Notebookcheck Logo

Fujitsu LifeBook U748 (i5-8250U, FHD, Touch) Laptop Review

Easily a performance upgrade! The Fujitsu LifeBook U748 succeeds the LifeBook U747, with a welcome performance boost thanks to its Intel Kaby Lake Refresh processor. Read on to see how the LifeBook U748 improves upon its predecessor and how it compares against other business notebooks.
Business Kaby Lake Laptop Touchscreen Windows

While the new LifeBook U748 looks the same as its predecessor, Fujitsu has upgraded things internally, namely a processor upgrade to Intel eighth-generation Core chips. The LifeBook U748 can also be configured with either an Intel Core i5-7200U or an Intel Core i5-7300U.

Our test unit is powered by an Intel Core i5-8250U processor, while its 8 GB of DDR4 RAM should be enough for the LifeBook U748 to run well. There is a 256 GB NVMe SSD, which impressed us throughout testing. Also, there is a 14-inch 1080p display with multi-touch support and security features that should be expected for a business device. All this will cost you 1,500 Euros (~$1796) at the time of writing.

While there are alternative configurations, typically these are more expensive. Fujitsu offers up to an Intel Core i7-8650U processor and 1 TB of internal storage.

We will be comparing the LifeBook U748 against other 14-inch devices from Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Acer. These can be found in the table below.

 Lenovo ThinkPad T480s Dell Latitude 7480 HP EliteBook 840 G5 Acer TravelMate P648 Fujitsu LifeBook U747
CPU Intel Core i5-8250U Intel Core i7-7600U Intel Core i5-8250U Intel Core i7-7500U Intel Core i5-7200U
GPU Intel UHD Graphics 620 Intel UHD Graphics 620 Intel UHD Graphics 620 Intel HD Graphics 620 Intel HD Graphics 620
Display 14 inch 2560x1440 (IPS) 14 inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 14 inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 14 inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 14 inch 1920x1080 (IPS)
RAM 8 GB DDR4 8 GB DDR4 8 GB DDR4 8 GB DDR4 8 GB DDR4
Speicher 512 GB SSD 256 GB SSD 256 GB SSD 256 GB SSD 256 GB SSD
Wertung 91% 87% 89% 90% 87%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620, 22.20.16.4836
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400 SO-DIMM, one of two RAM slots occupied, maximum of 32 GB RAM supported.
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, anti-glare IPS touchscreen, LG, LP140WF6-SPF1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, 256 GB 
, M.2 SSD (NVMe), 200 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek High Definition Audio
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo audio port (microphone and headphone), Card Reader: 3 in 1 SD card reader, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-LM (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, Sierra EM7305, LTE
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 332.6 x 234 ( = 0.75 x 13.09 x 9.21 in)
Battery
50 Wh, 3310 mAh Lithium-Ion, removeable
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD Webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: 6 row chiclet keyboard, Keyboard Light: yes, Recovery DVD, Cyberlink YouCam 6, LifeBook Application Panel, McAfee LiveSafe, Microsoft Office trial, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.603 kg ( = 56.54 oz / 3.53 pounds), Power Supply: 367 g ( = 12.95 oz / 0.81 pounds)
Price
1500 EUR
Links
Fujitsu homepage
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

We will not be examining the LifeBook U748’s case as it is identical to that of its predecessor. Please see our review of the LifeBook U747 for a look at the case.

❌
332.6 mm / 13.1 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs332.6 mm / 13.1 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.4 kg3.17 lbs328.7 mm / 12.9 inch 235.5 mm / 9.27 inch 21.2 mm / 0.835 inch 1.7 kg3.75 lbs331 mm / 13 inch 226.8 mm / 8.93 inch 18.45 mm / 0.726 inch 1.4 kg3.01 lbs331 mm / 13 inch 220.9 mm / 8.7 inch 17.05 mm / 0.671 inch 1.5 kg3.34 lbs326 mm / 12.8 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.5 kg3.4 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity


