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Review Fujitsu Lifebook N532-0M3501DE Notebook and battery life

If you want your powerful PC anywhere you go and not waive a large display, the 17.3-inch Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is a good choice. The notebook is an all-rounder that equally suits business customers with its special configuration as well as casual gamers. HP Pavilion m6 Charger

The Lifebook N532 can be equipped with a variety of different Intel Core-i processors and up to 2 TB mass storage ex works. SSDs are also available, even a WWAN module for mobile internet can be installed. The mainstream graphics Nvidia GeForce GT620M is always on board.

Our review unit with the label 0M3501DE features mainstream hardware; it is equipped with the popular Intel Core i5-3210M dual core processor, a 500 GB hard drive and no WWAN module. HP Pavilion m6t Charger

The Lifebook N532 explicitly wants to be an all-rounder so we compare it with different competitors in its class: The Asus K75VJ offers faster core components for a similar price but lacks any business features. The HP Envy dv7-7202eg also has faster internals and basic protection via fingerprint reader. The HP ProBook 4740s has one too. If you are interested in more performance you should have a closer look at the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500, which is more gamer oriented. We also have an AMD based competitor with the Toshiba Satellite L875D-10E. HP EliteBook Revolve Charger

Case

Do you like plastic? In this case you will be in good hands with the Lifebook N532. The chassis is completely made out of plastic but with its matte looks and pleasant haptics it makes a high quality impression. The transitions between the different parts are also very precise and have no perceptible edges. HP Mini 200 Charger

There is not much criticism with the stability of the notebook: The bottom can hardly be bent and the keyboard is surprisingly sturdy even above the DVD burner. This is a weak point for many other notebooks. Only the display can be bent a bit too much for our taste, which is also indicated by brightness distortions on the display. The pressure resistance of the cover from behind is not very good either. HP Mini 200-4200 Charger

The design is best described as inconspicuous; Fujitsu made no experiments and chose a simple design that will not scare off anybody. Silver-gray and black dominate and will neither stand out in the office nor at home. That is how it should be for a notebook that wants to be an all-rounder. HP Mini 200-4200so Charger

Performance

As mentioned before there are numerous hardware configurations for the Fujitsu Lifebook N532: Starting with an Intel Core i3-2328M up to a Core i7-3630QM almost every processor from the Core-i series is available. Also relevant for the performance: The hard drive. Here you can configure RAID systems or select Solid State Drives. Up to 16 GB memory can be integrated. Only the Nvidia GeForce GT620M graphics cannot be changed, it is a low midrange solution, which is usually used in 14-inch devices, for example in the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge S430.HP Pavilion 15 Charger

Our system is equipped with a Core i5-3210M, a 500 GB hard drive and 4 GB RAM, which is lower midrange if you consider the available configurations. Overall our system should be sufficient for office tasks but there are not many performance reserves if the tasks become more demanding. The system is not powerful enough for 3D-calculations, video editing, etc. HP Pavilion 15t Charger

Processor
The processor is the most powerful component in our review unit. With its two cores that can execute up to four threads simultaneously and a nominal clock of 2.5 GHz the Intel Core i5-3210M is adequate for most tasks. The system can also dynamically adjust the clock via Turbo Boost and raise it to 3.1 GHz for one core or 2.9 GHz for two cores.

In the synthetic benchmarks our system gets similar results compared to devices with the same processor. Throttling, a reduced clock of the processor, for example due to insufficient cooling, should not be a problem. In fact we saw the full Turbo clock in a short test; it is also not reduced during battery use as long as the profile "Maximum Performance" is selected. HP Pavilion 15z Charger

System Performance
Even if our system does not have the high end components, the system performance indicated by PCMark 7 is similar to comparable devices. Unfortunately PCMark Vantage does not work with Windows 8 so we have no test results for this benchmark. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15 Charger

All in all, the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is even ahead of the competitor HP ProBook 4740s. The components seem to work well together and result in a low midrange system. No component slows the system down noticeably. The Lifebook N532 has sufficient performance for daily tasks but there could be problems with more demanding applications.

Storage Devices
The Toshiba hard drive with a capacity of 500 GB is not really the fastest: It only works at 5,400 revolutions per minute. Both the HDTune benchmark as well as the Crystal Disk Mark results are clearly lower than competitive devices with similar hard drives. However, this is not noticeable during practical use, applications and the operating system boot quickly. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15t Charger

15 GB of the hard drive is used by the recovery partition that contains a system image. This is redundant because the notebook is delivered with recovery DVDs, so you can delete this partition if necessary and use the additional space. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15z Charger

Graphics
Usually the Nvidia GeForce GT620M can be found in considerably smaller devices and so far we did not review a 17.3-inch device with this graphics card. It is a low midrange solution with a clock of 475 MHz and 1,024 MB dedicated memory. Via Nvidia-Optimus technology the graphics card can be deactivated for low demanding tasks and then the Intel HD Graphics 4000, which is integrated into the processor, can be used instead. The user can also step in and choose the graphics for each application. HP Pavilion 14 Charger

The graphics card gets solid results in the benchmarks that are partly much higher than competitors with the same graphics (compare Lenovo ThinkPad Edge S430). These devices often had a version with reduced clocks to avoid critical temperatures. This is not necessary with the Lifebook N532 and it is also not a problem, even with battery use and continuous load the graphics card does not reduce its clock. However, the same graphics in the Acer Aspire E1-571G has a significantly higher clock with 625 MHz. The gaming benchmarks will show if there is an impact on the performance. HP Pavilion 14t Charger

Gaming Performance
Gaming should be possible with the GeForce GT620M graphics, yet it will not be sufficient for the native display resolution and high details in many games. The reduced clock is another factor.

