Amazon.com Product Description

Take your productivity to the next level with the Compaq Presario R3470US notebook PC. It features one of the fastest processors available in a notebook--the 64-bit AMD Athlon 3000+ processor--and comes with 54g wireless connectivity featuring SpeedBooster support. It's packed with power from port to port, offering a 100 GB hard drive, 1024 MB of installed RAM, 15.4-inch widescreen display, a DVD+/-RW and CD-RW combo drive, S-Video out connection for displaying through a TV, and Firewire capability for downloading footage from a digital video camcorder.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 100 GB hard drive (4200 RPM) is about as large a drive you'll find in a notebook. It offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors, and it's the right size for storing loads of multimedia files, from video to audio.
• Processor: AMD's Athlon 64 3400+ processor is built for tomorrow's 64-bit applications, which will require a processor with significant power. This 2.2 GHz 3400+ processor (similar in performance to a 3.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 chip) offers a system but with speeds up to 1600 MHz and a 1 MB L2 cache. It includes such AMD features as HyperTransport Technology (which increases the communication between integrated circuits) and Cool'n'Quiet Technology that conserves power while also keeping the PC nicely quiet.
• Memory: The 1024 MB of built-in memory (2 x 512 MB, DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users, and it offers a faster than average RAM speed (333 MHz). It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 2 GB (2 x 1024 MB).
• CD/DVD Drive: The combo DVD+/-RW and CD-RW drive is compatible with a wide variety disc formats, including DVD+, DVD-, VCD, and SVCD discs. For DVD-RW discs, it has a 1x write/rewrite speed, while for DVD+RW discs it has a 2x write/rewrite speed (DVDs are read at 5x). For CDs, it has a 16x write/10x rewrite/40x read speed.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a full-sized 101-key keyboard and touchpad with four-way scroll zone on/off button and dedictated vertical scroll up/down pad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The R3470US has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. The 125 HSM/SpeedBooster support will enable it to be ready for tomorrow's 125 Mbps wireless LANs. You get a good offering of connectivity options, including both USB 2.0 and Firewire:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 S-Video out
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
• 1 parallel port
• 1 headphone jack
• 1 microphone jack
• Multiformat memory card reader, compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia, and XD cards

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 operating system with Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web. It also comes preloaded with Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents), Symantec Norton Antivirus 2005 (with 60 days of LiveUpdate), Adobe Acrobat Reader, Sonic RecordNow, InterVideo WinDVD, InterVideo Home Theater, Apple iTunes and Apple iTunes Music Store, Adobe PhotoShop Album STE, Muvee autoProducer, Microsoft Money, MSN Encarta Plus, and Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition (60 Day Trial Version).

Dimensions and Weight
Best used as a replacement for your desktop PC, the R3470US weighs 7.8 pounds. It measures 11.18 x 14.25 x 1.8 inches (LxWxH).

Power
This notebook is powered by a 8-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which offers an average of 2 hours of battery life (dependent upon computing conditions).

What's in the Box
This package contains the R3470US notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limiited hardware warranty and 30-day free software support. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Get ready for work/life acceleration with the Compaq Presario x6050us notebook PC, featuring high-performance graphics, integrated wireless connectivity with Speedbooster support, and a super-fast, hyper-threaded Pentium 4 processor. The sleekly designed x6050us is built for the demanding office productivity suites and multimedia applications of today and tomorrow, and it's a great choice for getting the job done wherever you call your office. It features a large 80 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM (with a 2 GB maximum capacity), a DVD/CD-RW combo drive, and a bright 17-inch widescreen display--perfect for business presentations or watching movies on the plane.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: Compared to other notebooks in this range the 80 GB Ultra ATA hard drive (4200 RPM) is above average in sizeIt offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors. You'll also be able to store a good-sized multimedia library.
• Processor: The hyper-threaded Intel Pentium 4 530 processor (3.0 GHz) allows a single CPU system to behave in some aspects like a dual-CPU system, helping to deliver faster transistors and increased performance. It also features a 1 MB L2 cache and a blazingly fast 800 MHz front-side bus speed, which measures how fast a processor and the main memory communicate. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance.)

  A Hyper-Threading processor helps a PC to run multiple demanding applications at the same time. This technology enables the processor to execute two threads (a part of a program) in parallel, boosting performance during key high-drain procedures. This results in more efficient software performance (such as faster reaction times in gaming applications) and enhanced multitasking.

