Almost half a century ago, Alan Kay first expressed the idea of ​​creating a portable computer capable of connecting to the network without wires. And the first attempts to make a computer at least a little more mobile were not long in coming. Since then, portable PCs have been created, developed, become thinner, lighter, more productive, to eventually take a firm place among the basic tools for work.

But, as it turned out, laptops were not mobile enough for a modern person, because in the end we needed tablets to read mail or surf the Internet on business trips and travels. But as soon as someone tried to work productively on a tablet PC, it immediately became clear that such devices are poorly suited for using resource-intensive applications or even for writing any detailed letter to a colleague.
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Of course, engineers naturally had a brilliant idea to combine all the best that was in laptops and tablets, in one device. After a couple of unsuccessful design solutions, as well as OS releases supporting the touchpad, quite working transforming computers (or hybrid computers, were presented to the world, if you have any other strong associations with the word "transformer").

These are full-featured laptops that can be easily used in tablet PC mode by rotating the screen 360 degrees. This explains their popularity with corporate users, because on such a computer you can not only work in the office, but also take it on a business trip and spend hours on the road with benefit.

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK U939X continues the line of light mobile transformable business-class PCs, intended primarily for those who need to maintain a high level of productivity on numerous trips, as well as for those who are not willing to sacrifice their convenience in favor of luggage easier. No sacrifice is needed, because LIFEBOOK U939X is not only productive, but also one of the easiest in its class. But let's take a closer look.

Appearance and ergonomics

In appearance LIFEBOOK U939X no frills: the lack of elements in high-tech style, bright neon lights, giant logos and other things. Only stylish minimalism in two traditional colors for Fujitsu - black and black and red.





In size, the body is slightly larger than A4 sheet (214 by 309 mm). It may not be the thinnest (case thickness is 16.9 mm, the average among similar devices), but making a compartment for the stylus in an ultrathin case is still a task, especially if you don’t want to break the pleasant laconic design with unnecessary projections or offer the buyer instead of the stylus is not very ergonomic thin "toothpick". The total weight is only 1 kilogram * or slightly more, depending on the configuration, so Fujitsu LIFEBOOK U939X is among the competitors almost the only one who performs in light weight. This is a portable device that is easy to carry and, if necessary, keep on weight.

* The version, which is distributed in Japan, due to the reduced battery, the weight is even lighter, only 0.86 kg. But her battery life is significantly lower. So Europe is even lucky, because the additional 150 grams are not so strongly felt, but an extra few hours of battery life is hard not to appreciate.

The case itself is made of magnesium alloy, so the probability of damage due to physical impact, for example, when falling from a small height is lower (but still it is not necessary to drop the device for testing).

Separately speaking about strength, it is worth noting that the laptop passed part of the tests necessary to meet the military standard MIL-STD-810, which means that it is resistant to all kinds of influences: altitude differences and temperature differences (operating temperature range from 5 ° C to 35 ° C , although on PC tests I felt well at +50 C °, and at -20 C °), humidity, dust, shaking, etc. Of course, if you make a device that fully complies with MIL-STD-810, then about compactness and elegance can be forgotten, but you can be sure that the LIFEBOOK U939X can work properly and beyond Lamy four office walls. And unintentional fall or too hot / cold day, most likely, will not put the final point in the operation of the device. And it's not just the luck of the individual owner.

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK U939X - transformer. The angle of rotation of the screen is 360 degrees, so you can use it both as a laptop and as a tablet.





By the way, about the display. LED screen with a diagonal of 13.3 inches and a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. Touchpad Wacom AES with support for 4096 levels of depression, anti-reflective coating and stylus support in stock. A couple of words about the stylus. Firstly, it comes bundled, and not for a separate (usually considerable) fee, also the stylus is stored and charged in the built-in special compartment, so you don’t have to search for it in bags and pockets at the most crucial moment. In the compartment, the stylus sits tightly, does not fall out, so you can lose it no sooner than you get out of the compartment.



Sensors automatically adjust the brightness of the display to the ambient light. Above the display is an infrared FullHD camera that supports Windows Hello technology. There are also versions with an additional 5 megapixel camera located above the keyboard, which is useful if you suddenly need to take a couple of photos or, for example, broadcast in tablet mode.

