The Stylistic ST502x range has several screen options. The entry-level ST5020 and top-end ST5022 models have 12.1-inch transmissive TFT displays, while the mid-range ST5021 has a 10.4-inch reflective TFT with frontlighting for optimal outdoor usage. The ST5022's transmissive XGA-resolution screen has an anti-reflective coating to boost its legibility outdoors, and it did perform better in this respect than some we have seen.
Fujitsu Siemens provides a pouch containing a range of international modem adaptors, all neatly labelled by country, plus a software suite that includes Norton Ghost 2003 and Corel Grafigo (for producing diagrams and other hand-drawn content).
Performance
A Tablet PC needs to be small and light enough to carry for extended periods. At 220mm wide by 324mm deep by 21-25mm high and 1.55kg, it can certainly be held in the crook of an arm without much discomfort, but ideally it would be lighter and more compact. By way of comparison, Fujitsu Siemens' convertible T4010C measures 244mm by 293mm by 35-38mm and weighs 2kg. In addition to being a touch on the large side, the Stylistic ST5022 became noticeably hot on its felt-clad underside after extended periods of use.
When we attempted to run our standard MobileMark 2002 benchmarks, the test repeatedly failed to complete -- despite the removal of pretty much all of Fujitsu Siemens' software bundle (the presence of other installed software being a common reason for MobileMark to choke). However, in use we found that the Stylistic ST5022 had enough power to run mainstream business applications without any bother. Boosting the RAM from 512MB to 1GB or higher will give you more responsiveness, but you'll be stuck with the Extreme Graphics 2 module, which has now been superseded by the better-performing Graphics Media Accelerator 900 in Intel's 915GM chipset (part of the latest Sonoma platform).
Without MobileMark 2002 results, we can't report a formal battery life figure: Fujitsu Siemens claims up to nine hours for the 9-cell, 7,200mAh extended-life Li-ion battery that came with our review system, while the standard battery is a 6-cell, 4,800mAh unit.
The Stylistic ST5022 has good ergonomics, and the lanyard for the stylus is a nice detail. On the other hand, it's slightly too large and it runs hot after extended use. Also, despite its anti-reflective coating, the screen doesn't perform all that well outdoors: if you need good outdoor visibility, go for the ST5021 model with its reflective TFT screen.
Edited by Charles McLellan
Additional editing by Nick Hide
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