By SUBASHINI SELVARATNAM
intech@thestar.com.my
Stylish and portable, the Fujitsu LifeBook MH330 is also a decent netbook.
The Fujitsu LifeBook MH330 is a stylish and compact netbook that is available in two colours - Diamond Black and Fiery Red.
We reviewed the Fiery Red model and like the design. It's only the top that is red and the rest of the netbook is matte black.
As the top is glossy, you can expect it to be a fingerprint magnet but we like it nonetheless as it gives the netbook a trendy look.
The MH330 weighs approximately 1.1kg and is small enough to slip into an oversized ladies handbag.
Entertainment on the go
The netbook comes with a decent 10.1in screen with a resolution of 1,024 x 600-pixels. A Realtek ALC272 HD sound chip powers the built-in stereo speakers which are suprisingly good.
The combination of both makes watching movies online, such as YouTube videos, a good experience.
We used VLC Media Player to play HD videos -both 720p and 1080p resolutions - and the netbook was able to play most of them without any hiccups.
However, some files, especially large ones didn't play very well and the audio went out of sync.
This is not surprising as the Atom processor isn't capable of handling large HD files.
In terms of battery life, the netbook didn't fare so well. When used for watching videos, the battery only lasted two hours.
If it's used for standard apps and surfing the Web, the battery lasted up to 3.5 hours.
For a netbook, we expected upwards of five hours of use but the Fujitsu's battery is just too small to accommodate that.
The netbook's keyboard, although small, is still great to use. It was a breeze typing this review on it and all the function keys were easily accessible.
There are handy function keys for adjusting volume and to zoom in and out of pictures and documents.
The netbook is powered by the Atom N450 processor running at 1.66GHz speed. There is also a spacious 250GB hard disk drive which is great for storing multimedia files.
Like most netbooks in the market, the MH330 lacks an optical drive. Fujitsu has a solution for this in the form of a client called ODD Sharing Feature.
Once this program is installed on another notebook or PC, you will be able to access its optical drive or files remotely from your local network.
The MH330 also has a 0.3-megapixel webcam which is good for videoconferencing but the quality wasn't the best we have seen.
To make the experience more fun, the netbook comes with CyberLink YouCam app which allows you to add effects such as distortions and add virtual items such as hats and masks as well as use virtual avatars.
In conclusion
Overall, the Fujitsu LifeBook MH330 is a stylish and portable netbook that is great for fun and work on the go.
It has a nice screen, good stereo speakers and a spacious hard disk, which makes it great for watching movies.
The only thing we didn't like about the netbook is its short battery life.
If you are in the market for a stylish and cheap netbook, the MH330 is worth checking out.
Pros: Nice design; decent keyboard; cheap.
Cons: Short battery life.
LifeBook MH330
(Fujitsu)
Netbook
Processor: Intel Atom N450 (1.66GHz)
Memory: 1GB RAM
Display: 10.1in WSVGA with LED backlight
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150
Storage: 250GB
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11bgn, 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth
Ports/slots: Three USB ports, 5-in-1 card slot, VGA port (with dual screen support)
Battery: 2,200mAH lithium-ion
Operating system: Windows 7 Starter edition
Other features: Built-in webcam 0.3-megapixel camera, spill-resistant keyboard
Dimensions (W x D x H): 258 x 185 x 18/24.5mm
Weight: 1.1kg
Price: RM1,299
Rating: 3.5
Review unit courtesy of Fujitsu PC Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, 1-800-88-3309