Left-hand side: power connector, VGA, USB Type-C Gen 1, x1 USB 3.0 Type-A, smart card reader
Left-hand side: power connector, VGA, USB Type-C Gen 1, x1 USB 3.0 Type-A, smart card reader
Right-hand side: 3.5 mm jack, x1 USB 3.0 Type-A, DisplayPort, Ethernet, Kensington lock
Right-hand side: 3.5 mm jack, x1 USB 3.0 Type-A, DisplayPort, Ethernet, Kensington lock
Front: status LEDs, SD card reader
Front: status LEDs, SD card reader
Rear: fan vents
Rear: fan vents
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81.2 MB/s ∼100% +12%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
77.8 MB/s ∼96% +7%
Dell Latitude 7480
  (Toshiba (Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II 64 GB)
75.8 MB/s ∼93% +4%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
72.8 MB/s ∼90%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
72.6 MB/s ∼89% 0%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=65, last 2 years)
60.2 MB/s ∼74% -17%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 7480
  (Toshiba (Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II 64 GB)
92 MB/s ∼100% +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
89.9 MB/s ∼98% +9%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.3 MB/s ∼95% +6%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
83.3 MB/s ∼91% +1%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82.7 MB/s ∼90%
Average of class Office
  (23.6 - 183.3, n=63, last 2 years)
69.5 MB/s ∼76% -16%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Office
  (87 - 1598, n=49, last 2 years)
918 MBit/s ∼100% +102%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
523 MBit/s ∼57% +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
519 MBit/s ∼57% +14%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
509 MBit/s ∼55% +12%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
509 MBit/s ∼55% +12%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
455 MBit/s ∼50%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Office
  (100 - 1716, n=49, last 2 years)
1005 MBit/s ∼100% +61%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
688 MBit/s ∼68% +10%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
655 MBit/s ∼65% +5%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
644 MBit/s ∼64% +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
624 MBit/s ∼62%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
618 MBit/s ∼61% -1%

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Noticeable backlight bleeding at the corners of the display
Noticeable backlight bleeding at the corners of the display

The LifeBook U748 has a 14-inch IPS touch display with an FHD 1920x1080 resolution. Fujitsu offers two other display options, namely an HD panel at 1366x768 and an FHD panel without touch. We would not recommend the HD option though.

The higher quality IPS display in our test device achieves an average brightness of 313 cd/m². This is higher than Fujitsu’s rating of 260 cd/m² in official documentation. The LifeBook U748 has a relatively high black level at 0.41, which impacts on the contrast ratio that we measured at 815:1. The display has even brightness distribution with a score of 89%. Our time with the device backed this score up as we did not notice any parts of the display that were noticeably brighter than others. We did notice some backlight bleeding at the edge of the display when using our test device in a dark room. Fortunately, PWM is not used to change display brightness. This is the case for all our comparison devices, too.

316
cd/m²		321
cd/m²		310
cd/m²
296
cd/m²		334
cd/m²		311
cd/m²
300
cd/m²		311
cd/m²		319
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG, LP140WF6-SPF1
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 334 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 313.1 cd/m² Minimum: 7.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 335 cd/m²
Contrast: 815:1 (Black: 0.41 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.2 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 2.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
91.8% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
Gamma: 2.34
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
LG, LP140WF6-SPF1, 1920x1080, 14.00		Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
LP140QH2-SPB1, 2560x1440, 14.00		Dell Latitude 7480
LG Philips LGD0557, 1920x1080, 14.00		HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
AUO3B3D, 1920x1080, 14.00		Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
1920x1080, 14.00		Fujitsu LifeBook U747
LG LP140WF3, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
Display P3 Coverage
72.8
65.4
60.2
67.2
66.1
sRGB Coverage
97.9
92.3
88.2
90.8
84.8
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
74.1
65.8
61.3
66.4
62
Response Times
-7%
-16%
-19%
1%
7%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
39.2 ?(20.4, 18.8)
38.4 ?(19.6, 18.8)
2%
40.8 ?(19.2, 21.6)
-4%
42.4 ?(19.6, 22.8)
-8%
38 ?(20, 18)
3%
36 ?(16.4, 19.6)
8%
Response Time Black / White *
24.4 ?(12.8, 11.6)
28.4 ?(15.6, 12.8)
-16%
31.2 ?(18.8, 12.4)
-28%
31.6 ?(18, 13.6)
-30%
25 ?(14, 11)
-2%
23.2 ?(12.4, 10.8)
5%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-15%
1%
-17%
-13%
-19%
Brightness middle
334
352
5%
344
3%
414
24%
275
-18%
291
-13%
Brightness
313
343
10%
321
3%
387
24%
253
-19%
296
-5%
Brightness Distribution
89
91
2%
85
-4%
87
-2%
85
-4%
84
-6%
Black Level *
0.41
0.46
-12%
0.32
22%
0.25
39%
0.25
39%
0.32
22%
Contrast
815
765
-6%
1075
32%
1656
103%
1100
35%
909
12%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.2
3.3
-50%
2.6
-18%
5.5
-150%
3.49
-59%
4.3
-95%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.7
7.3
-28%
7.8
-37%
9.9
-74%
6.77
-19%
7.5
-32%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.9
5.3
-83%
2.6
10%
6.4
-121%
4.91
-69%
4.3
-48%
Gamma
2.34 94%
2.22 99%
2.28 96%
2.31 95%
2.39 92%
2.31 95%
CCT
6855 95%
6452 101%
7050 92%
7811 83%
6271 104%
6529 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
65.3
68.4
5%
65.82
1%
56.9
-13%
59
-10%
55.46
-15%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
91.8
98
7%
92.27
1%
88.1
-4%
91
-1%
84.77
-8%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.3
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-11% / -14%
-8% / -2%
-18% / -18%
-6% / -10%
-6% / -15%

