Amazon.com Product Description

Like its slightly more powerful cousin, the 5430US, Compaq's 5420USeasily handles most any application thrown its way and provides plentyof room for expansion and future upgrades. In addition to thecomponents that come standard with the 5420US, this bundle includesCompaq's 17-inch FS740 monitor and IJ650 color inkjet printer, makingthis option an even smarter choice for those seeking a state-of-the-artcomputing experience for a down-to-earth price.

Topping the unit's impressive list of features is one of today's mostpotent processors, Intel's 1.6 GHz Pentium 4. Although pricier thanmost alternative processors, including Intel's own Celeron and PentiumIII and AMD's Athlon and Duron, Pentium 4 chips are generally fasterwhere it counts most--clock speed. And of the numerous Pentium 4processors Intel currently markets, the 1.6 GHz model is just a fewrungs from the very top.

For the 5420US, Compaq matches this capable Intel processor with morethan enough high-end memory to operate any program currently availableand handle most any conceivable level of multitasking. With 512 MB ofRAM at your disposal, it may be years until you even need to evencontemplate upgrading to the one full gigabyte the system supports.

The 5420US offers something else most prebuilt computers do not--adecent video card. Packed with a generous 64 MB of video memory, thesystem's nVidia GeForce2 MX graphics board will comfortably operate all2-D and 3-D tasks and pump out smooth frame rates and detailed texturesat all but the absolute highest 3-D game screen resolutions. Trulyserious gamers may want the additional performance perks of a GeForce3or GeForce4 card, yet had best be prepared to drop quite a few moredollars in the process.

With the 5420US, data storage, movement, and backup should never be aproblem. Its monstrous 80 GB UltraDMA hard drive offers oodles of spacefor even the most software-intensive workplace or gaming environment.Its 16x CD-RW drive permits fast burning of audio and data backup ordata transferal CDs. Its 3.5-inch floppy disk drive supports anyprograms or files you might still store on a floppy disk, and its 16xDVD drive smoothly and accurately plays your favorite movies. And ifyou ever do want to add another drive, the unit's two spare expansionbays are ready to accommodate.

The 5420US is packed with a variety of tools to enhance day-to-daycomputing. A built-in 56K modem supplies basic Internet connectionspeed, and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet card offers multiple computernetworking and high-speed Internet potential. The system's Compaq USBInternet keyboard sports an assortment of convenient one-touchmultimedia and Internet controls, and its IEEE 1394 FireWire portsupports fast data transfer between computers and peripheral devicessuch as camcorders.

Other important amenities include four USB ports (two of which arehandily positioned at the front of the case), a serial port for oldermice and external modems, a parallel "printer" port, and an integratedAC97 Soundmax II Audio chip with support for Dolby Digital surroundsound. Compaq has not included speakers in the package, allowing usersto choose and configure their own audio setup. The list ofpre-installed software includes the Home Edition of the Windows XPoperating system, Microsoft Money 2001, Microsoft Works 6.0, QuickenFinancial Center/Quicken New User Edition, and InterVideo WinDVD. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nice for Upgrades
This barebones computer was delivered promptly and in perfect condition. The wiring of the power supply and processor fan was already completed. It should be noted however that the bay for the 3.25 floppy drive is set up for a proprietary drive. Although a standard floppy drive fits in without a problem, it is not cosmetically appealing. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If enjoying a DVD movie or game on your notebook PC is often a lifesaver on an arduous business trip, it’s always more absorbing on a big, bright 15-inch display. The Compaq Presario 915US notebook PC starts with exactly that and adds enough processing oomph and features to deliver a sublime computing experience.

A 1.53 GHz AMD Mobile Athlon XP 1800+ processor smoothly powers the 915US across a wide range of productivity applications, games, and DVDs. A built-in combination DVD/CD-RW drive lets users view movies and listen to and create music CDs through the notebook’s integrated JBL Pro Performance Audio with Bass Reflex speakers.

The notebook’s 40 GB hard drive provides plentiful storage for data and music downloads, while its 256 MB of memory--expandable to 1 GB--and 256 KB of on-chip L2 cache make it easy to run multiple applications simultaneously. An ATI Radeon IGP integrated graphics card and 16 MB of shared video memory deliver resolution of up to 1,024 x 768 on the 915US’s integrated 15-inch TFT XGA display or up to 1,600 x 1,200 noninterlaced on an external monitor.

The 1.5-by-12.8-by-10.6-inch, 6.5-pound notebook includes an integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet port and 56K V.92 PCI modem. Expansion slots include one Type I/II PC Card slot with support for a 32-bit CardBus. The 915US also includes two USB 1.1 ports, a parallel SPP/ECP interface (DB25 connector), a PS2 mouse or keyboard port, an RJ-45 Ethernet jack and RJ-11 modem jack, an S-video TV-out port, and an external VGA monitor port.

Installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 6.0, Microsoft Money 2001, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe Encyclopedia (one-year subscription), InterVideo WinDVD, and Norton AntiVirus 2002 on CD. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

is the best notebook from 9xx series
its very easy to install and xp makes all setup work. dvd and cd burner work fine. displasy is sharp and clear. i use it with a mouse cause im not very fan of touchpad pointing device. it comes with 2 usb port too, so u can attach any device.