• Memory: The 512 MB of installed RAM (2 x 256 MB, dual channel at 400 MHz) is a decent start, but you'll want to take advantage of the 2 GB capacity (2 x 1 GB) to fulfill this notebook's strong productivity and multimedia capabilities.
• CD/DVD Drive: The combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive can read CDs at 40x, write at 24x, and rewrite at 24x speeds. It can read DVDs at 8x.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard keyboard with scroll bar and integrated numeric keypad, and a touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The x6050us has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's fully compatible with 802.11b/g wireless networks. The 125 HSM/SpeedBooster support will enable it to be ready for tomorrow's 125 Mbps wireless LANs. You get a good offering of connectivity options, including super-fast USB 2.0 and Firewire:

• 4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 S-Video out
• 1 parallel port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
• 6-in-1 memory card reader (compatible with Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia, and XD Picture Cards)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 operating system with Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web. It also comes preloaded with Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents), Symantec Norton Antivirus 2005 (with 60 days of LiveUpdate), Adobe Acrobat Reader, Sonic RecordNow, InterVideo WinDVD, InterVideo Home Theater, Apple iTunes and Apple iTunes Music Store, Adobe PhotoShop Album STE, Muvee autoProducer, Microsoft Money, MSN Encarta Plus, and Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition (60 Day Trial Version).

Dimensions and Weight
At 9.4 pounds, the x6050us isn't the most easily portable notebook. It measures 15.7 x 11.4e x 1.96 inches (L x W x H).

Power
This notebook is powered by a 12-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which offers an average of 3 hours of battery life (dependent upon computing conditions).

What's in the Box
This package contains the x6050us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limiited hardware warranty and 30-day free software support. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Compaq Presario X6050US Notebook PC
This Compaq Presario X6050US Notebook PC is amazingly cool. I am going to get this PC next week. The 17 inch monitor is very big, you can see everything on it. Even though it's not available at every store, I see it at J&R and RadioShack. I did a lot of research on this computer. With it's most expensive things it has, no other notebook PC can beat this Compaq Presario X6050US Notebook PC. You should buy it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A true powerhouse in a portable package, the Compaq Presario R3210US notebook is powered by a 1.60 GHz AMD Athlon XP processor and has all the amenities you need to take everything with you on the road. A 60 GB hard drive and 256 MB RAM help you store files and run multiple applications efficiently, and the DVD/CD-RW combo drive means you can perform a variety of application like backing up files on CD media, making audio mix CDs, accessing CD- or DVD-ROMs, or watching DVD movies on the 15.4-inch widescreen LCD screen. It also features a built-in NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics card, integrated JBL Pro Performance speakers, and a 5-in-1 Memory Reader.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 60 GB hard drive has ample room to store all your files, including digital audio, video, and photos.
• Processor: The 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon XP processor features QuantiSpeed architecture and PowerNow! technology to extend battery life and improve system performance. It also has a 256 KB L2 cache.
• Memory: It has 256 MB DDR SDRAM and is upgradable to 1.25 GB.
• CD/DVD Drive: The DVD/CD-RW combo drive reads CDs at 40x, writes at 16x, and rewrites 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 widescreen LCD display has resolutions up to 1280 x 800, making it ideal for watching DVDs.

Sound and Graphics
A built-in NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics card with 32 MB video memory turns this notebook into a gaming machine. It supports 16-bit digital audio and internal JBL Pro Performance speakers, which means you can listen to crystal clear and bright audio right out of the box.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
An integrated 10/100 Base-T ethernet allows for convenient networking, and 54g 802.11b/g wireless LAN 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 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 port

Preloaded System and Software
The Compaq Presario R3210US 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 R3210US notebook,120 watt AC adapter, 8-cell Lithium-Ion battery, phone cord, user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Basics
Exceedingly lightweight considering its surprisingly spacious 14-inch widescreen display and sporting the latest wireless and power-saving technologies, Compaq's new Presario V2030US Notebook PC is a wonderful choice for computer users constantly on the go. It's priced right too, though serious game-players and 3D animators should note that their cost saving will come at the expense of a top-notch video card. Moreover, the unit's processor, while far easier on the batteries than many of its peers and sufficiently fast for most typical mobile tasks, is considerably slower than today's most powerful, most battery-inefficient CPU's. But if you're always on the road, the Presario V2030US makes for a great companion.

