Windows Vista Business was preinstalled on our review system, but there's a downgrade option to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 if required.
Wireless connectivity comes in the shape of Intel's WiFi Link 5300 (802.11a/b/g and draft n) and Bluetooth 2.1. Mobile broadband (via a Sierra Wireless MC8790 module) is available as an option. Gigabit Ethernet is available for wired connection.
There are several hard drive options. Our review sample had a 160GB hard drive, but you can also choose 320GB or 120GB hard drives, or a 64GB solid-state hard drive. The physical drives benefit from a shock-protection system.
The optical drive sits in a modular bay on the right side of the system. This can be used to accommodate a second hard drive, a second battery or a space saver.
The front edge is clear of ports and connectors, while the right side houses just the optical drive. On the back are two USB 2.0 ports, the Ethernet port and, under a hinged flap, a VGA connector for an external monitor. If you choose the mobile-broadband option, the SIM card slot is also under this flap.
The left edge has a third USB 2.0 port, a FireWire port, a pair of audio jacks, an ExpressCard slot, a Smart Card reader and a reader for SD- and Memory Stick-compatible media.
Performance
The Windows Experience Index (WEI) score for the T5010 was 3.7 out of 5.9. In general, its performance is impressive, and it consistently outperformed or equalled the last laptop we reviewed with the same processor, HP's EliteBook 6930p.
The top score of 5.6 was for RAM (memory operations per second), while processor (calculations per second) and primary hard disk (disk data-transfer rate) both did well, with ratings of 5.3. The bottleneck, as usual, was the graphics sub-system: graphics (desktop performance for Windows Aero) scored 3.9, and gaming graphics (3D business and gaming graphics performance) brought up the rear (and provided the overall WEI rating) at 3.7.
Fujitsu Siemens claims that the provided six-cell battery will keep the T5010 going for 6 hours, or 9 hours if you add a second battery in the modular bay. We chose the balanced power plan and asked the T5010 to play a DVD movie for as long as possible from the standard battery. Under these conditions, we got just 2.5 hours of video playback from a full battery charge. When using the T5010 for everyday working we got closer to 4 hours of battery life.
Conclusion
The Fujitsu Siemens LifeBook T5010 is a well-made convertible tablet PC with a sturdy casing and a comfortable keyboard. It's rather heavy for extended use in tablet mode, but benefits from a 13.3-inch screen and decent performance.
Additional editing by Charles Kloet
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