WinXP destroys performance
The Athlon XP1800+ cpu is very fast and 256mb DDR memory is quite adequate when run on all pre Windows XP systems (we have it on others),....but when combined with Win XP this system is left without resources to be of any productive value. Windows XP and the provided Office XP trial combined to use sufficient memory resources as to prevent an excel spreadsheet from opening in less than 2 minutes and then in processing it in less than 4 minutes. In comparision, these applications will take 1/3 as long on an identically prepared Windows 98SE system. The system runs times equivalent to an old Presario 450mhz P3 192mb (non ddr) system with Windows 98SE that we have here. We ran 500 timed tests in various Compaq suggested setting. Variances were in the single digits. IE: No gain.

Having no floppy drive is a little scary as well, as the CD does not act as a true boot drive, without performing some software and possibly BIOS changes as to how the system sees the CDRW drive. Compaq does not authorize this.

You are in the cradle (read that as grasp)of mother Compaq here. Don't think you can wonder off and add or remove or reinstrall as technology changes. Drivers are generally unavailable for the components unless Compaq posts them. Hardware manufacturers website driver updates won't generally be acceptable, if they can be found at all.

Support is generally vague and evasive, and of little use unless you have a lot of time on your hands to try and try and again. If you ask the same question enough times, you eventually get a support "specialist" that will answer "your" question inlieu of giving you the cut and paste generally nonrelavent response.

The price "was" right, but the price of the frustration can outweigh the savings. If you need a toy, buy it, but not at the current prices (you'll feel violated when you find that they went for under $ in December). If you need to be productive...add $ for the necessary memory to allow it to run serious applications.

If you have the nerve and the patience, Compaq does provide drivers and patches for Win2000 for this model. However you will loose the warm and fuzzy buttons and Compaq "officer friendly" screens.

As the story goes, in notebooks, the price and the performance do generally go hand in hand. We have no others to recommend, but based on our tests and lack of knowledgeable support, this one gets the award for the least bang for the buck, and the most frustration per minute we have run into lately.

False advertising !
Its not 1.5" thick, its like 1.75". And more than 6.5lbs. ...P>Its a desktop replacement mobile athlon, not the real mobile athlon. There is a big price difference between the types and you can see more on AMD's website. ...P>Not to mention that it runs very hot. Its not a fault of the Athlon which runs at 600MHz most of the time but a bad design by Compaq. The northbridge from ATI is too hot and so are the RAM modules. RAM get scorching hot and would burn your lap. Compaq couldn't even design proper cooling for this?

The laptop hard drive is very noisy and so is the flimsy keyboard. Think carefully before getting this. Not worth unless you get tons of rebates ...

HotPaq also serves as your winter heater!
You live in a cold area like Canada or Arctic? You might then love this as it can also double up as room heater. After an hr of demanding use like a movie and you may as boil you eggs on it. No seriously, I am yet to see a laptop running hotter than this one. And all this with supposedly PowerNow! technology from AMD.

Well I guess I should have realized that if desktop Athlons run so hot then mobile ones can't be very dfferent. HPpaq makes ... laptops to say the least. They couldn't even get proper cooling solution for the processor, chipset & memory.

Now back to the laptop under review.

The keyboard was certainly designed by ... 10 keys on bottom row, out of which only 4 were really needed. and that to mostly wrongly placed. space bar is tiny, tons of junk Windows buttons around, Fn button in place of Ctrl, Caps lock too big size, a repeated | button the bottom row, and delete button at the farthest/obscurest corner of the laptop. To top it all off the whole thing shakes when typing & looks like some buttons would surely break off. Never seen a more ... keyboard.

The scroll pad and touchpad buttons again are designed to looks good but have no usability. The up/down keys are easier to use than the junk ovalpad.

Only one PCMCIA card slot, not 2 as in most laptops. HPpaq phone support is worst in industry, try calling them. HP doesn't even have a toll free phone number for consumer laptops.

All HPpaq 9xxus models have a shared memory ATI integrated graphics will max 3DMark2001 score of 1500 (no matter how faster athlon is or how much RAM you put in). Very poor performance. Get a laptop based on Intel chipset.

The colors are also not good, even with the latest ATI drivers and on A/C power. Although screen is bright enough.

The case is actually designed for a 15" screen and if get a 14" version you unncessarily carry bigger laptop around. It really looks very clunky and thick. More than 1.6" I expected.

HPpaq cheats you by not even including a full copy of WinXP to reinstall XP later on. Only a restore Cd to erase everything & put all nasty programs back. Yes that true, they bundled 12+ nasty promotional programs for which no one has any use. Like Disney Online.

Finally all useful ports are at the back and covered by clumsy cover. What a pain to connect anythign to it.

Two stars because it costs under 800 after rebates in some local stores and because it runs.

Shame on HPpaq for building such a ... laptop. I suggest you look at Toshiba/Dell laptops around. You (roughly) get what you pay for.