Processor
At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a massive collection of miniature transistors that governs the speed and power of the entire unit. Some of today's notebooks are equipped with high-end CPU's on par with those found in top-of-the-line desktop PCs, while others are quick enough only for basic duties such as word processing, email and the like. The Presario V2030US is equipped with an Intel Pentium M 710 processor, one of three components that comprise Intel's efficient Centrino system (the others being a specialized Intel chipset and integrated wireless technology). Centrino-equipped notebooks are generally smaller, easier on the batteries, and more versatile than their non-Centrino counterparts. Rated at 1.4 GHz, this is a midlevel Pentium M and therefore delivers enough speed for most typical notebook applications and features an amazing 2 MB of Level 2 cache for extremely fast recovery of recently accessed information

Memory
Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keep frequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM) for faster retrieval. More RAM means more efficient computing, superior multitasking and less strain on your hard drive. The Presario V2030US incorporates 512 MB of 266 MHz RAM. This is a typical allotment for today's high-end notebooks, though its rated speed is not especially fast. Nevertheless, it will ensure reasonable performance during multitasking situations and provide adequate assistance to the CPU when the going gets tough.

Video
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translating visual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the graphics card (or graphics controller). The best and priciest graphics controllers feature on-board "dedicated" video memory rather than "sharing" portions of the system's all-important main memory. This unit features an Intel Extreme Graphics 2 controller with shared (not dedicated) video memory, and thusly will have some trouble displaying high-end 3D applications such as advanced games and sophisticated animation. It is, however, perfectly sufficient for most 2D tasks and some 3D work.

Display
A notebook weighing just a hair over five lbs yet sporting a 14-inch widescreen display is a rare commodity indeed. This is a huge viewing screen for a computer of this size, and it's a great aid when you need a closer look at your work or want to watch a DVD movie in today's preferred widescreen mode. And with a maximum resolution of 1280 by 768 and Compaq's BrightView technology at your disposal, you'll always have brilliant, detailed images.

Hard Disk
The Presario V2030US features a large 60 GB hard disk. This level of data storage is a welcome perk for those who require a smaller yet cost-effective notebook but need to operate a broad range of applications and also keep a library of space-gobbling music and/or multimedia files.

Optical Drive
An optical drive is essential in today's computing environment. A "CD-ROM" drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW" drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can watch DVD movies. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can "write" home movies to durable discs and archive files to DVD (DVDs boast more than seven times the storage capacity of a CD). Some drives allow you to do a combination of all of these tasks. This system sports a DVD+RW/RW/CD-RW drive through which you can do all of the above.

Audio
The unit is equipped with a pair of impressive JBL Pro Performance stereo speakers, a mini microphone jack and a stereo mini headphone jack.

Keyboard and Controls
You'll control your notebook via a 101 key-compatible keyboard and touch pad with on/off button and dedicated scroll.

Connectivity and Expansion
The Presario V2030US is bristling with the latest connectivity options. It offers a wide variety of ways to keep in touch, including a 56K modem for low-speed dial-up Internet and email access, an RJ-45 LAN port for high-speed wired network and Internet, and integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 2200 802.11b/g wireless for fast cord-free e-communication at home, at the office or on the road via a public hotspot. Other key amenities include three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play devices such as external drives and digital cameras, an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for quick data uploads from digital camcorders), and a convenient 6-in-1 card reader for reading memory cards from digital cameras, PDA's and the like.

Operating System and Software
Compaq has stocked the Presario V2030US with a solid selection of software, including Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Microsoft's Works productivity suite, Microsoft's Money financial centre, and an assortment of multimedia utilities and time-limited trials.

Dimensions and Weight
Notebook computers are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and weights. Many of today's most powerful notebooks are also the largest, weighing ten or twelve lbs or more and therefore too big and cumbersome for extensive, continuous traveling. These are often referred to as "desktop replacements". On the other extreme are "thin and lights" or "ultra-portables", super-miniaturized units that typically aren't as powerful as their larger brethren but weigh as little as two lbs and will often fit comfortably inside a large purse. At 13.15 by 9.1 by 11.82 by 1.29 inches and 5.2 lbs, the Presario V2030US is well below average size.

