Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 Review

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by Andrew Hake

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The N6420 is Fujitsu's latest offering in its LifeBook N Series. It is the newly updated version of the N6410, which it shares many similar components with, such as the case design. Something that is very significant about this latest model however, is the amount of options available when buying and configuring. This is the first in the N series line to be available with an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz processor as well as an ATi Radeon Mobility X1600 video card. This gives the latest Lifebook N6000 quite a boost in performance over the earlier models, especially in the graphics department. The inclusion of multiple choices of GPU’s has been something I have requested in my earlier reviews of this series and it is good to see Fujitsu decided to make these higher end options available. Another significant feature of this notebook is the HD-DVD drive. I will go into more detail on all of these things later, so let's get to the specs:

Fujitsu Lifebook N6420 Specs

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7200 (2 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB)
• 17&quot; Color-Enhanced Crystal View wide XGA+ display (1400x900)
• ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics with 512 MB Hyper Memory (256 MB dedicated and 256 MB shared memory)
• 1 GB DDR2 667 MHz SDRAM memory (1 GB x 1)
• 200 GB S-ATA, 4200 rpm hard drive
• High Definition HD DVD-ROM Drive also works as a Dual Layer DVD Writer
• Integrated Fingerprint Sensor (also works as Scroll Button)
• Remote Control for XP Media Center Edition
• Multinational 56K V.90 modem and Gigabit Ethernet LAN
• Integrated Intel^® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (Tri-mode 802.11a/b/g)
• 5 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, Memory Stick^®/SD/xD slot, PC Card slot, Express Card slot
• Main battery: Lithium ion (6-cell, 10.8V, 3200 mAh)

For a complete and detailed spec list, please visit the Fujitsu website.

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Reason for Purchase

This is a unit graciously sent for review by Fujitsu. This, being my 3^rd N6000 series to use and test, gives me quite a lot of experience with the notebook series (see Fujitsu N6410 review here, see Fujitsu N6210 review here). I also have a lot of experience with many types of computers that I use for editing animation and film at my school. I use PC and Mac machines nearly everyday and have experience using many other types of laptops and desktops.

I personally own a two year old Fujitsu Lifebook N6210, which has been great for all of my work and school purposes, it is still going very strong. I remain very happy with my original purchase. I have also used Fujitsu’s tech support a few times, they have been quite helpful and knowledgeable during my interactions.

Packaging and Included Software

The N6420 was packaged just like all of the N Series notebooks I have received from Fujitsu -- double boxed and tightly packed with cushioning, no chance of getting damaged in the shipping process. It couldn’t hurt to borrow a page from Apple's book and get a bit more creative with the packaging, but that's coming from an art-minded person.

The included software with this model has always been quite good, without being over the top. So many computers today ship with numerous useless software applications that most people end up removing, that's not so much the case with a Fujitsu notebook. The only software that is included that I'd rather just not have (or at least be on a disk and not pre-loaded) are Quicken 2006 and Norton Antivirus. Once again, as with the N6410, a good Application Panel control utility is in the Control Panel, as well as another utility to control functionality of the Fingerprint reader between the Touchpad buttons. Also included is Omnipass software to control Passwords using the Fingerprint reader, this is useful and very easy to setup.

Another great thing Fujitsu continues to do, while other manufacturers cheapen and skip, is including a full set of driver and software disks as well as an easy to use restore disk. I have tested the restore disk on each system I have used, all of them are very easy to understand and use. Also included is an easy to understand startup guide and nicely printed user manual. Since this notebook included Windows Media Center Edition it came with a Media Center remote control with receiver as well.

Build Quality and Design

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This is an area I feel Fujitsu has always been successful with, especially in regards to the N6000 Series. The build quality is truly excellent; it is hard to find any faults in the construction of this machine. This model shares the same chassis and design as the N6410, which is definitely a good thing. It has a strong and sturdy case with a high quality feel. One thing to be aware of is that this model is still quite thick (about 2” with the screen closed) and somewhat heavy (about 10lbs). While this is quite acceptable for this sized desktop replacement, it isn’t the type of computer people will be taking around with them all the time. Although the N6420 is still portable, it is quite common to see computers of this size be thinner and lighter. But it seems Fujitsu has made a decision not to sacrifice strength of the chassis and amount of options for lighter weight, which makes sense for this type of notebook. I don’t understand why more 17” notebooks don’t have the option of Dual HDD’s and a true full size keyboard. Also, this type of case allows for very efficient cooling and sound deadening, as this model is very cool to the touch and very quiet as well. Overall I must say that the build quality of all the Fujitsu notebooks I have used has been excellent.