Computer enthusiast
*Performance*
Everybody thinks that Intel is superior to AMD. This is not true for processors under 2.0GHz (Intel is the champion above 2.26GHz with 533MHz FSB). If you take a look at the tomshardware.com CPU benchmarks, you would notice that AMD XP1800+ even beats out the 2.0GHz of Intel in most applications (AMD XP 1800+ at 1.53GHz beating a Intel P4 at 2.0GHz?). However, Compaq does not make full use of the AMD XP power. The video graphics is good because ATI is the best, but it uses shared memory architecture (main memory - video memory = available memory), which is not very fast compared to embedded memory architecture. For example, if you have 256MB of memory installed on your laptop and use 16MB for your video, then you actually only have 240MB of memory. This shouldn't bother you too much since 240 is still sufficient. You can always add memory later. Furthermore, DVDs play great without any stuttering, and 3D games runs pretty smoothly.

*Accessories and software*
What amazon.com doesn't tell you is that it does not come with a floppy drive. Compaq is offering it free after rebate just to let you know. The installed softwares are a nuisance. Compaq put so much garbage on it, and they put their name everywhere. Just uninstall as much as you can. Also remember to visit Windows update to get the most recent patch for Win XP.

*Design*
The housing of the notebook is very impressive. The black and silver combination and modern style will make you want to clean and take care of it like a new luxury car. Very solid. The keyboard is smooth and allows comfortable typing. The touchpad is smooth as well as it is stylish. However, personally, I don't like where all the input/output ports are located. Everything is in the back except the PCMCIA port and DVD/CDRW drive. So, if you're a mobile person, you'll be reaching for the back a lot.

*Conclusion*
This notebook is a excellent value only if you get the rebates. I think people should reconsider if the rebates were not offered because it is not worth its +$[$$] price tag. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A true powerhouse in a portable package, the Compaq Presario R3260US notebook is powered by a 2.20 GHz AMD Athlon 64 processor and has all the amenities you need to take everything with you on the road, including Bluetooth connectivity. An 80 GB hard drive and 512 MB RAM help you store files and run multiple applications efficiently, and the DVD+RW/CD-RW combo drive means you can perform a variety of application like backing up files on CD media, burning your own DVDs, making audio mix CDs, accessing CD- or DVD-ROMs, or watching DVD movies on the 15.4-inch widescreen LCD. It also features a built-in NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go graphics card, integrated JBL Pro Performance speakers, and a 5-in-1 Memory Reader to take care of your multimedia needs.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 80 GB hard drive has ample room to store all your files, including digital audio, video, and photos.
• Processor: The 2.20 GHz AMD Athlon 64 processor can handle the toughest applications and has a 1 MB L2 cache.
• Memory: It has 512 MB DDR SDRAM to help you multitask with ease and is upgradable to 1.25 GB.
• CD/DVD Drive: The DVD+RW/CD-RW combo drive reads at 40x, writes at 16x, and rewrites CDs at 10x. It can also read DVD-ROMs at 16x.
• Keyboard & Mouse: It has a 101-key compatible keyboard and touch pad.
• Display: The 15.4-inch WXGA high definition LCD has resolutions up to 1280 x 800, making it ideal for watching DVDs.

Sound and Graphics
A built-in NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go graphics card with 64 MB dedicated video memory turns this notebook into a gaming machine. The integrated JBL Pro Performance speakers mean you can listen to crystal clear and bright audio right out of the box, whether you're listening to CDs or watching DVDs.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
An integrated 10/100 Base-T ethernet allows for convenient networking, and 54g 802.11b/g wireless LAN with Bluetooth connectivity means you can get online quickly, easily, and without wires. Additionally, there is a 5-in-1 integrated Memory Reader that reads SD MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and SmartMedia cards so you can share media with other people and devices. It also has the following external ports:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting to a wide range of peripherals, from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 parallel port for connecting to printers or cameras based on older technologies
• 1 IEEE 1394 FireWire port to connect to digital video cameras or other peripherals
• 1 notebook expansion port (Type I/Type II) for adding a variety of upgrades, including memory, modems, portable disk drives, and more
• 1 VGA video out port to connect to an external monitor
• 1 S-video out to connect your laptop to a television
• 1 audio-out for headphones or speakers
• 1 microphone-in jack

Preloaded System and Software
The Compaq Presario R3260US notebook is powered by Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. Windows XP Home Edition is packed with multimedia features to help you get your creative juices flowing. Windows Media Player lets you burn and play CDs, in addition to playing and organizing digital audio files. Windows MovieMaker is a basic video editing tool that helps you capture and edit digital video to save your memories and share them with others.

It also comes bundled with Symantec Norton Antivirus (with a complementary 60 days Live Update subscription), Adobe Acrobat Reader, RecordNow, InterVideo WinDVD, Apple iTunes and Apple iTunes Music Store, Adobe PhotoShop Album Suite, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Plus, and Intuit Quicken New User Edition.

Dimensions and Weight
It weighs 7.8 pounds and measures 14.25 x 11.18 x 1.8 inches (W x D x H).

What's in the Box
Presario R3260US notebook, 120 watt AC adapter, 8-cell Lithium-Ion battery, phone cord, user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

You can look long and hard and chances are you won't find many more affordable brand name computers than the Compaq Presario S3000NX Desktop PC. Not particularly powerful and bereft of some of the features found in today's mid and high-level systems, the Presario S3000MX is nevertheless a wise choice for budget-conscious individuals requiring a secondary or light-duty PC.

