Lightweight 2-in-1 laptops with 13.3-inch or 14-inch screens are widely available, with Dell and Lenovo, in particular, offering some compelling models. But if you want to maximise portability in a 12.5-inch form factor, your options are more limited. They do, however, include Fujitsu's compact, 360-degree rotating-screen Lifebook P728[1].
The Lifebook P728 is small enough to be a regular travelling companion. But any device that's going to spend much of its life in a bag or rucksack needs to be reasonably robust, and Fujitsu could have done a little better in this respect. The base is quite solid, but I was able to depress the wrist rest area by exerting a bit of force. There's a fair amount of flexibility in the lid, even though it's 6mm thick. This laptop will probably benefit from a protective sleeve when you're carrying it around.
The Tablet Lifebook P728 is a 12.5-inch convertible system supporting laptop, presentation, tent and tablet usage modes. It weighs from 1.2kg and features a removable battery. Images: Fujitsu
Demure design is a Fujitsu trademark, with the black chassis and indented Fujitsu logo on the lid looking quite bland. The interior is primarily black, with a flash of crimson along the bottom of the keyboard area, tying in with the Fujitsu screen background. It's subtle and rather fetching. Tiny LEDs on the front of the chassis keep you informed about battery and wi-fi status.
The Lifebook P728's weight of 1.2kg is higher than we'd like for a 12.5-inch system -- around the 1kg mark would be better. The footprint is relatively tidy at 299mm by 209mm, but the laptop is rather thick at 18.79mm. On the upside, this does allow the device to accommodate relatively sizeable VGA and Ethernet ports in the