this is a major reason why I did not get the fujitsu.
Anyways just wanted to give my input as I considered the fujitsu when I made my purchase.

 

I've yet to see a single user review yet from anyone that actually owns one. I actually ordered one from PortableOne but they were out of stock on the model with the 3yr warranty and it would have to ship from Japan. I wound up cancelling the order to wait and see if any more reviews appeared in the meantime.

One thing I struggle with is whether to go for better speed 7200rpm 60GB hard drive or bigger capacity 5400rpm 80gb hard drive for the same price at PortableOne. Extra Speed vs. capacity - that's a tough one. I was leaning towards the 80gb model. I'm not convinced there would not be a significant difference in heat/noise vs the 5400rpm model and 20gb is a lot of space.

 

Have you considered ordering direct from toshiba.
Safest way to go.
I ordered mine from toshiba config:
1.5pm, 64mb fx5200, 60 gig 5400 rpm hdd, g wlan, cdrw/dvd combo drive, xga screen, 3yr warranty 1 year battery
cost:1693
total after tax and shipping: 1824

Most reviews state the 7200 rpm is faster but not near the jump from 4200 to 5400 rpm. I personally have been satisfied with the speed of my hard drive. Much faster than the pos sony with a 4200 rpm drive I previously bought and returned within a week.

GL!

 

As for user reviews of the tecra m2 there are plenty at
www.notebookforums.com

Also you are already part of the forum in you are part of this one. They are the same forum just two different divisions.

 

Actually I was talking about the S7010D that I had ordered and it was out of stock, not the M2! Haha..sorry to confuse. The M2 looks like a nice deal though for what you get, especially with the separate video card and 3 yr warranty. Doesn't look bad either, I don't like the looks of those ports on the sides though. I wish they had covers for those...or do they?

 

3 questions to anyone?

I've read here about the Fujitsu S7010D shared memory and not being able to play 3-D games (I plan to get 1-GB Ram), I'm not a big game player but is Doom (if it's still available) a 3-D game or could it be played on the S7010D, also does the shared memory effect watching DVD movies?

One more question please, which is a better HD to get the 60GB/7200 or the 80GB/5400, is 7200 noticeably faster than the 5400?

Thanks to anyone!

 

Thanks Brian,

What about DVD movies?

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

 

DVDs require almost nothing. I have a PM 1.0 with integrated graphics and they play perfectly.

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

 

You can play those games, but at the newar lowest settings. The 7200 will be marginally faster than the 5400, not something you'd notice.

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

 

Hey, I know there were a lot of us looking at these two models and waiting for a side-by-side view. If you're still in the market there is someone who bought both and then decided which one to keep. Unfortunately it only made my decision harder but I guess more info is always good.

http://www.notebookreview.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1707

 

I think the updated S7000 will blow the M2 away. I'd wait for its release before making any final decisions.

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

 

I'm wondering if someone who has played with the touchpad on either (preferably both) Fujitsu's s6000 or s 7000 series could give me their opinions on them. NONE of the computer places in my city have any on display, although if you can compare it to toshibas i should be able to find that somewhere!

One dealer said that they could bring one in (no obligation) but I doubt they will want to bring in both. I was recently using a toshiba tecra M1 or M2 (the bigger one!) labtop and was very frustrated because the pad was VERY unresponsive and I kept on highlighting icons instead of moving the mouse! (I realize I don't have very much experience with touchpads but this seemed more difficult than it should be) - how do the fujitsu's compare? And news yet when the new refreshes are due? [:I]

Thanks, Marianne

 

Anyone know when the "updated" Fugitsu 7010 will be available?

 

In the next few weeks...

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

 

Yippee!

 

Thought this might be interesting... I'm guessing this is the upcoming s7000 refresh..
http://www.fmworld.net/product/frame/pcpm0404/biblo_loox/mg/index.html?fmwfrom=fmv_lineup_mg

 

UbiquitousMyung:
I've gone to the page and had it translated, can't get much out of it though. Hope the new revised 7000 is not made of black carbon but still has the cool look and durability of before. It does not address the intergrared video, the ability to change the resilution or even if they have the option of the new Intel Donthon )or what ever it is called) chip. in fact I don't see what changes have been made except to now make it cheaper out of black plastic carbon. If you could address any of these from the web-page, taht would be GREAT!

Thanks

 

I'm hearing the new P series will in fact be black and will feature a PM 1.1, these two statements are near fact given my source.

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

 

Brian,

I am speaking of the S7000 being black and what is PM 1.1?

I did a Google search and read that Fujitsu announced that it is using the new Intel chip (735) for the S7000, although all I could see is that it will remain at the 1.7mhz. The S7000 is to be released May 28th.

 

PM 1.1 = Pentium Mobile 1.1

I'm sorry, I got crossed on what you were talking about, I was referring to the ultra portable P series.

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

 

Nothing...doesn't seem like it's part of this next round of updates.

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

 

Brian, did you ever hear back from your source about the upcoming P1000?