Powered by a cost-effective 1.67 GHz AMD Athlon XP processor 2000+ with QuantiSpeed architecture, 256 MB of PC2100 DDR SDRAM, and a integrated ProSaveageDDR KM266 graphics card with 32 MB of shared (not dedicated) memory, the system is clearly not intended for extreme multitasking, heavy-duty gaming and animation or complex business tasks. It is, however, all you need for Internet surfing, contact management, home office duties, and most 2-D games. HP has included an adequate 40 GB hard disk for permanent storage of your programs and files, a 3.5-inch diskette drive for older or smaller applications and backups, and a CD-RW drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs and archive your data to digital media.

The Presario S300NX system is not equipped with a DVD player or writer, nor does it include a monitor or external stereo speakers, though all of the above may be added at your discretion. The unit does feature a variety of amenities to enhance your everyday computing, including six high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, a Presario keyboard and a PS/2-style scrolling mouse, serial and parallel "printer" ports, an integrated 56K modem for basic Internet and email access, and a 10/100 Base-Y Fast Ethernet port for fast network and e-communication interaction.

To help get you started, Compaq has pre-installed a variety of software applications, including Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Microsoft Money 2003, Microsoft Works 7.0, and Quicken Financial Center. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

excellent bang for the buck!
I bought this computer a month ago and have had nothing but
excellent results. The Athlon XP 2000 processor blows away
the Celerons (2.0g, 2.2g)-How do I know? because thanks to
Circuit City's way cool return policies I've been able to try
out the bargain basement computers, then take them back and
keep the best one.

I use photoshop 6 , autocad inventor 5, cakewalk pro audio,
frutyloops, etc .. on a regular basis. the HP and Emachines
computers ... with the celerons couldn't keep up with
the compaq s3000nx. - same 256m ram- but they both locked up
continually when running autocad, downloading from the dsl,
and burning audio cds.....not the compaq! it hasn't let
me down.
okay, so the other computers had a dvd player and firewire
ports. big deal. I bought a FW card for 13 bucks, and don't
care about watching movies on a 20 inch screen.
also, the audio is way quieter- the compaq has true
headphone\line outs to drive my stereo amp (NAD 2100)
wheras the other two had speaker level outputs i could not
get to clean up no matter how low i set the volume.
i recommend this machine
(beware of "reviews" by "authors" who don't know the actual
equipment or "have used a similar model and were unimpressed"

Good price, not a high quality system
If you are looking for a high-end system - this isn't it. If you are looking for a decent computer for light computing task (internet, a few games, doing your taxes) then this is a decent option. The features are fine for a home user who doesn't need a lot of computing power and needs a bargain system.

Still there are some things you should know:

Because of the slow memory system and low-end embedded graphics this system is not suitable for a serious gamer (though there is an AGP slot for a video card upgrade) or anyone who needs cutting edge performance. The system is also not very rugged so don't plan on moving around too often (i.e. no LAN parties).

One other downside - it has a an old AthlonXP cpu. What's wrong with that? The heat-sink retention mechanism is flimsy and can fall off. These old Athlons and AthlonXPs don't have any temperature cutoff circuitry (unlike Intel Celerons P3s, and P4s or AMD Opterons) so the CPU catches fire and burns up in a few seconds. I know several people this has happened to and it's well known risk with Athlons.

So beware - it's cheap for reason. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

HP has designed its Pavilion ze4420us Notebook PC to meet the needs of those who require satisfactory performance at a seriously budget-conscious price point. It certainly won't break any speed records or smoothly display cutting-edge 3-D games, but the Pavilion ze4420us should suffice quite nicely for most typical mobile business and leisure applications.

At 12.96 by 10.72 by 1.62 inches, the unit is of average size. It is conveniently lightweight though, at a mere 7.25 pounds. Inside, HP has installed a mid-level yet cost-effective 1.8 GHz AMD Athlon XP-M 2200+ processor with battery-conserving PowerNow Technology, a minimal allotment of 256 MB DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to 1024 MB), and an ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chipset with 64 MB of shared (not dedicated) memory.

The system features an adequate 40 GB hard disk for file and application storage and a convenient DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive for listening to and burning music CDs, archiving data and playing the latest movies. DVD writing is not offered in this stock configuration. The system’s crisp 15-inch XGA TFT display supports images of 1024 by 768 resolution, and its 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro-compatible audio chipset and integrated Altec Lansing-designed speakers deliver accurate, full-bodied sound.

Controlling the Pavilion ze4420us is a snap. The unit features a full-size 88-key keyboard with embedded numeric keypad, a Touch Pad with on/off button, and a dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad. Other amenities include two traditional USB 1.1 ports for plug and play peripherals (high-speed USB 2.0 ports are not included), an IEEE 1394 FireWire port for fast interaction with external devices such as digital camcorders, and an S-Video TV-out. It also features an integrated 56K modem.