Power
The unit is equipped with a 6-cell Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A multitasking workhorse, the Compaq Presario R3050us notebook PC delivers fast processor speeds and a comfortable amount of memory and storage right out of the box. The R3050us features a 2.8 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor, 54g built-in wireless LAN, a multi-format memory card reader, 512 MB of installed RAM, and a spacious 60 GB hard drive. It also offers a DVD+RW/+R for writing data and multimedia to DVD as well as a bright 15.4-inch WXGA display. For a step up in price, the Compaq Presario R3070us offers an 80 GB hard drive and faster processor (3.06 GHz).

The Basics

• Hard Drive: Though not world-beating in size, the 60 GB EIDE hard drive (4200 RPM) offers more than enough storage capacity for road warriors.
• Processor: The 2.8 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor will come in handy for tasks such as digital photo or video editing. Thanks to its Mobile features, the processor can save power when it's not needed, thus conserving battery life. It also has a 533 MHz FSB (front-side bus).
• Memory: The R3050us comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 333 MHz)--a good start for power users--with a maximum memory expansion up to 1.28 GB (1 x 256 MB, 1 x 1024 MB). It also has an L2 cache of 512 KB.
• CD/DVD Drive: It is equipped with a combo drive that is capable of reading and writing of both DVDs and CDs (4x DVD+R, 2.4x DVD+RW, 8x DVD-ROM, 16x CD-R, 10x CD-RW, 40x CD-ROM). It uses the DVD+RW format, one of two formats for rewriteable DVDs.
• Keyboard & Mouse: The R3050us has a 101-key keyboard and touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The R3050us offers a good variety of external connections, including both USB 2.0 and FireWire.

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 TV-out (S-Video)
• 1 PS/2 port for connecting keyboard or mouse
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II compatible and 32-bit card bus)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• Multi-format memory card reader including compatibility with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro, and SmartMedia cards

Preloaded System and Software
The R3050us comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Norton Antivirus 2003 (with 60 days of complimentary live updates), Quicken, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe, Adobe Acrobat Reader, AOL (with three-month trial membership), InterVideo WinDVD SE (for playing DVD movies) and WinDVD Creator, MusicMatch Jukebox, Muvee AutoProducer, and Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator (Basic).

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 11.18 x 14.25 x 1.8 inches (L x W x H), it's not the thinnest notebook available. It weighs a moderate 7.8 pounds.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery has 8 cells (which refers to the number of charge-storing components within the battery) and offers a standard amount of power for a notebook PC (around 2 hours of typical use).

What's in the Box
This package includes the Compaq Presario R3050us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, phone cord, and operating instructions. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Though not a top-of-the-line thoroughbred when compared to today's costlier upscale offerings, Compaq's value-priced Presario 2580us Notebook is nevertheless far more powerful than comparably priced models of just a year or two ago and quite ready to handle many of today's most demanding mobile applications.

Measuring 12.96 by 10.72 by 1.79 inches and weighing 7.5 pounds, the Presario 2580us Notebook is of average size for a notebook. Compaq has loaded the unit with a powerful 2.3 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 512 MB of DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 1024 MB) and an ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chipset with 64 MB of shared (not dedicated) video memory. As such, the system should suffice for all 2-D and many 3D applications, though it may have frame rate troubles when rendering ultra-complex 3-D games and animation/drawing packages.

The Presario 2580us Notebook features several welcome amenities, including an oversized 15-inch XGA TFT display screen (maximum resolution 1024x768), an 88-key keyboard, a TouchPad with scroll bar and dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad, and a pair of JBL Pro speakers. At 40 GB, the enclosed hard disk is sufficient for most purposes but may not offer enough room for today's true power users. The system's optical drive permits CD and DVD playing and CD recording but does facilitate the burning of DVDs.

With the Presario 2580us Notebook, your communication options are virtually limitless. In environments with wired connections, you may select from a low-speed 56K modem or high-speed 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN. When hardwiring is a problem, you can stay in touch with the unit's integrated 54g wireless LAN. Other key components include a trio of fast USB 2.0 ports, a single IEEE 1394 port for interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, a single PC Card slot, and a standard array of connections. The impressive bundled software package includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Quicken New User Edition, Microsoft Works and a range of multimedia and Internet utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Patrick
Great Notebook for a bargain price.