* ... smaller is better

sRGB color accuracy – 91.8%
sRGB color accuracy – 91.8%
AdobeRGB color accuracy – 65.3%
AdobeRGB color accuracy – 65.3%

The display quality suffers because of the low contrast ratio and high black level. This results in colors looking dull and black looking somewhat gray. Out of the box the LifeBook U748 has a well-calibrated display, with Delta E 2000 differences measuring below 3. We tried in vain to improve upon this, only managing to give the display a noticeable red tint and a reduction in brightness by 50 cd/m². We decided not to upload an ICC profile for this reason.

The display is sRGB and AdobeRGB color accurate to 91.8% and 65.3%, respectively. These values should be sufficient for most business users, although perhaps not in professions where having a color-accurate display is important.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Saturation

The display has an anti-glare finish which works well for the most part, although it cannot prevent all reflections. This is still better for outdoor use than most touchscreens though, as these typically have glossy finishes. Unfortunately, the LifeBook U748 is difficult to use outdoors because of its middling display brightness.

Using our test device in the shade
Using our test device in the shade
Using our test device in the sun
Using our test device in the sun

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
24.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12.8 ms rise
↘ 11.6 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
39.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 18.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 52 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19046 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The IPS display performed well in our viewing-angle test even at the tightest of angles. We did notice some clouding at the corners of the display at acute viewing angles, but this should not be a problem in daily use.

Viewing angles of the Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Viewing angles of the Fujitsu LifeBook U748

Performance

The LifeBook U748 benefits from an upgrade to a Kaby Lake R processor. Our test device is powered by an Intel Core i5-8250U and 8 GB RAM, the combination of which is powerful enough for even computationally demanding office work. While the SSD should have a large enough capacity for the usual set of office applications, 256 GB is not exactly generous. Fortunately, this can be changed either at the time of purchase by choosing a different configuration or by subsequently swapping out the default drive. Fujitsu has made this easy to do by including two separate maintenance covers. This is much easier than having to remove the whole bottom case as with other devices.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
DPC-Latency
HWiNFO
Intel Extreme Utility
Intel Extreme Utility (Benchmark)

Processor

The Intel Core i5-8250U is a quad-core processor that is based on Intel’s Kaby Lake architecture. The i5-8250U supports Hyper-Threading, meaning that the processor can handle eight threads simultaneously across four cores. This runs at a 1.6 GHz base clock which can ramp up to 3.4 GHz depending on the load. It is worth noting that the TDP is just 15 W. While our test device has good single-core performance, it struggled to compete with devices like the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s in multithreaded applications.

There is a noticeable performance improvement compared with last generation processors though. The performance improvement is clear when comparing the LifeBook U748 against its predecessor.

Further Intel Core i5-8250U benchmarks can be found here.

