N3510 here ... not happy!

Well first thing I got a stuck pixel near the middle bottom part of the screen, it is constantly red. Although I asked P1 to check the screen [ ].
Something is definetly wrong with the finish on this screen, there are dots that appear all over the right section of the screen, they seem like defects in the coating of the screen, at first I thaught they were dust, but nope. on a black background I can easily seem them without sticking my head into the screen, they sort of reflect green [ ].
Ok so maybe I have a bad screen, but here is what is making me really not like this laptop. The keyboard buttons are just too stiff for my taste (this could be just me!) BUT the space bar makes the most annoying clicking noise !!!![ ][ ][ ] I am hating it more with each word I type.
Last, my early fears were confirmed. the lack of venting on this unit makes it run really warm. fan blasts fully when just scrolling a webpage ... Totally unacceptable. and what is even worse is that my hands are sweating because of the amount of heat found in the hand rest area, the left side mostly!!!

Bottom line I think I really made a bad choice!

So that I am not just negative. The build quality is awsome, you get the feeling the unit is made of metal. This laptop looks really nice in its black glossy finish. and finally the screen is awesome, other than my screen having a few defects.

Since I am definetly gonna return this unit for the faulty screen (especially after I asked P1 to check for any defects). I am thinking of getting the N6010. The main reason that I picked the N3510 over the N6010, was to be able to use it on my lap, but this is just too hot for me to bare using on my lap! + with the amount of typing i do, warm hand rest area is totally unacceptable.

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ETA Thursday: N3510: 512MB, DVD/RW and later 7K60

 

it seems problems come in heaps.
windows was reading 256MB memory, so i decided to check bios, same there, so i decided to doubt that and i popped the lid of the ram compartment and well 256MB ... I ordered 512 2 pieces ... even the box says 256MB ... I can just cry now ... how could so many things go wrong ... at least I aced an exam I had today in the morning, so this is payback [ ].

Ok I have had enough ... calling P1, and getting N6 ... but please can someone assure me that the keyboard isn't stiff on the N6 and that the hand rest area isn't frying!!!

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ETA Thursday: N3510: 512MB, DVD/RW and later 7K60

 

here are some temp readings. cpu 57 degrees with no activity. HDD 58 degrees. the area where i feel the heat the most is right over the HDD ...
I hate this keyboard Arrrrr ...[ !]

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ETA Thursday: N3510: 512MB, DVD/RW and later 7K60

 

Thank you, qwester for your initial review. This is (now was) on top of my list when I buy a in a couple of weeks pending some reviews...

I guess I have to wait a little longer and find out what the W3 will offer when it comes out in a couple of months...

Also pls tell us how P1 handles the stuck pixel

 

What can I say! P1 ROCKS[ ]
I am returning this for an N6010.
The funny thing is that Ivan, over at P1, had read my post here prior ro my call! That's what I call customer service.

So in case you read this Ivan, thanks again. And keep up the super customer service!

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ETA Thursday: N3510: 512MB, DVD/RW and later 7K60

 

qwester, I am sorry so many things went wrong for you. I was considering this laptop for purchase, but now I guess I will wait for the S6xxx refresh. I hope P1 will take care of the problem.

 

This is a bummer. I too was waiting on your review to pull the trigger. So, P1( if you are listening ), what is the problem? I can'nt believe that I am the only person in this large forum that was waiting for a good review.

"The tree of Liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -
Thomas Jefferson
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

 

Aww

this notebook was on the top of my list

Oh well, it'll still be on the list - i'll wait til a few more reviews

thanks for the early review!

 

I like the "stiff" keyboard myself, but then again I work out. If it's not "stiff" enough then just resting my hands on it will press a bunch of keys; that is yet another problem I had with the C2330. lol

In any case, I also had a defective screen on my N3510. It had two very apparent dead pixels, as well as other areas with very small dead pixels. Fujitsu is repairing the unit and having it sent back with Sat. service.

I don't mind the heat coming out of the unit to the left, as the C2330 did the same thing. In case you didn't know, the left lower part of the laptop is where Fujitsu puts the hard drives. So in most any model you get, you will have this.