Bundled software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Corel Productivity Pack including WordPerfect 10 and Quattro Pro 10, and Intervideo’s WinDVD DVD player. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very happy student
I bought my HP Pavilion ze4420us Notebook Pc this fall for college, and absolutly love it. You definitly get more for your money with this computer! While shopping for a laptop, I was not sure about an Athlon processor, but this processor runs much cooler than my sisters Celeron, and works just as well as a pentium. I am extremely pleased. It contains Windows XP, which is user friendly, and burning Cds is very simple and fast, with a max. writing speed of 24x! The touchpad on/off button is a great feature. DVD's are clear and well presented on the 15 inch screen. As for doing school work on it, it does everything a college student needs a laptop to do! It surpasses my expectations. It is not that heavy, around 6-7 pounds, and is very portable. Havent had a problem with it yet. A great purchase! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Extremely thin (10.6 by 9.6 by 1.2 inches) and very lightweight at a mere 4.3 pounds, Averatec's 3150HD Notebook PC is one of the smallest standard mobile computers on the market. Though it isn't quite a power user's dream rig, this wirelessly connected unit is a smart option for those who require maximum portability and a fiscally sensible price point.

The Averatec 3150HD is driven by a trio of cost-effective components. Topping the list is a 1.4 GHz AMD Athlon XP-M 1600+ processor with PowerNow and QuantiSpeed technologies for improved battery life and faster data movement than previous AMD processors. Averatec has matched this midlevel CPU with a minimal alloent of 256 MB DDR SDRAM memory and an S3 ProSavage8 graphics controller with 32 MB of shared video memory. In this configuration, the system will deliver solid performance for standard 2-D tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, Internet surfing, contact management, and basic drawing. However, sophisticated business applications and complex multitasking will likely tax its capabilities. Furthermore, the integrated S3 graphics controller will not efficiently handle mid- to high-end 3-D gaming or animation.

The Averatec 3150HD features an adequate 30 GB hard disk on which to store your important data and a DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can play and burn audio CDs, archive data and play DVD movies. DVD burning is not supported. You'll monitor your activities on a 12.1-inch XGA TFT display capable of sharp 1024 by 7678 resolutions, and listen to your tunes via built-in stereo speakers.

For such a small and affordable notebook, the Averatec 3150HD is very well connected. Communication options include integrated 10/100 Mbit LAN for fast networking and Internet access, a 56K modem for slower dial-up environments and 802.11b wireless for those times when you can't plug in. Other important amenities include three fast USB 2.0 ports for data streaming with external devices such as scanners and digital cameras, a single Type II PC Card/CardBus slot, and an 85-key full-sized keyboard. An IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for swapping data with digital camcorders) is not included.

Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system heads up the preinstalled software bundle, which also features Microsoft's Works 7.0 productivity package and a DVD playback utility. Battery life is estimated at a commendable 3-plus hours with the enclosed Smart Li-ion cell. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Worth a look! Excellent Value!
If you are looking for good workstation performance, you need to give the Averatec 3150hd a chance!
The obvious attraction is the size and design of the notebook. At first glance it is sleek and very well laid out. Despite it's small size, the keys are quite large and have a nice feel.(not squishy like previous models) The touchpad is also large for such a small notebook. Although the price is excellent, a slightly better quality LCD would have been the icing on the cake. The LCD is nice, but better contrast would have been appreciated. AMD offers the best performance for price ratio with it's Athlon Mobile series and despite a slight increase in heat, the added speed is well worth it! I like the fact that Averatec actually considered USB devices and included 3 USB 2.0 ports. Yes, firewire would have been nice but for the price I am not complaining! I have to say that a real volume dial and an actual Wireless ON/OFF switch made me very happy! Using the Max Battery power management setting in windows xp gave me 2.5 Hours of pleasure, surfing and typing.

I can say that people who buy this machine for gaming need help. It is a workstaion. PERIOD. A nice workstation. Students and professionals will be pleased. I know i am.

best computer...well there have been beter.
The Averatec 3150hd is the best computer that I have seen. thought the price was higher than I had hoped, it has all that I need.

The rumors the that Averatec isn't good, are true. But the computers are. the computer will come complete with a broken or missing part. SEND IT TO AVERATEC, don't waist your time with local dealerships! after you mail it, it will take three or so weeks to fix and mail the computer to you. then after that its as good as new ( except that it works).

The wireless is the only thing different about this model from the rest. the wireless card works fine. the only problem is with windows. it will disconnect every three minutes. and that can be fixed by a "repair" button in windows.

all in all it was worth the wait, and is very expandable. with 30 gb, 256 sdram,12.1 in. screen, 3 usb, cd/cdr/dvd, vga port, LAN, pcmcia card slot, 56 k modem, and a partridge in a pair tree, this is the smallest little computer possible.

p.s. for those of you who want a LAP-top lap top, you will have to do some balancing. there are two fans on the bottom positioned just in the middle and top left. so its a balancing act when the fans are on.