We used Cinebench R15 multi-loop benchmark to test the performance of the LifeBook U748 under continuous load. There is a performance drop after the first pass of the benchmark, but not by much. While our test device scored 546 in its first pass, subsequent passes averaged a score of 508. This represents a modest performance drop of around 7%.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15 | Cinebench R11.5 | Cinebench R10 | JetStream 1.1 | Octane V2 | Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (80.1 - 284, n=128, last 2 years)
199 Points ∼100% +38%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
162 Points ∼81% +13%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
144 Points ∼72%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points ∼72% -1%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points ∼72% -1%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Core i7-7500U
142 Points ∼71% -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points ∼71% -2%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Core i5-7200U
130 Points ∼65% -10%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2492, n=132, last 2 years)
1091 Points ∼100% +97%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
724 Points ∼66% +31%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
716 Points ∼66% +29%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
583 Points ∼53% +5%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points ∼52% +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
553 Points ∼51%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
343 Points ∼31% -38%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Core i7-7500U
341.4 Points ∼31% -38%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Core i5-7200U
331 Points ∼30% -40%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (1.88 - 20.3, n=15, last 2 years)
9.49 Points ∼100% +47%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
6.44 Points ∼68%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
6.39 Points ∼67% -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (3.15 - 7.76, n=35)
6.02 Points ∼63% -7%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
3.78 Points ∼40% -41%
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (0.32 - 2.97, n=15, last 2 years)
2 Points ∼100% +22%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
1.85 Points ∼93% +13%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.64 Points ∼82% 0%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.64 Points ∼82%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (0.91 - 1.79, n=35)
1.615 Points ∼81% -2%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (33427 - 62930, n=5, last 2 years)
43056 Points ∼100% +83%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
25723 Points ∼60% +9%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (11245 - 28932, n=13)
23585 Points ∼55% 0%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
23551 Points ∼55%
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (8723 - 13680, n=5, last 2 years)
11198 Points ∼100% +55%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
7204 Points ∼64%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
7179 Points ∼64% 0%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (5163 - 8153, n=13)
6972 Points ∼62% -3%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (101.3 - 452, n=25, last 2 years)
298 Points ∼100% +41%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
216.4 Points ∼73% +2%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (151.5 - 256, n=78)
215 Points ∼72% +2%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
211.6 Points ∼71%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
209.5 Points ∼70% -1%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Core i7-7500U
170.5 Points ∼57% -19%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Core i5-7200U
161.4 Points ∼54% -24%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (20009 - 89787, n=47, last 2 years)
61813 Points ∼100% +107%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Core i7-7500U
32417 Points ∼52% +9%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
31763 Points ∼51% +6%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (22772 - 35817, n=54)
30123 Points ∼49% +1%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
29858 Points ∼48%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
29339 Points ∼47% -2%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Core i5-7200U
21890 Points ∼35% -27%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel Core i5-8250U
1300 ms * ∼100% -2%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel Core i5-8250U
1279 ms * ∼98%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
1254 ms * ∼96% +2%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (986 - 1532, n=59)
1221 ms * ∼94% +5%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel Core i5-7200U
1200 ms * ∼92% +6%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel Core i7-7500U
1033 ms * ∼79% +19%
Average of class Office
  (479 - 1961, n=123, last 2 years)
776 ms * ∼60% +39%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Jetstream 1.1
Jetstream 1.1
Octane V2
Octane V2
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6900
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
7204 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
23551 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
7287 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5535
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
18191
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 32Bit
5.69 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 32Bit
38.54 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.64 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
6.44 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
38.3 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 32Bit
1.45 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
144 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
42.51 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
553 Points
Help

System Performance

Overall, the hardware combination in our test device works well, with there being no cause for complaint. The more powerful processor and fast SSD help the LifeBook U748 to outperform its predecessor. The LifeBook U748 cannot match the performance of either the HP EliteBook 840 G5 or the Dell Latitude 7480 though, the latter of which performed the best of our comparison devices.

