BIOS: Technology Means Business

If you hanker for a portable computer that is relatively small and light, but which has plenty of capability, then several names might spring to mind. Fujitsu Siemens should be added to that list - or rather the LifeBook S-6120 should.

Measuring 293x 236x34mm and weighing 1.7kg with a weight saver used in the single drive bay means that the LifeBook S-6120 can be carried around in a carry case or rucksack without any difficulties. A laptop of this size can't accommodate a vast screen however, and the LifeBook S-6120 offers a 13.3in. XGA TFT panel with a native resolution of 1,024x768 pixels. The screen performs exceptionally well for its overall size, is bright and clear and has a good viewing angle for sharing its output with others. Graphics are powered by an Intel Extreme Graphics 2 chip.

The LifeBook S-6120 uses a Pentium M 1.6GHz processor with enhanced SpeedStep power-saving technology and 512MB of DDR SDRAM, which offers plenty of processing power for general business applications. Our review model also came with an integrated combination CD-RW/DVD ROM drive. If you want access to a floppy drive you will need to buy one separately, and there is only a single PC Card slot, so Type III cards are not supported. Twin USB 2.0 ports and a FireWire port are present, but you'll need a port replicator to access older style connectivity ports such as serial and parallel. Headphone, audio line-in and microphone ports are also present.

Both Bluetooth and 802.11b wireless connections are built-in, and you can have both running at once if you want to push the battery to its limits. Fujitsu Siemens' software for managing wireless connections, PlugFree, is a mixed bag. It feels a bit like a sledgehammer invented to crack a relatively straightforward nut during setup, and newcomers to wireless connectivity may find they have a bit of a learning curve. However, once configured, PlugFree comes into its own, particularly if you manage connections to a relatively large number of wireless devices. It's good to see comprehensive wireless management software supplied with a laptop, and rather satisfying to use PlugFree to find and recognise all your Bluetooth and 802.11b devices at the same time.

The 40GB 4,200rpm hard disk on our test machine can be upgraded to a 60GB version if required. The built-in rechargeable battery provided a life span of around 3hrs during our tests, though with wireless connections active you can expect to get less running time.

The LifeBook S-6120 is a relatively powerful portable with good usability features. The combination of 802.11b and Bluetooth is becoming less rare than it once was, but the overall package is still rather desirable for those who require a portable and robust computing solution.