On a side note, I can understand why Fujitsu gave up the LCD business. Every Fujitsu I had to send back (two models now), has had a bad LCD.

I hope Sharp takes over soon.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by twe

 

Well, I really enjoyed the N3510 including the keyboard. Someone else is doing our full review, so you can get another opinon when we publish that. Obviously the screen is bad for whatever reason, but I'd not let these issues deter you from buying it. I'm a little surprised to see so many hands fold on one person's issue with the kaeyboard. I'm not trying to diminish qwester in any way, but it's just one person who doesn't like it. Keyboards are completely personal. Anyway, it's a good machine, just wish it had more video card options.

Brian

www.BargainPDA.com | www.DigitalCameraReview.com | www.NotebookReview.com | www.SpotStop.com | www.TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

ya don't just relly on my experience. the screen could have been a bad apple. and well the heating, maybe someone in alaska might appreciate it [ ], but I found it too much, especially that I sometime have to use it for typing for prolonged periods.
But I am still wondering where are the air intakes on that unit, I could only find an output.
And in Brian's preview he mentioned the lack of an express card, well mine had it, so it seems that the demo unit he got was as the name implies demo!

And an update on the excellent customer service that I received. Only 6 hours after having received my laptop (mind you I also had a 2 hour class during these 6 hours) the N3510 is with FedEx for a return, and my replacement N6010 will ship directly from fujitsu (I am guessing today), cause P1 doesn't have the configuration that I want. Although Ivan offered to have fujitsu ship to them first and they ship to me if I want so that they can make sure the unit is "healthy". But even with me choosing to ship directly from fujitsu, Ivan asured me that if I have any more problems they will take care of me[ ].

I CANNOT PRAISE P1's SERVICE ENOUGH! THEY ARE JUST SIMPLY THE BEST.

[EDIT]: ChaosBlizzard, I noticed that the HDD was directly under the heated area, but an HDD running at 57 degrees is just too much, especially when you consider I was just browsing, so no activity. I am guessing that something close to the HDD is adding to the heat, and with the minimal venting that the N3510 has ... well! I mean for the fan to go at full blast just for scrolling a page, I don't even want to think of what will happen when you try and throw at it something really CPU intensive
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ETA Unknown: N6010 to replace my now returned N3510

 

Qwester- Your HDD is producing more heat because it's the 7200RPM one. Fujitsu does NOT configure the N3510 to come with this fast of a HDD, which tells you something (i.e. the system architecture really isn't designed to have such a fast HDD), so you can expect it to be warmer.

I should hopefully have my N3510 tomorrow. I'll try to post my impressions.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Brian

 

Oops. Well, scratch that theory.[:I]
Mine is coming with the Fujitsu 5400RPM 60GB HDD.
We'll see how hot it is...

I've been using a thinkpad a21m for the past 2 years,
and it's been an excellent machine. I've always loved
the firm (yet quiet) keyboard, and the machine never gets warm
as I type (only the underside if I sit it on my lap for over 30 minutes). I hope the Fujitsu is just as good or better in these regards.

 

Hah, it looks like everything's going to work out for you anyway.

Brian

www.BargainPDA.com | www.DigitalCameraReview.com | www.NotebookReview.com | www.SpotStop.com | www.TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

Quester, looking forward to your reiview of the N6010. I'm going to try to return mine to Fry's today. They sold it to me claiming it had a 5400 RPM HDD, when in fact it's a 4200. Wish me luck!

 

I received my N3510 yesterday and have not had time to unpack it and set it up. Hopefully, I'll be more satisfied.....I upgraded to the 7200 HD.

I will post my impressions in the very near future.

 

Let us know about the heat issue. This is what is holding me back.
Brian, can you comment on this?

"The tree of Liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -
Thomas Jefferson
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

 

I just received my 7200RPM that was supposed to go into the N3510 and now into the N6010 that's on it's way direct from fujitsu.
That poor little fast HDD is now just sitting in a vantec 2.5" enclosure ... testing it for any bad sectors [ ]

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ETA Unknown: N6010 to replace my now returned N3510

 

I had no heat problems at all, though it was the default HDD and only 512MB RAM.