Avoid Averatec
I bought an Averatec 3150H notebook in January. The first one had defective battery and I returned it. The replacement had problems with screen, I sent it in for repairs and it's now been in their repair shop for over two months waiting for parts. Averatec product quality is inferior and their service is non-existent. Don't waste your money on this brand.

short distance wifi
I liked the look and feel of this computer overall. What I did not like was that the range of the wifi(802.11b) was not long enough. I like to work in front of the TV which is on the first floor and my router is on the 2nd floor. I could not do this with the 3150HD. Am able to do this with 2 other laptops that I use. The range of the wifi on the 3150HD was less than 1/2 the distance other computers that I use.
I was unable to get any help from Averatec on this issue. I returned to buy.com and got a full refund.

NEVER AGAIN
I bought several of 3150P.
exact 50% of them had defective speaker.
DVD drives on 100% of them do not read recorded
DVDs that ALL TOSHIBA and SONY laptops read NO SWEAT.
Keyboard virtually popped out in 1 of them despite hardly
any use. NEVER MORE will I buy a good looking shoddy quality laptop like this. I wish we had returned them all in
30 days instead of being enchanted with their GREAT LOOK and keeping them. The quality fo service is FAR from
that offered by HP. They will not even bother to pick up the stuff in Fremont where they in theory assemble them. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Portable computers offering premium performance and features usually come at a pretty steep price. But the Compaq Presario 920US notebook PC delivers a high-end experience for mobile workers, students, and home users in an elegant, value-priced package.

A 1.67 GHz AMD Mobile Athlon XP 2000+ processor provides ample power to blaze through a wide range of productivity applications, games, and DVDs. A built-in combination DVD/CD-RW drive lets 920US users view movies and listen to and create music CDs through the integrated JBL Pro Performance Audio with Bass Reflex speakers.

A 40 GB hard drive provides generous storage for data and music downloads, while 512 MB of memory--expandable to 1 GB--and 256 KB of on-chip L2 cache run multiple applications simultaneously with nary a hiccup. An ATI Radeon IGP integrated graphics card and 16 MB of shared video memory deliver resolution of up to 1,024 x 768 on the 920US’s integrated 15-inch TFT XGA display or up to 1,600 x 1,200 noninterlaced on an external monitor.

The 1.5-by-12.8-by-10.6-inch, 6.5-pound notebook includes an integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet port and integrated 56K V.92 PCI modem. Expansion slots include one Type I/II PC Card slot with support for a 32-bit CardBus. The 920US also includes two USB 1.1 ports, a parallel SPP/ECP interface (DB25 connector), a PS2 mouse or keyboard port, an RJ-45 Ethernet jack and RJ-11 modem jack, an S-video TV-out port, and an external VGA monitor port.

An 88-button keyboard includes oversize keys, separate cursor control keys, and a feature that allows you to easily scroll vertically and horizontally through Web pages and documents.

Installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 6.0, Microsoft Money 2001, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe Encyclopedia (one-year subscription), InterVideo WinDVD, and Norton AntiVirus 2002 on CD. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

False advertising !
Its 1.79 inches thick NOT 1.5 inches. And it probably weighs more than 6.5lbs they claim...

Runs too hot and display is very grainy compared to other budget laptops. not to mention noisy hard disk from fujitsu and badly designed keyboard & useless ovalpad...

Compaq support is above average though.

HotPaq also serves as your winter heater!
You live in a cold area like Canada or Arctic? You might then love this as it can also double up as room heater. After an hr of demanding use like a movie and you may as boil you eggs on it. No seriously, I am yet to see a laptop running hotter than this one. And all this with supposedly PowerNow! technology from AMD.

Well I guess I should have realized that if desktop Athlons run so hot then mobile ones can't be very dfferent. HPpaq makes pathetic laptops to say the least. They couldn't even get proper cooling solution for the processor, chipset & memory.

Now back to the laptop under review.

The keyboard was certainly designed by morons. 10 keys on bottom row, out of which only 4 were really needed. and that to mostly wrongly placed. space bar is tiny, tons of junk Windows buttons around, Fn button in place of Ctrl, Caps lock too big size, a repeated | button the bottom row, and delete button at the farthest/obscurest corner of the laptop. To top it all off the whole thing shakes when typing & looks like some buttons would surely break off. Never seen a more pathetic keyboard.

The scroll pad and touchpad buttons again are designed to looks good but have no usability. The up/down keys are easier to use than the junk ovalpad.

Only one PCMCIA card slot, not 2 as in most laptops. HPpaq phone support is worst in industry, try calling them. HP doesn't even have a toll free phone number for consumer laptops.

All HPpaq 9xxus models have a shared memory ATI integrated graphics will max 3DMark2001 score of 1500 (no matter how faster athlon is or how much RAM you put in). Very poor performance. Get a laptop based on Intel chipset.

The colors are also not good, even with the latest ATI drivers and on A/C power. Although screen is bright enough.

The case looks very clunky and thick. More than 1.6" I expected.

HPpaq cheats you by not even including a full copy of WinXP to reinstall XP later on. Only a restore Cd to erase everything & put all nasty programs back. Yes that true, they bundled 12+ nasty promotional programs for which no one has any use. Like Disney Online.

Finally all useful ports are at the back and covered by clumsy cover. What a pain to connect anythign to it.

Two stars because it costs under 850 after rebates in some local stores and because it runs.

