Review of Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pi1505

These are the kind of reviews that get me worked up. Here we have a perfectly good Intel Duo processor-based laptop, priced at the equivalent of less than $950-The Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pi1505-and us Yankees have no chance at it. It's only sold in the U.K.

Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pi1505 Technical Specifications

Processor

1.6GHz Intel Core Duo T2050, 667Mhz FSB

Memory

512MB DDR2 667MHz

Harddrive

60GB 5,400rpm parallel ATA

OS

Windows XP Home

Weight

5.6 pounds (2.5 kg)

Screen

15.4 inches

Screen resolution

1280x800

Graphic Card

Intel GMA950 IGP

Battery Life

2-3 hours

Full review of Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pi1505

These are the kind of reviews that get me worked up. Here we have a perfectly good Intel Duo processor-based laptop, priced at the equivalent of less than $950-The Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pi1505-and us Yankees have no chance at it. It's only sold in the U.K. and the Continent. When you add a $400 or $500 airfare to Europe to the retail price, the laptop doesn't become that appealing to an American.

Nevertheless, for our Euro readers out there, here's what you can look forward to in the Fujitsu AMILO Pi1505. The base specifications aren't going to blow you away, but again, for the price, do they have to? What you do get standard is a 1.6 GHz T2050 Core Duo, with the option to upgrade to a faster version, a 1.8 GHz Core Solo, or even the brand-spanking-new Core 2 Duo.

This Fujitsu laptop's 15.4-inch display comes with high-gloss CrystalView technology with a resolution of 1,280 x 800. That partners with an Intel GMA950 graphics and a 945GM chipset. So again, you won't be winning any medals for the graphics and visual performance, but you won't have many complaints about clarity or crispness either.

Also average are the standard RAM-512 MB worth-and the standard hard drive-60 GB. Both are upgradeable to as much as 2 GB of RAM, and as much as 120 GB of hard drive.

And in keeping with the discount theme of the

Fujitsu Pi1505, don't expect hot technologies like BlueTooth or extras like a PC Card slot. However, just when I started to not mind being on this side of the Atlantic, I find out that the AMILO Pi 1505 does have nice perks like an ExpressCard slot, a 4-in-1 card reader, a dual double-layer DVD burner, a FireWire port, and TV and VGA outputs.

And to boot, those smug Europeans can use the AMILO Pi1505 laptop while drinking a weisse bier in Munich, a Burgundy in Leon or a café con leche in Barcelona. Makes you sick, doesn't it? :)