Power switch and Application Panel (view large image)

The design and color scheme is also shared with the earlier N6410 model, although a few improvements have been made, such as the “re-addition” of the volume control buttons next to the wireless LAN switch, as well as a Visual Optimizer button that controls screen color modes, which I will speak more on later. I definitely like the very professional looking design of the N6420. The silver and black color scheme works very well, not too much, not too little. It's a style I think a lot of people will find agreeable.

The N6420 has easy to see LEDs for power, battery, HDD access, NumLock, Caps Lock, and new mail indicator. All are right below the main panel and above the keyboard, so it is easy to see. Some may think this placement would cause it to get annoying, but it is very subtle and non-intrusive. I do like the mirror looking DVD control panel/Application launch panel, it looks great and works well. Another thing I am glad to always see is the black bezel around the screen, having black around a screen does make a difference in how the screen looks.

New Application Panel with Visual Optimizer Button and Application/DVD control Panel (view large image)

Input and Output Ports

The layout of ports is identical to the N6410, which again is a good thing I believe. The only difference is that the DVD drive is replaced by a HD-DVD drive in this particular model. The only other thing on the left side is the power adapter plug towards the back, which is good placement. If you get the integrated TV tuner option you also get an S-Video input, Composite Video input and Antenna Mini Jack on the left side.

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On the right you have both ExpressCard and PCMIA card slots, above that a multi-card reader, to the right of that a 4-pin FireWire plug, then the audio out and in ports, and towards the back a USB 2.0 port.

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On the back of the notebook is an S-Video out port, a LAN port, 4 USB 2.0 ports, VGA out, Modem port, and a Lock slot. Overall a great layout, but it really is unfortunate to not see a DVI out or HDMI output on a media desktop replacement notebook. In my own experience, I would like a DVI output to allow a high-resolution external display for video editing and animation.

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The Toshiba HD DVD ROM drive, not too loud and performs well (view large image)

This new model has the same venting layout as the N6410 which is much improved over my N6210 that only had one rear vent and one fan. The N6420 has two well designed rear vents and two separate fans, I believe one on the CPU and one on the GPU, with intakes for each one on the bottom of the unit. This allows the computer to run quite cool, as well as very quiet. The only time I have even heard the fan running is when they are on at full speed and running benchmarks, etc. The only part of the computer that gets slightly warm is the Application panel area and on the bottom surface of the notebook, but even with it sitting on your lap (which most people won’t be doing with this notebook), it only gets slightly warm.

The Power brick is reasonably sized, it is larger than the N6210's, but it also must supply more power to the X1600. Not the best for portability, but not a major problem for this type of computer.

The Display

Fujitsu N6420 screen (view large image)

After being able to see and use what I think are some of the best screens available on any notebook computer, I was very excited to see what Fujitsu has done with their latest model. The first thing I was interested in trying out was the “Visual Optimizer” button Fujitsu has added to the Application Panel. Pressing this button switches the display from PC and Video mode, which basically seems like 2 separate color/brightness/contrast settings. This is a good idea, but I believe without the ability to customize settings it is a little incomplete. It would be great if there was a small application that let you control and adjust each setting, as some people may not find them to be the best settings.

Horizontal viewing angles are very adequate (view large image)

The Vertical viewing angles are nice also (view large image)

The screen is very bright and looks quite good; however, I was very surprised to see that the screen has a somewhat grainy look to it overall. I remember reading about this happening to some Asus notebooks with the X1600, and it being fixed with a BIOS update, maybe this is the same case with the N6420. This won’t bother the majority of people I think, but for someone like me doing graphics work or film editing it is an issue. While watching a video or DVD this is not noticed at all, and the screen really looks truly excellent. Like the N6410 screen, the color balance looks great while watching a video. I have to confess that I prefer the N6410 and N6210 screens to this one, as I believe the Visual Optimizer control could be better implemented, and the graininess is pretty unacceptable to me.

The Horizontal viewing angles are very good; a few people could be looking at the screen without a problem. Vertical viewing angles are similar to most other notebook display panels, which are adequate, and vertical viewing angles aren’t really an issue with most computer screens.

The lid is very strong, it protects the display very well, but it is also quite thick, which again adds to the thickness of the unit overall.

The only other thing I would like to say is that while the XGA+ resolution is perfectly adequate for this size of screen, some people would like to be able to choose a larger resolution such as a 1680x1050 resolution. So the native resolution is fine, but for those that do want a higher resolution on an external, a DVI is a must I think. That is one thing I have always liked about Apple notebooks, they all include some type of DVI out port to allow for large resolution external displays.