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 | PCMark 10
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (1275 - 5686, n=15, last 2 years)
4008 Points ∼100% +13%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
3985 Points ∼99% +13%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3652 Points ∼91% +3%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2986 - 4458, n=69)
3584 Points ∼89% +1%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3542 Points ∼88%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3515 Points ∼88% -1%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung MZYTY256HDHP
3506 Points ∼87% -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3503 Points ∼87% -1%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
5052 Points ∼100% +8%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4832 Points ∼96% +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4684 Points ∼93%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung MZYTY256HDHP
4653 Points ∼92% -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2699 - 5106, n=58)
4646 Points ∼92% -1%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4639 Points ∼92% -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4508 Points ∼89% -4%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=13, last 2 years)
3584 Points ∼71% -23%
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 6418, n=109, last 2 years)
4940 Points ∼100% +109%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3602 Points ∼73% +52%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3358 - 4081, n=67)
3296 Points ∼67% +39%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
2429 Points ∼49% +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2364 Points ∼48%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3053 - 9512, n=109, last 2 years)
6962 Points ∼100% +25%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5844 Points ∼84% +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5739 Points ∼82% +3%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3851 - 6653, n=67)
5725 Points ∼82% +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5548 Points ∼80%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3542 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4631 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4684 points
PCMark 10 Score
2364 points
Help

Storage Devices

Samsung PM961 256 GB SSD
Samsung PM961 256 GB SSD

Our test device is equipped with a Samsung PM961 256 GB SSD. This is an NVMe drive that occupies the sole M.2-2280 slot. Transfer speeds are impressive. Notably, we measured 4K read values at 45 MB/s, which should help applications load quickly.

According to Fujitsu’s technical specifications, the LifeBook U748 works with SATA speed M.2 SSDs. OPAL-capable drives are supported too, which is a plus for data security. Not all OPAL drives are compatible though, so it is worth checking compatibility before you buy.

There is no 2.5-inch drive support though. The LifeBook U748 supports up to 1 TB internal flash storage.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CrystalDiskMark 3
CrystalDiskMark 3
CrystalDiskMark 5
CrystalDiskMark 5
CrystalDiskInfo
CrystalDiskInfo
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP		Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Dell Latitude 7480
Intel SSDSCKKF256H6		HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G		Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A		Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Samsung MZYTY256HDHP
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
41%
-49%
-30%
-46%
-43%
Read Seq
1697
1540
-9%
486.5
-71%
1929
14%
518
-69%
504
-70%
Write Seq
932
1613
73%
418.6
-55%
340
-64%
267.2
-71%
497.8
-47%
Read 512
855
835
-2%
354.3
-59%
908
6%
562
-34%
396.7
-54%
Write 512
472.9
1716
263%
306.8
-35%
286.1
-40%
263.5
-44%
283.4
-40%
Read 4k
55.4
66.9
21%
29.25
-47%
30.94
-44%
32.88
-41%
35.73
-36%
Write 4k
135.3
160.6
19%
90.5
-33%
94.5
-30%
85.6
-37%
87.8
-35%
Read 4k QD32
403.2
444.9
10%
280.2
-31%
244.7
-39%
351.3
-13%
399.1
-1%
Write 4k QD32
621
343
-45%
252.8
-59%
351.3
-43%
265.2
-57%
249.7
-60%
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
hddimg
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Sequential Read: 1697 MB/s
Sequential Write: 932 MB/s
512K Read: 855 MB/s
512K Write: 472.9 MB/s
4K Read: 55.4 MB/s
4K Write: 135.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 403.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 621 MB/s

Graphics Card

The LifeBook U748 uses Intel UHD Graphics 620 rather than a dedicated solution. The UHD Graphics 620 is around 20% faster than Intel HD Graphics 620, its direct predecessor. Adding a second RAM module and enabling dual-channel mode would probably improve comparative performance by a percent or so. There is no discernible improvement in practice.

Further benchmarks for the Intel UHD Graphics 620 can be found here.

3DMark | 3DMark 11
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 46247, n=113, last 2 years)
21303 Points ∼100% +162%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points ∼43% +14%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7600U
8555 Points ∼40% +5%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
8181 Points ∼38% +1%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
8138 Points ∼38%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
7658 Points ∼36% -6%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
7264 Points ∼34% -11%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
6803 Points ∼32% -16%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8114, n=123, last 2 years)
3557 Points ∼100% +258%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points ∼33% +17%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1009 Points ∼28% +2%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7600U
1008 Points ∼28% +1%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
994 Points ∼28%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
963 Points ∼27% -3%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
821 Points ∼23% -17%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
799 Points ∼22% -20%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (599 - 11538, n=124, last 2 years)
5070 Points ∼100% +218%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points ∼34% +10%
HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1653 Points ∼33% +4%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7600U
1648 Points ∼33% +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1633 Points ∼32% +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1593 Points ∼31%
Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1462 Points ∼29% -8%
Fujitsu LifeBook U747
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1409 Points ∼28% -12%
3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Sky Diver
3DMark Sky Diver
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark 11 Performance
1737 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
59733 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7441 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
926 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
436 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
370 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Benchmarks highlight the weak performance of the integrated graphics. The LifeBook U748 cannot play demanding games smoothly. It is an office device though, so Fujitsu has not designed it around gaming.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 48.9 26.5 21.9 7.5
Rocket League (2017) 60.1 20.9 13.2
FIFA 18 (2017) 58.4 31.8 27.5 24.8