Bigger processor means more heat and more fan. Very quiet fan compared to other models. Much faster than an P3 I've used.

Get this computer, download every update from HP.com and enjoy it.

Also a great computer to swap out the stock memory, put in 1024 MB of RAM and it flies.

Best computer I've ever owned.

LOVE IT
I purchased this laptop because of price and a lot of research. I run my online business alot from the comfort of my sofa at night (when the kids are sleeping) to check for payments made! I made mine wireless so I can go on anywhere with it, I can use it upstairs when the kids are in the bath, its awesome! I love my Compaq!

awesome
Whoever thought that this notebook was a piece of junk then i guess he doesnt have a choice.
its a great notebook no fan noise at all... obviously the normal noise which comes in every notebook is there and is not at all annoying. Sound is very nice and clear, JBL speakers do the job very nicely, i have no problems what so ever with the display colors, its really cool. its just great and at this price it is the best deal available and ppl looking for notebooks should go for this one. This is all i can say to u guys .... thanx

What a horrible piece of junk !!!
As the proud owner of an earlier "lower capability" Presario 1700, P3 1 GHz 256 RAM, I thought THIS Presario 2580 would be a nice upgrade. WRONG!!! What a piece of unmitigated garbage! Compared to my earlier Presario, this piece of junk has;

1) Very poor display resolution
2) Very poor washed out weak display colors
3) Very slow for a 2.4 GHz P4, slower than my P3 1.0Ghz
4) AWFUL sound, not even close to my other Presario
5) An AC adapter that has such a poor pin input fit it won't stay plugged in even when untouched!!! Just falls out.
6) Super loud fan that seems to be perpetually on, you can't think or hear anything else with this thing!

I understand what happened here I think. Since the time I bought my other very excellent Presario two years ago, Compaq was bought out by HP, (who always built cheap, terrible computers from China),... and now they have turned Compaq Presarios into the same cheap junk HP always made.

I will NEVER by another Compaq/HP, and this piece of trash goes back for refund tonight! (Ughh, I'll get stuck with a fat restock fee but that's better than being stuck with this piece of garbage masquerading as a supposedly decent home notebook)

DON'T EVER BUY AN HP/COMPAQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great
The best out there for not a bad price. Peforms better than a Sony notebook, that's for sure. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Though its raw processor speed may initially seem somewhat average and its 3-D graphic capabilities aren't quite powerful enough for the latest computer games or high-end 3-D graphic design programs, Compaq's Presario x1030us will easily handle most typical leisure or professional tasks, and it won't break the bank or your back while doing so.

The secret behind the Presario x1030us is Intel's new Centrino technology. Centrino refers to a triumvirate of interconnected elements -- an Intel Pentium M CPU, an Intel 855 chipset, and an Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 network connection -- all of which work hand-in-hand to make your notebook fast, lightweight, battery-efficient and wirelessly connected.

At the heart of this unit is an Intel Pentium Centrino processor with a seemingly middling 1.4 GHz clock speed. Being a Centrino processor, however, it also sports one full MB of Level 2 cache to greatly improve speed in frequently accessed applications. Compaq has added 512 MB of 266 MHz DDR SDRAM system memory, an ATI Mobility Radeon 7500c graphics card with 32 MB dedicated video memory, and an adequate 40 GB hard disk.

Comparatively portable at just 14 by 10 by 1.24 inches and 6.5 pounds, the system nevertheless features a variety of desirable amenities, including a versatile DVD-ROM/CD-RW optical drive through which you can burn and play audio CDs and watch your favorite movies, a surprisingly spacious 15.4-inch WXGA display screen capable of 1280 by 800 resolution, and an 88-key keyboard with touch pad and scroll bar.

Communication options include a 56K modem for low-speed Internet and email access, a high-speed RJ-45 LAN connector and integrated Intel Pro/Wireless 2100 802.11b wireless LAN. To ensure top-notch connectivity, the unit features an IEEE 1394 FireWire connection for quick data streaming with external peripherals such as digital camcorders, a trio of fast USB 2.0 ports for other plug and play devices, and an S-Video TV-Out. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A great laptop for a great value!
First of all, I was in the market for a widescreen laptop, so other widescreen laptops were the only ones I compared this to. Second, I bought X1030US refurbished direct from HP Shopping.