In fact our review unit performs worse in all games compared to competitors with the same graphics but higher clocks. For better comparison we tested the same games that we used in the Acer Aspire E1-571G review. We can see a 20% performance disadvantage of the Lifebook N532 because of the reduced clock. And the competition? The HP ProBook 4740s is on the same level and the Asus K75VJ is far ahead in many games thanks to the more powerful GPU (GeForce GT 635M). HP Pavilion 14z Charger

Overall most of the latest games are playable on the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 with reduced details and a reduced resolution. However, it is not really future-proof, so if you want to play browser or casual games in the future you should consider a more powerful device.

System Noise
Both the Intel Core i5-3210M and GeForce GT620M have proven to be very easy to cool, especially in a 17.3-inch chassis like the Lifebook N532. It is not surprising that the fan is even completely deactivated from time to time and the HDD is the only audible part during idle. We measure 33.3 dB when there is absolutely no load, this hardly changes during idle. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14 Charger

With maximum load we measure a maximum value of 42.3 dB. This is audible but not annoying. During movie playback via DVD burner you have to live with 36.4 dB. Still audible but it should not interrupt the cinematic enjoyment. All in all, the system noise of the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is similar to most competitors, for example the HP ProBook 4740s. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14t Charger

Temperature
When the fan is spinning it is very quiet. Does this result in higher surface temperatures? Not at all: The absolute maximum is just 37.3 °C at the left back side of the bottom. The warming can be felt but the notebook can be used on the lap without any problems. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14z Charger

Especially with little load the maximum temperature of the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is only 33.6 °C at the rear left. Only at one spot the frugal cooling becomes evident: The palm rest is about 20% warmer during idle compared to maximum load. That is because the fan transports more heat from the case during maximum load. But even during idle the temperature of the palm rest is never unpleasant. HP 3125 Charger

Speakers
The speakers are located above the keyboard behind a grid over the entire width. The two speakers have the DTS license, which usually takes care of good cinema sound. Sounds promising, right? Unfortunately the speakers cannot keep the promise that comes with the "DTS Boost" symbol: Although the high and mid tones are okay, the deep tones are completely missing. This results in an empty sound from the speakers, which is not very enjoyable. HP 3125m Charger

At least the maximum volume is convincing but without bass nobody wants to listen to that. The speakers are well suited for video chats; for music playback or movies you should use the stereo jack: Attached headphones or speakers deliver a good sound. HP Reveals Pavilion 14 Charger

Energy Management

Power Consumption
The maximum energy consumption is within the norm with 70.6 Watts, unfortunately we have no comparative data from other 17.3-inch notebooks since the GeForce GT620M is usually only used in smaller systems. All in all, the Lifebook N532 is in the middle of the competition when it comes to energy consumption, so we can rule out an exceptional high or low consumption. HP EliteBook Folio 9470 Ultrabook Charger

With minimal use the notebook consumes at least 9.5 Watts. Activated WLAN and the "Maximum Performance" energy profile raises this minimal consumption up to 15 Watts. These values are also within the norm. On its website Fujitsu advertises the epeat-Gold label and the Green-IT label for the Lifebook N532 so the notebook has to meet certain consumption requirements. In one point the notebook is very green: Turned off as well as in standby it pulls 0.0 Watts from the socket. HP EliteBook Folio 9470m Ultrabook Charger

Battery Runtime
For how long does the battery at the back keep up with these consumption values? Let us clear up the basic data first: Fujitsu uses a lithium-ion battery with 57 Wh, so it is smaller than the competition. HP EliteBook Revolve 810 Charger

With little load the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 runs for up to 5:20 hours. This is not the promised seven hours by Fujitsu but this scenario is not really realistic anyway. Surfing via WLAN or watching a DVD are more realistic - then the runtime is 4:02 hours and 3:33 hours respectively before the battery has to be recharged. With maximum load it runs out of juice little after an hour. So how about the competition? HP EliteBook 8770P Charger

The HP ProBook 4740s is actually ahead when it comes to runtimes thanks to its larger battery (WLAN runtime: 4:38), the HP Envy dv7 with its more power-hungry components is beaten despite the larger battery (WLAN runtime: 3:03). The runtimes of the Lifebook 532 are between the competition and therefore good average. HP ProBook 6360t Mobile Thin Client Charger

The Fujitsu Lifebook N532 wants to please everybody and be a notebook for business customers as well as multimedia users. So does it sit between the chairs? Yes, in many areas this device is just too average. The display is okay but nothing that would impress movie enthusiasts or gamers. Many security features can be upgraded but overall the available security features will not be sufficient for business customers. The graphics card is basically capable of gaming but notebooks with better GPUs often cost the same or even less. HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook Charger

We liked the solid build quality and the very good input devices of the Fujitsu Lifebook N532. Does that justify a purchase? During the review we often wished Fujitsu would have been more courageous and would have either made a distinct office or a consumer device. Now the Lifebook N532 offers a bit for everybody and does not make any big mistakes, but it cannot inspire either. HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15t Charger If you are looking for a basic 17.3-inch notebook and your demands are not too high, you can give the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 a chance, everybody else should consider more specialized products.

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