Keyboard and Touchpad[/p]

A very strong sturdy keyboard, little to no flex, and completely full size (view large image)

Touchpad and fingerprint scanner (view large image)

The fingerprint reader with this unit ships with Omnipass software for logging in and storing your password info (view large image)

One of my favorite things about these Fujitsu notebooks is the keyboard that they use.  I use my girlfriend as a litmus test for measuring a good keyboard -- she will walk up to a laptop in a store, try out its keyboard, and if she doesn’t like it demonstrate by immediately walking away -- pretty funny stuff. I believe the N6000 to be one of the best keyboards I have used, my very particular girlfriend used it and it's the only notebook I have seen her use and not say something bad about the keyboard.

First of all, it is a TRUE full size keyboard.  It actually uses larger shift keys and enter key than some desktop keyboards I have seen, and it might be the only keyboard on a notebook to not downgrade the size of any keys at all.

The touchpad seems to be improved from the N6410 as well; the buttons are more responsive and have a good solid feel, no annoying loud click, just a solid feel and sound.  The addition of a fingerprint sensor is also cool, it works pretty well as a scroll panel, and the included software works well to control passwords.  I must say that after using the Apple MacBook touchpad that use the two finger scroll I really prefer that, I hope more laptops can start using touchpads with that feature, even though I am not one to use a touchpad a lot.

Sound

Dedicated volume control switch is back on the N6420 after being left off the N6410 (view large image)

The speakers work quite well, there are two small front panel speakers and one bottom mounted subwoofer. Together these can put out quite a lot of sound, more than the average notebook for sure.  With the woofer mounted on the bottom right side under the power switch, sound is not sent towards the user as much as it could be. But let’s be honest, no matter how great the speakers in a notebook are, they aren’t going to compare to a good external set of speakers. This computer does a fine job of putting out sound to headphones and external speakers without any noise or distortion.

Performance

The Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 and ATi X1600 are well vented (view large image)

I am impressed with the performance of the Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0 GHz CPU, and the ATi X1600 GPU.  The power of the Core 2 Duo alone makes me want to upgrade to the latest and greatest from Intel.  The benchmarks will tell part of the story, but in terms of real world performance, I have been able to compare this directly to my N6210 with a Pentium M 1.86Ghz CPU, and let's just say the results are extremely impressive.  One of my favorite tests to do was to play full 1080p HD video at the same time on both machines, the Core 2 Duo manages perfect playback with no dropped frames while the Pentium M struggles to keep up.

Here is a video demonstrating this:

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This processors ability to multi-task is quite phenomenal, and even with a 200GB 4200RPM HDD (which has to be somewhat of a bottleneck in terms of overall system performance) the CPU allows it to do every single task quicker than the Pentium M.  The efficiency of Intel’s entire processor line is extremely impressive.  I hope Intel continues in this direction for a long time. Let’s take a look at some benchmark tests:

Super Pi Comparison Results

Super Pi forces the processor to calculate Pi to 2 million digits of accuracy and gives an idea of the processor speed and performance:

Notebook	Time
Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 (2.00GHz Core 2 Duo)	1m 02s
Fujitsu LifeBook N6410 (1.66 GHz Core Duo)	1m 22s
Fujitsu LifeBook N6210 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 40s
LG S1 (2.16 GHz Core Duo)	1m 11s
Dell Inspiron e1505 (2.0GHz Core Duo)	1m 16s
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.0GHz Core Duo)	1m 18s
Toshiba Satellite M100 (2.00GHz Core Duo)	1m 18s
Samsung X60 (1.66GHz Core Duo)	1m 29s
Sony VAIO FS680 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 53s

 

PCMark05 System Results Comparison

PCMark05 tests the system performance as a whole, below are some comparison results for the N6420 to other laptops:

Notebook	PCMark05 Score
Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 (2.00GHz Core 2 Duo, ATI X1600)	4,621 PCMarks
Fujitsu LifeBook N6410 (1.66GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400)	3,487 PCMarks
Sony Vaio SZ-110B in Speed Mode (Using Nvidia GeForce Go 7400)	3,637 PCMarks
Asus Z84Jp (2.16GHz Core 2 Duo, Nvidia Go 7600)	4,739 PCMarks
Asus V6J (1.86GHz Core Duo T2400)	3,646 PCMarks
Alienware M7700 (AMD Athlon FX-60, Nvidia Go 7800GTX)	5,597 PCMarks

 

The ATi X1600 also shows many improvements over the X600 in my machine and the X1400 in the N6410.  I am very glad to see Fujitsu putting this option in the top of the line model, this isn’t a high-end gaming notebook, but it is great that they have opened up a little bit to the gaming market.  Also, this card has 256MB of dedicated memory and can utilize 512MB total using Hyper memory.  I have seen very big improvements in this GPU over the X600 in my current N6210.  3DMark scores demonstrate this:

