Fujitsu LifeBook S Series

WHAT'S HOT: The $2699 LifeBook Series S is the first sub-4-pound notebook we've tested for the Top 15 Notebook charts that offers the convenience of an internal bay. This tiny laptop measures only 11.25 inches wide by 8.7 inches deep by 1.1 inches tall, yet holds a 6X DVD-ROM drive. What's more, you can swap in any of several optional Fujitsu devices, including a second 6-cell battery ($229), an LS-120 drive ($179), a CD-RW drive ($449), or even a small digital camera ($229) whose viewfinder stands outside the bay like a periscope. Inserting a dummy module drops the LifeBook's weight to 3.7 pounds. Like competing ultraportables from Dell and NEC, the LifeBook offers a 12.1-inch screen. But its 9GB hard drive, the largest we've seen for this price, beats the competition (note that our test unit came with a 6GB hard disk). The comfortable keyboard is almost full size, and a network connection comes built into the case.

WHAT'S NOT: When a small notebook packs this many goodies, something has to give. In the case of the LifeBook, Fujitsu tossed the standard notebook ports--it kept the monitor connector, but moved parallel and PS/2 connections to a bundled port replicator. As a result, if you want to print or use the floppy drive (an external parallel-port device) you must snap the half-pound replicator onto the bottom of the notebook and then reboot.

WHAT ELSE: The LifeBook ranks among the faster power notebooks, with a PC WorldBench 98 score just 10 percent behind the average PIII-500 portable with 128MB of RAM. Its 2.4-hour battery life comes close to the 2.7 hours that the average full-size notebook gets. Four programmable buttons at the top of keyboard let you instantly launch programs or files. Audio buffs, however, will be disappointed with the speaker's flat, tinny sound. A mini-serial connector on the notebook will accept standard serial devices but you have to use the included adapter cable.

BEST USE: Professionals on the go will appreciate this petite machine, especially those who'd like to take digital snapshots without carrying a separate camera. And with its standard-size components, the LifeBook will tempt almost any businessperson who has been put off in the past by ultraportables' small screens and hard drives. If you need to print or use floppies while traveling this notebook probably isn't for you.

SUMMARY

Fujitsu LifeBook S Series PC WorldBench 98 score of 203, Pentium III-400, 128MB of RAM, 9GB hard drive, 6X DVD-ROM drive, 12.1-inch active-matrix screen, touchpad pointing device, 6.8-pound traveling weight (including DVD-ROM drive, AC adapter, port replicator and floppy drive), 1-year warranty on parts and labor, around-the-clock toll-free technical support. $2699 888/466-8434 www.fujitsu-pc.com