Emissions

Fan Noise

The LifeBook U748 is practically silent at idle. At 29.9 dB(A), the maximum fan noise at idle is only slightly above the ambient noise level of 29.3 dB(A). Under moderate load, the fans only slightly increased to 32.5 dB (A). We measured maximum fan noise at 36.6 dB (A). Correspondingly, this was with our test device under full load. Despite not being overly loud, we found the high-pitched fans annoying after a while. The LifeBook U748 matched the performance of our comparison devices for the most part with only the Dell Latitude 7480 and Fujitsu LifeBook U747 being noticeably quieter.

Noise Level

Idle
29.3 / 29.3 / 29.9 dB(A)
Load
32.5 / 36.6 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
  
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.3 dB(A)
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP		Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6		HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G		Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A		Fujitsu LifeBook U747
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung MZYTY256HDHP
Noise
-2%
6%
-2%
-2%
5%
off / environment *
29.3
28.9
1%
28.8
2%
30.6
-4%
28.2
4%
Idle Minimum *
29.3
28.9
1%
28.6
2%
28.8
2%
30.6
-4%
28.2
4%
Idle Average *
29.3
28.9
1%
28.6
2%
28.8
2%
30.6
-4%
28.2
4%
Idle Maximum *
29.9
28.9
3%
28.6
4%
33.1
-11%
31
-4%
28.2
6%
Load Average *
32.5
36.9
-14%
30.2
7%
35.2
-8%
34.5
-6%
31.2
4%
Load Maximum *
36.6
38.9
-6%
31.2
15%
35.2
4%
32.4
11%
33
10%

* ... smaller is better

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.132.533.832.533.42527.529.627.727.430.63131.330.330.631.329.64029.629.629.330.330.55031.931.233.529.1336328.829.725.424.7278031.826.124.925.328.610027.826.926.325.228.412523.123.424.623.826.716023.823.123.723.325.720022.423.322.922.523.325022.221.921.621.224.331521.320.420.22021.84002019.419.119.421.350020.719.718.518.722.163019.619.217.917.421.580019.819.417.416.820.7100020.52116.816.622.4125025.121.216.816.628.4160021.218.616.416.230.1200019.418.416.21622.6250019.317.816.716.322.8315019.117.717.216.822.7400018.217.617.216.920.8500018.417.917.81719.7630018.618.618.317.218800019.419.619.217.618.41000019.819.719.617.7181250021.721.420.217.617.81600019.819.719.517.817.9SPL32.531.329.929.336.6N1.71.51.31.22.2median 20median 19.7median 18.5median 17.6median 22.1Delta1.41.41.82.22.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseFujitsu LifeBook U748

Temperature

3DMark 11 in the stress test
3DMark 11 in the stress test

The LifeBook U748 runs hotter than in most circumstances than our comparison devices, with the exception of the Dell Latitude 7480. Our test device measured up to 45.9 ° C at its hottest point on the bottom of the case. This makes the LifeBook U748 hotter under load than all comparison devices but the ThinkPad T480s, which we measured reaching up to 50.1 ° C. During stress tests the CPU core temperature reached 88 ° C, which is still acceptable. The CPU downclocks to 2.3 GHz to counteract the high core temperatures, but this is still much higher than its 1.6 GHz base clock speed. The Cinebench benchmark results demonstrate how quickly performance was reduced though, with the cooling unit struggling to reduce temperatures after just one benchmark run through.

When we run simultaneous CPU and GPU benchmarks, the Intel Core i5-8250U only averages at 1.3 GHz as it struggles to share the 15 W TDP with the integrated GPU. We measured temperatures between 84 ° C and 85 ° C during this combined stress test, which is roughly the same as during just the Prime95 stress test.