Brian

www.BargainPDA.com | www.DigitalCameraReview.com | www.NotebookReview.com | www.SpotStop.com | www.TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

Update: Not to be out done by P1's excellent service fujitsu shipped my replacement N6 today afternoon via overnight priority (Ivan at P1 ordered it from them yesterday afternoon), unfortunatly tomorrow is Saturday. [ ] So till monday morning!
I cannot help thinking how much worse the service would have been with some other store and manufacturer. I have heard so many horror stories about other manufacturers! Just a reminder, my N3 was ordered this tuesday noon, got here thursday and returned on the same day and Monday morning I am getting my replacement. That's actually less than 5 business days!!!!

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ETA Monday Morning: N6010 to replace my now returned N3510

 

I've just begun to set mine up since I've been so busy, so it may take me a few days to post many details regarding my impressions. That being said, I've noticed the following:

*I love the screen /LCD display so far. I see NO dead pixels. It is very bright, but not too bright. I was setting it up on my desk in front of my desktop and the difference in the screen brightness and vibrance alone is a great selling point. Granted, it is not as clear as an SXGA would be but, at this point, I don't mind that. I have not had time to view a DVD or to edit digital photos so I don't know if my impressions will change......probably not. It's beautiful!

*The machine does run fairly warm and it appears much warmer under the left side of the laptop which, like qwester said, may be where the hard drive is (not sure). I do have the 7200 HD and 512 x2 Ram, though, so I don't know which may be attributing to this. Also, I was downloading my internet software most of that time and it's possible that made it run hot too (again, I don't know if it's more likely that this would cause heating). Being so used to a hot laptop, I really don't mind it......I just save money on heating the house. Is this heating issue likely to cause problems / early deterioration of the laptop in any way? If not, I don't mind it.

*As far as comments regarding the keyboard go, I just figure that every keyboard is different depending on the model and it doesn't bother me at all. I will get used to the change. The only thing that is a little weird is the spacer key which is a little stiff and kind of clicks when you use it. Again, I'm thinking that I'll get used to this.

*So far, this laptop runs very quiet which I love. My other laptop which this is replacing has such a loud fan and it's nice to have that quiet.

Like I said, I'm just in the early stages of setting it up and can't even comment on the performance speed, etc. Hopefully, I can do that after this very busy weekend.

 

Okay, I got my N3510 yesterday and today I've been setting it up so here are my thoughts:

1)it does run quite warm/hot on the left front quandrant of the top case. In other words, where your palm rests as you type. It was annoying me yesterday, but I've sorta gotten used to it. My girlfriend tried it out and she was a bit surprised and said "wow, that's hot". But she suggested I get a heat-absorbing cloth and put it over that section, which I might try. Like the material they use in oven mits. I have the 60GB HDD at 5400RPM (It's a Toshiba drive. I thought I was supposed to get a Fujitsu HDD? Or does Fujitsu just use Toshiba HDDs?)

2)The screen is gorgeous. No dead pixels (thanks P1!). We watched a DVD on it last night, with the lights out, and we both said it was like being in a movie theatre, that's how good the picture quality is on this screen at full brightness. It's really HDTV quality.

3)The keyboard is just right for me. The keys are quiet, firm, and really responsive. I don't think the space bar has a loud/annoying clicky noise at all, like someone previously mentioned.

4)The machine does run really quiet. I don't really hear anything! It's hard to tell if it's even running based solely on sounds.

If anyone has Questions, feel free to ask.

 

kkab, rams are on the diagonal, ie upper right corner (if i remember correctly). and in my opinion all HDDs generate aproximately the same amount of heat, I say this because they all consume the same amount of power with very few differences. In my opinion I would expect a 7200RPM to be cooler, because it can complete a certain transfer in less time.
The 7200RPM that I got, to install in the N3 and now the N6, runs pretty cool in the aluminum enclosure. Yesterday I surface scanned it and after aprox 45 mins it was just warm, no where close to how hot I felt the N3 was getting ... Maybe the enclosure does a way better job cooling!

And the "click-O-click" space bar seems to be a feature for this model [ ]. I found it a bit disturbing, but I guess one can get used to it.

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ETA Monday Morning: N6010 to replace my now returned N3510