Overall, the laptop has a very appealing design and is right up there with other laptops in style, such as the Sony line of laptops. The widescreen display is just candy for your eyes and great for many applications, especially browsing the internet.

The system specs were plenty for my taste, enought to do everyday activities and once in a while a strenuous one, like play games, run CPU taxing programs etc. The HDD size is plenty, though you really only get around 33gb after the OS is installed and etc.

I have not yet ran the computer off the AC adaptor, but the few times I did take it off the power, I really like the feature that tells you (approx.) how much time you have left to run the laptop on the battery. The battery life is great compared to my last laptop. It seems to calculate to over 4+ hours.

Another great feature that I love is the wireless internet. However, it does some weird things when I turn the wireless off and then back on. It finds my network, but won't connect. I just restart the laptop which isn't a big deal. I leave the wireless on most of the time anyway. The button to turn it off and on is a great feature as well.

The feature that I must say I like is the fact that the fan, about 90% of the time, does not come on! My last laptop ran the fan all the time, but this laptop apparently can handle it without running. It's so quiet I don't know if it's on or not. It also usually runs only at around 600Mhz. I rarely see it reach the 1.4Ghz mark. The firewire port is a handy feature, but I really wished they included the 6-pin style rather than the 4-pin. I would really like to try out the infrared port too.

So far I have been very impressed with Compaq's laptop. It's thin, lighter than my old laptop (Gateway 400 series) and it's amazing because it's bigger than that laptop. The speakers are not too good, but it's tolerable. Of course you're not going to get Klipsche quality speakers, but they do their job.

The only other problem I've had is that I haven't been able to burn a CD on the laptop yet. It does have a CD-RW drive, but my software doesn't recognize the drive. I have used Easy CD Creator and Nero, but it can't find my drive. Strange.

One last pet peeve are the stickers that come on the laptop. :) I've tried to get a couple of them off, but they just won't come off!

Overall, you can't beat what you get for the price. I've compared it to the Dell Inpiron 8600, eMachines, HP, and Gateway and the only other close competitor for me were the widescreen series for Gateway. The lower price pulled me to this laptop and I don't regret it!

A Perfect Machine !
An Amazing machine, yet again by HP/Compaq, keeping their credibilty at its peak. A user friendly, fully integrated and a robust machine with everything you need for personal computing. As I said earlier, A Perfect Machine !!

perfect
This is hands down the best computer i have ever had. The only weakness is the 40 gig hd but a 60 or 80 was too much money. This computer owned my desktop P4@2.0ghz in everything i have done so far. I LOVE COMPAQ/HP heeh. This computer PWNS

nice addition to the compaq productline (now a HP company)
This is the first laptop I have ever bought and i must say i am definitly very pleased with it. Of course, i would have liked a 1500mhz or 1600mhz intel pentium M processer as oppose to the 1400mhz but upon using it i'd say the 1.4M is plenty fast. I did some research into this new centrino processer and this is what i found:
1. A 1.4 Pentium M is equivelent to a 2.1-2.2 Pentium 4
2. A 1.5 Pentium M operates slightly faster than a 2.4 P4
3. The Centrino processer provides up to 5 hours battery life
So all in all, i have to say that im happy with it. Not to mention i bought mine on ebay for $1150 total cost which is a steal compared to best buys price of $1400 plus tax. So as long as you buy one for under $1200, you're getting the best bang for your buck in my opinion. good luck!

Great purchase!
I purchased this neat notebook after a week of staying up all night combing through print and Internet ads and it finally paid off. As an educator with meager resources, my budget of $1100 for a Centrino with CDRW/DVD seemed like a pipe dream. But, once again, research has proven its worth. I almost settled for an Averatec 5110 at a price of $950. But, I could not get myself to plunk down that amount for a machine I was unfamiliar with, let alone one that had so-so reviews from professional reviewers. I found this beautiful machine at Staples which has a $350 instant rebate AND a $100 mail in rebate until 1/31/04 (better hurry!).

Having owned many laptops over the years, this one is hands-down the best value. The best part is that even with sales tax, I am way under budget. One last thing, the value was not really mentioned online. I had to visit the store to get the scoop.