Comparison results for 3DMark05

3DMark05 tests the overall graphic capabilities of a notebook:

Notebook	3D Mark 05 Results
Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 (2.00GHz Core 2 Duo, ATI X1600)	4,294 3D Marks
Fujitsu LifeBook N6410 (1.66 GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)	2,273 3D Marks
Fujitsu LifeBook N6210 (1.86 GHz Pentium M, ATI X600)	1,667 3DMarks
Alienware Aurora M-7700(AMD Dual Core FX-60, ATI X1600 256MB)	7,078 3D Marks
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.0GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)	2,092 3D Marks
Asus V6Va (2.13 GHz Pentium M, ATI x700 128 MB)	2,530 3D Marks
Fujitsu n6410 (1.66 GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)	2,273 3DMarks
HP Pavilion dv4000 (1.86 GHz Pentium M, ATI X700 128MB)	2,536 3D Marks
Dell XPS M1210 (2.16 GHz Core Duo, nVidia Go 7400 256MB)	2,090 3D Marks

 

Half Life 2 Performance 

I am not at all a hardcore gamer, but I know my stuff when it comes to gaming department. The one game that I play the most often is Half-Life 2 and all games related to it.  With my N6210, trying to play the latest Episode 1 expansion with full HDR etc. was not really a possibility, with the X1600 performance is not 100% perfect, but it is definitely possible and playable now.

Video playback with the X1600 really looks fantastic, colors are well balanced and playback looks great.

The amount of storage space is great with the 200 GB HDD, although the speed (4200rpm) is a little lacking.  But this is the only type of 200 GB notebook drive available currently.  The great thing about getting a notebook like this however, is the fact that there are so many choices when configuring HDD options, I would personally go with a 100gb 7200RPM primary drive and a 160GB 5400 RPM secondary. It is only a matter of time before higher capacity 7200rpm notebook HDD’s become available I'm sure. I hope Fujitsu continues to offer the Dual HDD option in their future desktop replacements, it's especially useful for someone like me who needs as much space as I can get. Editing large bits of film and working on animation, I can fill up space very quickly.

HD Tune Results

The hard drive capacity is great, but the speed is limited by the 4200RPM spin (view large image) 

Another key component about this computer is the fact that it uses an HD-DVD drive from Fujitsu.  I have always been disappointed when watching DVD’s on these higher resolution computer screens, so I am happy to see the higher quality formats making their way to consumers.  DVD technology was a huge improvement over VHS without a doubt, but in the age of high resolution Televisions and LCD screens, its days are almost numbered.  These new formats open up such a huge opportunity for film makers, software developers and consumers in general, especially with the ability to write to high capacity disks as well.

Battery

The N6420’s battery life is not too important as it is a large desktop replacement that probably won’t be used on battery very often, but it is still important to have some battery life for when the time comes you need it.  The battery life of the N6420 is only about 1.5 hours or maybe 1:45 if using the notebook conservatively.

Wireless

A wireless switch is always a convenient thing to have on a notebook (view large image)

This notebook is based on the Intel Centrino platform that uses the same Intel Wireless card as most notebook computers today.  I have had nothing but success with this wireless card, never getting any disconnects, dropped signals, etc. It just works exactly like it should.  It is more likely there is a problem with your network if you are having trouble connecting with this wireless card.

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Pros

• Improvements from the previous model, more options available
• Great screen overall
• Build quality feels very solid
• Design
• Excellent keyboard and touchpad
• Added features such as dedicated volume control, which the N6410 was missing
• Good sound
• Produces little heat, and is very quiet
• Great Customer service from my experience
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor offers excellent performance
• Good Price, able to get this notebook with basic or premium options

Cons

• Still no DVI port (hopefully more manufacturers will start including this or an HDMI port)
• Screen had some graininess issues which really surprised me, it might not bother some people who aren't particular, but it did me
• Larger and heavier than some other 17” notebooks

Conclusion

Buying Choices for the Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 Notebook Newegg.com | $2,499.00 Euclid Computers | $2,274.00 PcSuperDeals | $2,318.52 100.0% of people recommend this product - view 3 opinions | rate product

Working with this notebook has been a joy, just having Intel and ATi’s latest offerings on board makes this notebook a worthy upgrade.  I was a little disappointed in the screen graininess however and hope that's a fixable issue.  But overall I think the N6420 is an excellent choice as a desktop replacement style notebook; it's just so sturdy and usable. Now that Fujitsu is offering a middle to high-end dedicated graphics option the N6420 can fit for the bill for both a multimedia and gaming machine as well.