Continuous load does not affect 3D performance though, with the LifeBook U748 still managing to score 1,677 points in 3DMark 11.

Prime95 stress test
Prime95 stress test
FurMark stress test
FurMark stress test
FurMark and Prime95 stress test
FurMark and Prime95 stress test
Max. Load
 40.7 °C
105 F		45.9 °C
115 F		30.6 °C
87 F		 
 40.6 °C
105 F		42.4 °C
108 F		31.2 °C
88 F		 
 25.4 °C
78 F		25.5 °C
78 F		24.7 °C
76 F		 
Maximum: 45.9 °C = 115 F
Average: 34.1 °C = 93 F
32.5 °C
91 F		42.3 °C
108 F		41.9 °C
107 F
28 °C
82 F		39.1 °C
102 F		38.2 °C
101 F
25.1 °C
77 F		25.8 °C
78 F		25.8 °C
78 F
Maximum: 42.3 °C = 108 F
Average: 33.2 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  38.2 °C = 101 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.1 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.9 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.3 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 25.5 °C / 77.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (+2.3 °C / 4.1 F).
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP		Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6		HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G		Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A		Fujitsu LifeBook U747
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung MZYTY256HDHP
Heat
3%
-6%
11%
4%
9%
Maximum Upper Side *
45.9
50.1
-9%
39
15%
36.6
20%
39.1
15%
42.6
7%
Maximum Bottom *
42.3
46.1
-9%
47.2
-12%
39.5
7%
35
17%
34.4
19%
Idle Upper Side *
26.3
22.2
16%
27.6
-5%
23.8
10%
29.4
-12%
25.1
5%
Idle Bottom *
26.3
22.6
14%
32
-22%
24.7
6%
27.8
-6%
24.6
6%

* ... smaller is better

Top case surface temperatures under load
Top case surface temperatures under load
Bottom case surface temperatures under load
Bottom case surface temperatures under load

Speakers

The LifeBook U748 has two speakers that sit above the keyboard. These perform like the speakers in most office devices, offering practically no bass and distortion at high frequencies. The speakers are clear enough for VoIP calls though and get sufficiently loud at up to 74.8 dB(A).

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.532.62527.431.73131.330.74030.3315029.134.96324.727.88025.326.910025.22712523.826.316023.331.220022.542.525021.248.63152050.440019.44850018.751.763017.459.380016.862.2100016.662.6125016.666.4160016.26620001664.2250016.363315016.860.2400016.961.950001759.8630017.262.1800017.663.91000017.761.11250017.655.61600017.853.5SPL29.374.8N1.233.7median 17.6median 59.8Delta2.28.134.838.130.330.335.433.930.331.926.626.425.825.324.724.323.924.824.828.824.137.423.945.721.850.620.154.318.256.217.3641773.416.572.616.56715.859.115.760.615.461.815.558.81659.516.264.916.768.51767.317.26017.457.217.354.117.24828.978.11.240.7median 17.2median 59.11.88hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseFujitsu LifeBook U748Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Fujitsu LifeBook U748 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 51% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 51%
Compared to all devices tested
» 56% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 36% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 56% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 51%
Compared to all devices tested
» 59% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Power Management

Power Consumption

65 W power supply
65 W power supply

The power consumption of the LifeBook U748 is pretty good compared with equally equipped devices. Our test device managed between 3 and 8 W at idle, which climbed to an average of 29.4 W under load. While our test device reached a maximum consumption of 43.4 W, this only lasted for 30 seconds before dropping to 31 W because of the thermal throttling that occurs.

The slim power supply can provide up to 65 W, so it will be able to charge the LifeBook U748 even when it’s under full load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.14 / 0.35 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.33 / 6.9 / 8.2 Watt
Load midlight 29.4 / 43.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00		Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00		Dell Latitude 7480
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00		HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00		Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00		Fujitsu LifeBook U747
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung MZYTY256HDHP, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Power Consumption
-27%
6%
-16%
-16%
-4%
Idle Minimum *
3.33
3.1
7%
4.32
-30%
3.2
4%
4.8
-44%
4.11
-23%
Idle Average *
6.9
6.8
1%
6.27
9%
6.6
4%
7.9
-14%
7.87
-14%
Idle Maximum *
8.2
10.1
-23%
6.35
23%
9.5
-16%
10.7
-30%
8.74
-7%
Load Average *
29.4
48.4
-65%
29.82
-1%
36.2
-23%
35
-19%
30.2
-3%
Load Maximum *
43.4
67.1
-55%
30.64
29%
65.6
-51%
31.6
27%
32.4
25%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