 

I've been searching for a laptop that's portable (<5lbs) with a good performance for a long time and i finally got down to toshiba M2 and S7010D. The spec I want is basically 1.5GHz 512MB, 40 or 60GB HDD with wireless.
Maybe averatec 3225p has what you looking for, averatec.com

 

I've also been trying to decide between a Toshiba M2 and the Fujitsu S7010D... I've read umpteen reviews from users and in magazines... the bottom line (from what I can see) but would love to hear opinions on this:

1. Two published reviews of the Fujitsu to date - 1. ABC/PC Mag (same review from what I can see) - they weren't impressed, thought the keyboard was flimsy. 2. Mobile PC Magazine said the specs were good but that they keyboard AND overall construction was very flimsy..

2. Several published reviews of the M2 - recent ones in "Laptop: Mobile Solutions for BUsiness and Life" and "Mobile PC" were both very positive.

3. Very few user reviews on the Fujitsu.. I saw one very positive one (the guy who was baffled by the poor keyboard reviews) and two fairly negative ones...

4. Many user reviews on the M2... Most very positive, one or two mentioned complaints (I don't remember what they were).

As such, I'm leaning toward and M2 but I'd LOVE to be convinced if people think this is the wrong decision. Oh, one more thing.. I'm in Canada and as such can only get a Fujitsu with a 4200 rpm hard drive!

Thanks,

Jeremy

 

I'm not going to try to swing you, but I really think the build quality and support of Fujitsu is much better than Toshiba. You should strongly consider buying from www.laptopsinc.com who can configure with a 7200RPM drive and also offers a 30 day return policy. If you don't like the keyboard, send it back.

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

 

Brian,

When are they going to release more data on the refreshed S7010 series and when is going to be released?

 

Brian -

The firm I work for is buying it for me, and will not buy from an American distributor (we're based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)... Given that I would need to be stuck with a 4200 rpm 60 gig drive, do you still think I ought to put the S7010D above the Tecra M2 (which I could get with a faster drive)?

Jeremy

 

the new s7010 is now on the fujitsu site and there is an option for a 5400 rpm for only $30.

 

Not on the Canadian Fujitsu site... (fujitsu.ca)...sigh...

 

The 4200 RPM drive doesn't suck, it's just not the best thing out there. Most users won't feel the difference for day to day tasks like browsing, email, etc. You can always buy a faster drive and upgrade yourself if you like.

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

 

Yea, The new S7010 is on Fujitsu's website, but not the new refershed S7010 with crystal view screen, etc!!!

 

Brian:

By the way, have you yourself used or seen the S7010D or the Tecra M2? I know you have a Thinkpad that you love... I'm just wondering how you formed your opinion re: Fujitsu vs. Lifebook... All the professional reviews I've read lead me to think the Tecra is better, but you sound like you know what you're talking about, I was just wondering if you're speaking from experience.

Thanks,

Jeremy

 

I actually own a Fujitsu, that's why I'm so high on their quality and support. I also think highly of IBM, which is probably why you have the impression that I own one. I have not used the S7000 series, but I have the S6000 and really like that machine, especially for the price when compared to IBM.

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

 

You are correct, I'd say the S6210 is a better model overall. What's pulling you toward the 7000, the larger screen?

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

 

Brian -

Well that's comforting that you're speaking from experience! But isn't the 6000 series known to be a tighter model? I think it got better reviews re: screen and keyboard/build than the 7000 series, no?

Jeremy

 

Brian - once again, there's the "need to buy in Canada" issue... Fujitsu Canada only has the 6120, the 6210 is not available to me... SO between the 6120 and the 7010D, the 7010D just seems to be a stronger machine, no? WOuld you say the 6120 is also better than the 7010? I have to admit, I feel a bit confused with all of this... So many people telling me I'm crazy to not go Toshiba, but a good number telling me to take a strong look at the 7010D...

Jeremy

 

Hey Brian! I read with interest your comment that you think the 6010[ is better than the 7010--why? I'm so ready to buy! [ ]

 

Hi Lajamer.
I've owed different laptop brands: Dell, Toshiba, Vaio, IBM, HP, and Fujitsu. Overall, pretty good machines. No doubt IBM Thinkpads are great machines, but they are too expensive, no need to pay for that. But one thing Fujisu is the best is in quality/price and performance/price relationships. Indeed Tecra M2 series are good machines, but I've read many bad comments for users. Cnet.com did a review on M2 and I wasn;t that great, although I don't trust that much corporate reviews, I'd rather prefer users opinions. The only one very simple thing I regret from Fujitu is the graphic solution they did for S2000 and S6000 and S7000 series, at that point, Toshiba goes far away. Here's a very good technical review of S6000 old series you maybe want to look http://www6.tomshardware.com/mobile/20030507/index.html
I don't know S7000 series personally, but I do know S6000 and S2000 series, and they rock man, they rock!!![ ]
I'd say, S6000 is more portable and compact, but really strong machine.
Hope this helps you decision, in any rate, you will get a great machine.

Cheers,!

Cheers!

GoyoNeuff
S6210 P-M 1.6, 256, 40HD

 

I don't think the S6210 is better than the S7010, it's just different. Most people really like the CV screens, so the S6210 seems like the better choice in that case. In general, it also appears that the S6210 is more tight, hopefully the S7010 refresh will fix the keyboard complaint.

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

 

I'm agree w/ Brian, although I don't know in "person" the S7000 series, but S6000 are great and, indeed, very compact.
Brian, what's about S7000 keyboard complaint?

Cheers![8D]

Cheers!

GoyoNeuff
S6210 P-M 1.6, 256, 40HD

 

That it's mushy in some places.

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