Today, in the workplace, several monitors are very often used simultaneously, which makes the work more comfortable and efficient. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics adapter supports up to three displays (1 onboard and 2 external), and you can connect external monitors using the port replicator.

In addition, all devices are Made in Japan . The assembly from the beginning to the end is Japanese, therefore the quality is at the height.

Interfaces and communications

LIFEBOOK U939X was conceived as a serious universal device for productive everyday work. Especially for those who have to spend a lot of time “on their feet”, on the road or working “in the field”.



The size of the case allowed to place on a full-sized USB-port version 3.0 on each of the ends, one of which is able to charge gadgets even if the laptop is turned off (useful if you need to urgently revive the smartphone on a long trip). On the left side there are two more Thunderbolt 3 Type C USB ports 3.1, one of them also has the function of charging external devices. When upgrading their laptops, Fujitsu decided not to abandon all other connectors in favor of the Thunderbolt, as some manufacturers do, but add it to expand the functionality of the device and additional convenience. After all, more and more new devices are using it. Save on adapters, which, moreover, take up extra space.





There is also a combined audio jack on the left (if there is no headset, a built-in microphone is available), a full-size HDMI connector and a smart card reader.
On the right is a compartment for the stylus, a slot for a memory card (UHS-II) and a full-sized Ethernet (RJ-45) connector that does not require adapters.



In models with a built-in 4G / LTE module, there is also a slot for a SIM card (Micro-SIM).
Wireless connections are provided using the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC9560 11ac with integrated Bluetooth 5.0.

Security

Let's talk a little about security. The choice of model with a sensor for reading fingerprints or with a sensor PalmSecure (by the way, own development of Fujitsu). Of course, for frequent use the latter is preferable. PalmSecure is more accurate than the fingerprint scanner (False Acceptence Rate of the latter - 0.001, when FAR for the veins of the palm is 0.00001) and does not require contact with the surface, which means it is more hygienic and more durable. The average time to failure of a fingerprint scanner is about 100 thousand hours, while that of the PalmSecure sensor is about one million. In addition, the scanned surface (your palm) may be wet or slightly dirty - the sensor will still work. Do not have to clean your hands every time you need to log in using biometrics.



Coupled with an infrared camera with support for Windows Hello, a biometric face recognition system, this is a serious obstacle for anyone who tries to use your laptop, even knowing the password.

A built-in TPM 2.0 chip is available for various tasks related to cryptography and computer protection, as well as for BitLocker operation.

There is a slot for Kensington Castle (right). No ultimatum protection against theft (especially if the thief got a bolt cutter), but the device is unlikely to be dragged away.

Input Devices

Classic for notebooks in the form of a QWERTY-keyboard and touchpad with support for gestures. Backlit keyboard to make it easier to work in low light.



If you can not work on the Fujitsu LIFEBOOK U939X like on a computer, then you can turn the display and use it as a tablet. With a touch screen, multitouch and stylus it will be even easier to work at some points, for example, when working with drawings and diagrams. Wacom AES with a proprietary stylus and the ability of the device to fold make the work in graphic editors extremely convenient.

Hardware component and performance

The LIFEBOOK U939X uses the eighth generation of Intel Core Whiskey Lake processors. Productive and not as energy-consuming as their predecessors, which means that the operating time of a laptop from a single charge increases.



There are models with a quad-core Intel Core i7-8665U with a clock frequency in the 1.9-4.8 GHz band and an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics processor. Depending on the budget, you can choose cheaper options: from Intel Core i5-8365U and Intel Core i5-8265U.



Supported RAM capacity from 8 to 16 GB. LPDDR3 RAM is soldered on the motherboard. Unfortunately, in order to maintain a compact size, we had to abandon additional slots for RAM.



Solid state drives also provide good performance. The choice of SSD SATA III from 256 GB to 1024 GB or PCIe-SSD 256 and 512 GB.



Fujitsu LIFEBOOK U939X comes with Windows 10 Professional. Linux is not officially supported.

Battery life

The lithium polymer battery, which is less susceptible to degradation in comparison with the lithium-ion battery, according to test results, holds a charge of 15 hours - more than enough for a productive working day. There is a Quick Charge battery charging technology that is so popular on smartphones: up to 80% in just an hour.

The device is already available for order from the official distributors of Fujitsu. Price depends on the configuration.