Two further mouse buttons sit above the touchpad. These are designed for use with the pointing stick that sits between the G, H and B keys. They're rather thin and we found them awkward to use.
There's a 1.3-megapixel webcam built into the lid section above the screen. Fujitsu includes some usable software that lets you take photos, shoot video, undertake videoconferencing and capture still images. You can also use it for face-tracking, which works very well and is remarkably responsive.
Features
There are several processor choices available with this laptop. Our review unit had an Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 running at 2.53GHz. Other options include the T9550 (2.66GHz), P8700 (2.53GHz) and P8600 (2.4GHz). The chipset is Intel's GM45 Express, and the system comes with 2GB of DDR3 RAM.
Graphics are managed by the GM45's integrated GMA 4500MHD module, which will drive an external monitor at resolutions of up to 1,900x1,200 pixels. The operating system in our review sample was Windows Vista Business, although other options include Vista Home Basic and Windows XP Professional.
Our review sample had a 160GB hard drive, but you can also configure the S7220 with a 320GB drive. The hard drive has built-in shock protection to shield your data from the rigours of on-the-road life.
Mobile broadband was present in our review sample, although the Sierra Wireless MC8790 HSPA module doesn't come as standard. The MC8790 supports up to 7.2Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream. Fujitsu includes the 3G Watcher software for managing Internet connections. This is extremely easy to use and we had no trouble getting connected using our Orange SIM.
The S7220 also includes Wi-Fi (802.11b/g or a/b/g plus draft-n) and Bluetooth 2.1. A switch on the front of the laptop lets you turn these wireless connections on and off. Gigabit Ethernet and a V.92 modem take care of wired connectivity.
Ports and connectors are arranged around all four edges of the laptop. The back houses just one -- the Ethernet port. The modem port is towards the front on the right edge, which is an unusually prominent location for a legacy connector that's unlikely to be used very often.
Behind the modem, on the right edge, sits the optical drive. This is removable and can be replaced with a second battery to help extend the S7220's working life away from mains power. At the very front of the right edge is a single USB port, with a Smart Card reader above it.
On the left edge, behind a covered slot, is a VGA-out port for an external monitor. Further forward are two more USB connectors and an ExpressCard slot. On the front edge is a flash card reader for SD-compatible media and Memory Stick formats, plus a pair of audio jacks.
Performance
The Windows Experience Index (WEI) score for the S7220 is unremarkable. The overall score of 3.7 (out of 5.9) is better than that achieved by the last LifeBook we reviewed, the P8020, but it's still not near the scores of over 4 that we have seen from some laptops.
The lowest score of 3.7 went to 'gaming graphics' (3D business and gaming graphics performance), while 'graphics' (desktop performance for Windows Aero) scored a slightly higher 3.9. The remaining components all scored over 5, with 'primary hard disk' (disk data-transfer rate) at 5.3, 'processor' (calculations per second) at 5.4 and 'RAM' (memory operations per second) at 5.6.
As far as battery life is concerned, Fujitsu claims you should get up to 5 hours' work from the main six-cell 5,800mAh battery. Buy a second six-cell 3,800mAh battery and you should get up to 8 hours. As we've already noted, there's a pre-configured power-saving mode that extends battery life by switching off some components and lowering the screen brightness.
We chose the power-saver plan and watched a movie for as long as the laptop allowed with just the main battery running. Under these conditions, we got 2 hours and 19 minutes out of the battery. You should be able to get through half a day's mains-free work with this laptop, but a full day is likely to require a recharge or investment in a second battery.
Conclusion
Fujitsu's LifeBook S7220 is a solidly built laptop, and its integrated mobile broadband and good camera software are welcome. The keyboard is comfortable and its performance is adequate so long as you don't need fast graphics. All in all, it's a good mobile workhorse.
Additional editing by Charles Kloet
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