Shame on HPpaq for building such a laptop. I suggest you look at Toshiba/Dell laptops around. You (roughly) get what you pay for.

Caveat Emptor
Very good value for the price--AMD beats Intel any day of the week for tasks other than video editing. It's great for all that's there--a CD/RW combo drive, generous amounts of memory and hard drive storage space, but be warned that this latest incarnation of the Compaq Presario series comes without a 3.5" floppy drive. Fine if you've moved past it for things like CD-RWs and network-based storage, but if you still use floppies, consider either an external drive or contact HP to see if they have a swappable floppy drive that can go in the CD-RW drive's place when you need to use it.

There are some things you must know!
First, the Athlon XP 2000+ outperforms a 2Ghz P4 in most tasks. Second, the video card uses shared system memory. This means that the 16MB is taken from the 512MB used for normal memory. Third, you are not stuck with only 16MB of video memory. I keep mine set at 64MB which is equal to or more than any other laptop video card.

To change the amount of memory dedicated to graphics, press F10 at the beginning of the boot process. Under the "Advanced" tab you will see an option that says something like "AGP aperture size". It will have options for 16, 32, or 64MB. The integrated graphics are decent, but they are now oficially 2 generations old (The newest being the Mobile Radeon 9000). This card performs like a Radeon 7000 (the original Radeon) for the desktop.

I play Neverwinter Nights, Counter-Strike, and Unreal Tournament without problems on this laptop. UT 2003 works, but it is a little slower than I like.

Nice laptop.
To begin with, it looks great. It's black & silver, sleek & reasonably svelte at 6.5 lbs. The HP genes are apparent in its design and the result is pleasing. The CPU is an adequate 1.67 Athalon XP; it's quite capable of most daily, non-graphics intense tasks, but not as good as an Intel P4. System memory is provided by a very fast 512 megs of DDRAM. The hard drive is a generous 40 gigs. A DVD/CD-R/W combination drive in included. All the Compaq's connections are in the right place, though missing throughout the entire 9xx line is any USB 2.0 port. The video card is a bit small for the other components of the 920, with a 16 meg ATI card onboard driving a 15" active matrix display. (I am a fan of ATI graphics cards because they have been quite reliable over the long haul and because upgrading them from ATI's nice website is a snap. However, this machine should have been given at least 32 megs of video RAM) Overall, this is a very good machine made by a company that looks like it's here to stay. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent laptop
Finally started "researching" on the web. Read very good to great reviews on the Compaq Evo N600c. I had read that the "c" stands for "corporate", and that the Compaq corporate lines were a complete different story from their cheap Presario lines.

Decided to pay a little more for higher quality. I feel now it is worth many times the additional money I paid.

UNBELIEVABLE STABILITY. That is the thing that really surprised me. PLUS:

Great screen (have to work with laptop 10 hours a day, so that's a big plus).

Great keyboard

Really fast.

It just "looks" and feels like great, high quality.

Great battery life. That was an added bonus for me, even though I never really "needed" it - now I can take my laptop to meetings (Compaq says it lasts 4 hours - haven't tested it to the limit yet)

And finally, although it's not as light as they advertise (because they say the "travel weight" is less than 5 lbs, but I always need to bring my DVD-CDRW with me for work), so it was heavier than expected, but still relatively light, and very slim.

A great computer - have never written a review before - but I have never experienced ANYTHING like it, and I felt this computer needed to be applauded. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Nothing transforms a long airplane ride or a prolonged layover into a civilized experience faster than a notebook with a brilliant 15-inch display and a built-in DVD/CD-RW drive for screening DVD movies and listening to CDs. The Hewlett-Packard Pavilion ze4125 is just the kind of notebook PC that business travelers, or anyone, for that matter, might long for on such a journey.

An AMD Athlon XP 1600+ processor provides enough computing sinew to handle a plethora of productivity tasks and entertainment duties. At roughly 7 pounds and barely more than 1.5 inches thick, the ze4125’s 15-inch, active-matrix TFT display coupled with an ATI Mobility Radeon 4X AGP (including 3-D architecture for cutting-edge gaming) is likely to elicit envious glances from fellow travelers. The ze4125’a DVD/CD-RW combination drive (24x/8x/8x, 8x DVD) provides not only multimedia entertainment, but also the flexibility to make CDs and back up data.

The ze4125 heaps on the memory and storage. Its 40 GB hard drive devours large application and data files, and its 256 MB of DDR SDRAM--expandable to a maximum of 1,024 MB--lets you easily run several applications simultaneously. An integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN connector makes it simple to network the ze4125. External ports include two USB inputs, a 25-pin parallel port, a serial connector, a PS/2 keyboard/mouse connector, and 15-pin VGA and S-video TV-out plugs. The notebook also includes a 56K integrated modem with RJ-11 connector.