 

That's 10lbs of solid notebook that's for sure! The N always looks so monolithic with its dark black looks and giant size. Amazing feature set though, if you get it with the integrated TV tuner it could replace having a TV in a room and would be a multimedia power house.

I agree it's fantastic that Fujitsu went with the X1600 card here. Okay, so it's not an Nvidia 7900 but it'll still net you some very good graphics performance.

Well done on the review, and thanks!

 

Very nice review

 

Beautifully done Andrew, and those are excellent pictures. You always put good pictures in your reviews.

The video showing both laptops running 1080i video is neat. I also have a 1.86GHz Pentium M - recently loaded Vista on it, and it does struggle a lot. It gets choked up often and multitasking is limited to playing music + surfing the net. Anything more than that and performance is too sluggish to get anything done efficiently.

Any plans to upgrade your current notebook anytime soon?

 

Thanks, but the pics were a little lacking this time, but it is the same as the N6410 for the most part on the outside.

I think the 1.86ghz will handle Vista ok, the Betas ran really well on my old roomates Pentium 4 desktop which was pretty much the equivalent of my Pentium M

but I would love to upgrade to something with a Core 2 Duo, but my N6210 still performs so well with what I do, it really does perfectly fine in production programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, Premier, etc. I do some pretty intensive stuff in these programs and it still handles them quite well. I am thinking about getting a Mac as I use one almost everyday at my school, I would like to be able to run both setups, and maybe build myself a desktop.

I would like to be able to have a nice setup at my desk at home and have a more portable machine to take to my studio everyday. There are some things I don't like about the MacBooks but they are just so **** portable.

I am thinking my next notebook will be a Fujitsu (if they starting developing the N series more in the direction I am liking), Asus W2(whatever it is later on), or MacBook Pro. But I will definitely be using the N6210 for quite some time, even if I get another machine. One of the things I really love about the MacBook Pro's is the great built in camera, which is really invaluable to get reference material for animation or illustration. Collecting reference photos and footage is really important to me, so having a lot of space is important as well.

That is why I like the option for Dual HDD's, so I can take as much of this material as possible with me. I would love to get some type of desktop for my home setup, a built PC or maybe an iMac or Mac Pro setup ;D, with a nice setup of external HDD's.

 

......I am sure I posted this earlier......but okay.

I really like your wallpaper. Do you have a link to it or similar ones?

 

there is also a review part 1 and part 2.....i believe your question is answered in one of those parts

 

yes it was haha, check part 2

 

Thats a really good laptop. It looks stylish and with a hd-dvd layer its a sweet setup. Like you said though its a shame there is no dvi/hdmi port . But good review

 

Why is this review broken up into 2 threads? It's kinda weird... Maybe next time there's a long review, the first thread should be locked, and have a link to each part in the other part?

Great review! I really like the control panel. The wireless and volume buttons look so slick! It'd be really neat if they had a black shiny control panel like that with a white keyboard/touchpad/palmrest area, like with N6010. That one has a silver cp and it's just kinda blah. Black, on the other hand, matches the shiny black bezel. Mmmm... Yeah yeah, I know, they are not going back to the pearly white 'cause they don't think it appeals to as many people or something, but whatever, they should!

The graininess really sucks! Too bad that, knowing Fujitsu, it most likely won't be fixed until the next update, since there's no such thing as a "BIOS update" in Fuji-land!

I don't think they should start working on mobility with this line yet. First, they need to get higher res, DVI, and a gaming video card. Their market will instantly expand! Maybe it's just me, but I don't think it's too big, heavy, and fat. Yeah, it's nice how Sony AR, for instance, is nice and skinny, but it's all spread out to compensate - uuu-gly! And weight, meh, whatever, as long as you carry it in hand (instead of shoulder via messenger bag), it's not a biggie. So, they can save that until the time they got nothing better to do...

Oh, and N6210 is only a year and a half old, not two years! You're just looking for an excuse to upgrade

Malia

 

yeah I don't necessarily need to upgrade, but of course I would never mind. Yeah I hope the graininess isn't really an issue with all the models but who knows.

I don't think I mentioned not having a DVI port enough I need big external monitors!!

yeah they don't necessarily need to make it smaller yet, but if they can why not I think.

 

Oh I forgot to mention, no Bluetooth? Come on, it's 2007, people! Just because it's a DTR and not particularly mobile, doesn't mean it must be tied down by a gazillion wires! :chants: Down with the wires! Down with the wires!

Malia

 

Great in-depth review of what is surely one of the nicest DTR's out there (not to mention one of the better values too.)