Graphics performance on a business notebook such as this isn't usually a deal breaker, and the 3DMark06 result of 603 at its native resolution of 1280 x 800 indicates the LifeBook P8020 won't thank you for troubling it with 3D games. Dropping down to a resolution of 1024 x 768 sees a slight improvement with a score of 649, but it's nothing to get excited about.

3DMark06 Results

Longer bars are better

With its 8700mAh, six-cell battery, we were hoping for some decent battery life scores, and when running PCMark05 in a continuous loop it managed to keep going for 170 minutes. Not a bad result, and far better than the 80 minute Toshiba Portégé R600, but it's still over an hour off Sony's long-lasting Vaio TT.

Battery Life Results

Battery life in minutes
Longer bars are better

Fujitsu has opted for a 160GB, 5400rpm hard disk as opposed to a more expensive solid-state model. Thanks to its Shock Sensor technology, the drive head will be parked if the laptop's getting a rough ride. The level of sensitivity is variable, and the software even displays a graph indicating how much movement it's experiencing on the x, y and z axes – you're unlikely to need a graph to inform you that you and your prized laptop have just been kicked to the floor, but it suggests it's a reasonably sophisticated system.

Verdict

At over £1700, there's no getting away from the fact that the LifeBook P8020 is pretty darned expensive. With a 12.1in screen, netbook-beating processor, robust chassis and other extras such as built-in 3G, the P8020 does go some way to justifying it's price tag. However, the keyboard simply feels too cramped. At roughly the same price, Sony's Vaio TT has a far more finger-friendly keyboard and a better battery life, albeit with an 11.1in screen. Yet its relatively light weight and larger display will appeal to some to get a LifeBook. ®

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