Bundled software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, InterVideo WinDVD, HP RecordNow CD-RW recording utility, ArcSoft Funhouse and PhotoImpression editing tools, Corel WordPerfect and Quattro Pro productivity applications, Quicken Financial Center by Intuit, Encyclopedia Britannica Ready Reference, Wild Tangent 3-D games, Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0, and Norton AntiVirus 2002 with three-month live update. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Overall solid, but...
This seemed to be a great laptop for a while, except for a strange power failure when the chassis sometimes flexed. I was a little concerned about the power input because it seemed a little weak, then had my worst fears confirmed when it slipped off my lap and whacked the power cord where it goes into the right rear corner of the chassis. The pin inside snapped. They should have recessed the power input so it wasn't so vulnerable. I have somewhat of a facility with being able to repair stuff like this, but I couldn't get the thing apart. Now I'll have to take it to a repair shop to at least get it apart, then have to see if I can fix the pin or if I can get another part.

Granted, I should have been more careful, but the nature of a laptop is that it is going to get moved around a lot, and the way the cord plugs in is just a very weak design. I should have gotten more use out of it before something major like this happened. In most other ways this computer seems to be a good value.

Great features, poor reliability
This machine delivered a lot of bang for the buck... or so it seemed.

My machine started failing only three months after I took it home. It exhibited intermitted errors with its power switch, and eventually failed to wake up after entering hibernation mode. Sadly, I had to take it into the shop four times over the course of a year -- and on one occasion, it took nearly two months to fix the darned thing.

I was eventually forced to spend a fortune on another PC, scarcely 15 months after buying my HP ze4125. I decided that having an unreliable laptop was worse than having no laptop whatsoever.

It seemed like a really good buy at the time. If I had only known...

Dependable and solid notebook PC
I've been very impressed with this system. It's my first notebook and I'm moving from a K6II-500 desktop w/ Win 98 to this platform with Win XP. I have found it to be rock solid with respect to system lockups and a breeze to use. The DVD feature is a nice one and the price was right. AMD has the best value for microprocessors on the market and I'm sold on their products. Wouldn't have a system without one!

Pretty good....for a PC
Okay so, I'm a Mac guy...with GOOD reason. I found this to be a stable machine, elegant design, good solid keyboard. Although, no computer is better than it's OS, mine being XP home edition. I personally prefer Windows 2000 pro, (if you held a gun to my head and made me choose a microsoft platform) only because I route AppleTalk over it....XP? No such option. I still have a great LaserWriter Pro that has a lot of life left in it...too bad.

But this review is about the laptop, NOT the OS it runs. So I found this machine to be a solid value, although one HUGE item is missing: FIREWIRE (or, for you peecee folks) 1394.

It is for that reason that I only gave it 3 out of 5 stars....they kept the ps2 slots but omitted the firewire port.

With manufacturers falling over themselves to adopt the faster, more stable "firewire" connectivity, I found this to be an omission of ignorance on HP's part.

Solid notebook, excellent value
Solid notebook with unbelievable features for the price - particurally with rebates ...Unfortunate how 'official' reviews at another site totally overlooks it, concentrating on high-end laptops/tablets, while their middle and low end reviews are obsolete models.
Do miss the lack of a floppy and ordered the 'free' after rebate but had a use for it when seting up network - wanting to save settings to floppy, but of course had to wait on the mail. If HP is going to give away the floppy, they really ought to include it. This is a solid chassis. As I looked at the various models from all manufacturers, I flexed the front corners to see how stiff the chassis was. Only HP and Toshiba passed that test for durability. Then became a choice between AMD Athalon XP (HP) or Celeron (Toshiba). Software a non-issue as will be trashed. Already have Office Pro so why do I need Works or WordPerfect?. Wish they would have it operating system only and reduce the price even further. Had to call HP service during the initial setup. Turned out to be a network communication problem that we eventually resolved. Very knowlegeable and responsive staff.
One thing I wish all manufacturers would work on is their recovery process. Basically, if something goes wrong, the solution is to trash everything on the hard drive and reinstall back to 'as sold.' It is a simplistic approach, but has to be a better way as I know several people who have lost important letters, e-mail address lists etc. Plus it is a pain to then re-install the software you actually use, and updated drivers for the components. Another reason HP should include the floppy - keep external as saves weight, but include. I have avoided the manufacturers 'customization' of software in the past by building my own computers - but a notebook is too proprietary to homebuild. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A nice system - breeze to setup at a low cost
This is a good solid system, if you're looking for an good simple way to upgrade your old CPU/motherboard for little money. I like the design of the chassis and the motherboard. Nice big power button. A solid chassis that is designed well and gives you enough room to make it easy to open up and install components.

I was a little disappointed though that the power connector wasn't already plugged into the main board and the power switches, chassis lights and front USB ports were not connected when I got it out of the box. Basically the mother board and the power supply were connected to the chassis but none of the connecting wires were attached. But it wasn't too big deal a to go through the little manual and see how to hook everything up. Only took me 20-30 minutes to hook it all up, but it would have been nice to have that already connected when I got it.

I was able to take my old components out of my old system and drop it in here without any problems (hard-drive, memory, CD drive, 3D graphics card, sound card, network card). I then installed Win XP with no problems.

It's been running smooth as silk for a few weeks now, no problems at all.

This motherboard even breathed new life into my old sound card (Audigy Vortex2) which wouldn't always work on my old 3 year old motherboard and would sometimes lock up the machine with some newer games. Now I have sound in those games without getting a new card! ... Read more