Good luck! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Compaq Presario R3310US notebook PC blends the bold and the beautiful, with a powerful, battery-saving Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M 3000+ processor (1.6 GHz) and a widescreen 15.4-inch display that's perfect for both business presentations and watching DVD movies. It also features a 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, integrated 54g Wi-Fi connectivity, and a combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. For a step up in price, the R3320US has a fast, hyper-threaded Pentium 4 processor that's well suited to multimedia applications.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 60 GB hard drive is becoming the average size for notebook PCs, enabling road warriors enough capacity for storing documents, digital media files, and productivity software.
• Processor: The 1.60 GHz Athlon processor is powered by QuantiSpeed architecture and PowerNow! technology, which allows notebook computers to run the most demanding applications and extends battery life. It has a relatively small 256 KB L2 cache.
• Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (2 x 256 MB, PC2700 DDR SDRAM) is becoming standard on notebooks and it's a good start for power users. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 1.2 GB. One memory slot is occupied with 256 MB of non-removeable RAM.
• CD/DVD Drive: The combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive can write and read CDs at 24x and rewrite at 10x speeds. It can read DVDs at 16x.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 101-key keyboard and two-button touchpad with on/off button and dedictated vertical scroll up/down pad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
This R3310US model has an integrated 802.11g wireless LAN (which is compatible with the more widespread 802.11b and offers faster data transmission rates). You get a basic offering of connectivity options, which does include super-fast USB 2.0:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 parallel port
• 1 S-Video out
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Microsoft Money, Quicken New User Edition, Norton Antivirus 2004 (with 60-day LiveUpdate subscription), Adobe Acrobat Reader, Encarta Plus, HP Image Zone Plus, InterVideo WinDVD Creator,Sonic RecordNow, and Apple iTunes.

Dimensions and Weight
At 14.25 x 10.96 x 1.8 inches and 7.8 pounds, the R3310US is a bit larger in size compared to other notebooks in its class.

Power
It's powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which provides an average of battery life of around 2 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the Compaq Presario R3310US US notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limiited hardware warranty. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If nothing but the ultimate performance and features will do in your next portable computer, shop no further than the Compaq Presario 1525US notebook PC.

A 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor glides through a wide range of productivity applications, games, DVDs, and digital music. A built-in combination DVD/CD-RW drive and a 15-inch TFT SXGA+ display let you enjoy movies in crisp, sharp style. The combo drive also makes it easy to listen to and create music CDs, and they sound great through the notebook’s integrated JBL Pro Performance Audio with Bass Reflex speakers.

A 40 GB hard drive provides roomy storage for data and music downloads, while 512 MB of memory--expandable to 1 GB--plus 512 KB of on-chip L2 cache run multiple applications with ease. An ATI Radeon IGP integrated graphics card and 32 MB of dedicated video memory deliver high-resolution images of up to 1,280 x 1,024 on the integrated 15-inch display or up to 1,600 x 1,200 noninterlaced on an external monitor.

The 1.5-by-12.9-by-10.5-inch, 7-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 1525US also includes two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire digital video port, a parallel SPP/ECP interface (DB25 connector), a port replicator 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 (12)

A beauty of a computer!
In addition to what the other folks have said, I love this machine.
The keys have a very solid feel. When I checked the Compaq website (actually HP now) this model is described as having 32 MB of dedicated video ram. Some other sellers of this model also quote the dedicated memory aspect while other sellers still refer to shared video ram but this really is 32 MB dedicated video memory

One thing I notice is that, at 2.4 GHz, it's not really that fast. I suspect Win XP is a resource hog and the 4200 rpm hard drive is not as fast as the 7200 rpm in a desktop. Boy, it takes almost a minute just to do the shutdown function!

LCD screen was perfect - not one damaged pixel.
The USB ports are 2.0 but there are only two. How many of us have only two devices we want to plug in to the PC?

The ports are in back of machine with a flexy plastic hingy thing. With time, this is sure to break off, maybe after a year or two.

Sucka is heavy and a bit slippery - hold on tight to it or SPLASH goes [$$$].

IR port is on CD drive, next to beautifuly done silver eject button; thus, I keep getting fingerprints and smudges on the IR.

Nine thumbs and one pinky up on this notebook PC.