3DMark 11 results on battery
3DMark 11 results on battery
50 Wh battery
50 Wh battery

The battery can easily be removed, something which has become a rarity in recent years. Unfortunately, the battery capacity is on the low side at 50 Wh, with our comparison devices from Acer, Lenovo, and Dell often lasting far longer in our battery life tests. The LifeBook U748 lasted 15.5 hours at idle and only 6.5 hours in our Wi-Fi test. We set the screen brightness to 150 cd/m², which equates to 50% brightness. On a positive note, the battery recharges up to 80% within an hour. We would recommend leaving the device for around two hours if you need to completely recharge it.

3D performance is significantly reduced on battery, with our test device only managing 888 points in 3DMark 11.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
15h 37min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 41.16299.248.0)
6h 30min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 37min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 46min
Battery runtime – idle
Battery runtime – idle
Battery runtime – load
Battery runtime – load
Battery runtime – Wi-Fi test
Battery runtime – Wi-Fi test
Battery runtime – H.264 test
Battery runtime – H.264 test
Charging time
Charging time
Fujitsu LifeBook U748
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh		Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 57 Wh		Dell Latitude 7480
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, 60 Wh		HP EliteBook 840 G5-3JX66EA
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh		Acer TravelMate P648-G2-M-73T0
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 54 Wh		Fujitsu LifeBook U747
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 50 Wh
Battery Runtime
46%
74%
21%
32%
7%
Reader / Idle
937
1662
77%
1138
21%
1087
16%
782
-17%
H.264
397
721
82%
399
1%
490
23%
WiFi v1.3
390
537
38%
719
84%
447
15%
672
72%
430
10%
Load
106
124
17%
171
61%
156
47%
115
8%
117
10%

Verdict

Pros

+ good system performance
+ smart card reader
+ LTE modem
+ responsive touchscreen with no PWM
+ sturdy and well-made case
+ two maintenance flaps
+ comfortable keyboard
+ easily removable battery
+ good port selection
+ docking port
+ relatively economical
+ full-sized SD card reader

Cons

- old TouchPad
- awful webcam
- high-frequency fan noise
- no TrackPoint
- relatively short battery life
- limited outdoor use
The Fujitsu LifeBook U748, provided by Fujitsu Deutschland.
The Fujitsu LifeBook U748, provided by Fujitsu Deutschland.

The Fujitsu LifeBook U748 is a solid business notebook, just like its predecessor. The CPU upgrade improves performance at a cost to battery life as it consumes more power. Overall, the LifeBook U748 is an impressive device with a good multi-touch display and a decent keyboard that is comfortable to work on. The fan noise is manageable even if it can sometimes be frustrating while the speakers and webcam are rather average. These two components are frequently overlooked in business devices though.

The Fujitsu LifeBook U748 wins us over with its good display, fast SSD and many security features necessary for business devices. Unfortunately, the subpar and outdated TouchPad remains from last year’s model.

Fujitsu has equipped the LifeBook U748 with the same much-maligned TouchPad as its predecessor. By contrast, we liked the slim design and stable base, which looks and feels premium. A good selection of ports completes the package, although we would have liked a Thunderbolt 3 port.

The Fujitsu LifeBook U748 gets a recommendation from us as it delivers a good overall package. The competition continues to improve though, and so the LifeBook will often have a hard time keeping up with the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s.

Fujitsu LifeBook U748 - 04/28/2018 v6(old)
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
86 / 98 → 88%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
79%
Connectivity
62 / 80 → 78%
Weight
68 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
88%
Display
89%
Games Performance
57 / 68 → 84%
Application Performance
88 / 92 → 96%
Temperature
91%
Noise
96%
Audio
48%
Camera
38 / 85 → 45%
Average
75%
87%
Office - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 1 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
.170
> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Fujitsu LifeBook U748 (i5-8250U, FHD, Touch) Laptop Review
Sebastian Bade, 2018-05- 3 (Update: 2020-05-19)