Updated 07-March-2003:
I've had this for 2 1/2 months now and have not had any of the problems other people have mentioned. I've had it up and running for days at a stretch and did not experience any hanging.
My only complaint is that there is only one [CTRL]-key and it is on the left side. This makes it really hard to do a [CTRL] click if you set the mouse/pointing device to left-handed use.
A big plus is the SXGA+ resolution on this seemingly small 15" screen. You get 1400 *1050 and even most 18" lcd screens only go up to 1280 * 1024.
It's a great disappointment (for others) that amazon.com no longer sells this model as I got a great deal when I purchased this laptop from them.

The best in this price range
There are two very comparable notebooks close enough in price to call a tie: the Compaq Presario 1525US and the Toshiba Satellite 1905-S303. On paper they look very similar: 2.4 GHz Pentium 4, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive, 15' screen, ATI Radeon graphics chipset (AKA M6-P). However a closer look gives the Compaq a slight edge.

Screen: Both 15' but the Toshiba is 1024-by-768 pixels while the 1280-by-1024 pixels. To your eyes the Compaq will be sharper because there are more and smaller dots on the screen. This matters a lot more than you might think (the Compaq is much easier on the eyes).

Weight: The Toshiba is 8.3 pounds, while the Compaq is 7.0 pounds. While neither is a lightweight, you will notice that extra 1.3 pounds if you carry your notebook around a lot.

On other issues they are pretty much the same: great for any use other than high-end 3D games (very few notebooks are).

Both are a little power hungry and don't have the best battery life (2-3 hours of good use). For more than that you need to spend a bit more on a notebook using a true P4-M processor (hands down the best notebook CPU ever made but it cost more). However these are very powerful mobile desktops that work great for those who have their notebooks plugged in most places they go. These machines will handle high-end computing tasks for many years to come, but the Compaq wins by virtue of its superior display.

Good performer, once you get rid of XP Home
This is great laptop that has some very nice features and a nice video display.

That's about it. Windows XP Home for whatever reason does not seem to like the video driver that Compaq supplies with it. I face intermittent restart errors, usually while just browsing the web. Compaq is useless, as they have no clue what causes the problem. That's too bad, since XP is ruining a perfectly good PC.

Get one, then wipe it clean and install either XP Pro or WIndows 2000.

Overall Great laptop, but system hangs sometimes
Overall this is a very powerful laptop and has an awesome display at 15" and SXGA, I'll NEVER buy anything less again. It looks great and although, it is heavy, I like being able to play my graphics intense games when I'm traveling. Battery life is rather short (approx 2 hours). My main concern is that my system hangs sometimes, and the only way to recover is to restart. I boots quickly, so when it hangs, I'm up and running within 45 seconds. If the hanging gets worse, I'll have it serviced, but overall, this laptop is great. Also the video card is dedicated memory, not sharred. The ATI radeon 7500 is a great laptop chip.
Overall, I'd still recommend this laptop.

Dissappointment
I have great problems with this computer, from the first day of my purchase, I started to get errors and it is restarting itself everyday without any reason and gives hardware problems for the cause, I am very disappointed with compaq, I am going to send it to customer service soon.. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A true powerhouse in a portable package, the Compaq Presario R3240US notebook is powered by a 2.0 GHz AMD Athlon 64 3200+ processor and has all the amenities you need to take everything with you on the road. A 60 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 60 GB hard drive has ample room to store all your files, including digital audio, video, and photos.
• Processor: The 2.0 GHz AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 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 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 port

Preloaded System and Software
The Compaq Presario R3240US 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 R3240US notebook, 120 watt AC adapter, 8-cell Lithium-Ion battery, phone cord, user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

As the most powerful notebook in Compaq’s midlevel 2100 line of mobile computers, the Presario 2110US blends reliability with a hint of high-end performance. It’s quite portable too, at 12.96 by 10.72 by 1.57 inches and a mere 7.24 pounds. If state-of-the-art speed isn’t a necessity but smooth and dependable operation is, the cost-effective Presario 2110US is a wise choice.

Driven by a 1.67 GHz Mobile AMD Athlon XP 2000 CPU, 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, and a 64 MB (shared) ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chipset, the Presario 2110US will efficiently run most common notebook applications. Its roomy 60 GB hard disk is spacious enough for a full complement of business and leisure software, and its DVD/CD-RW drive is ready to help you burn and play audio CDS, archive data, and watch your favorite movies. The system will not, however, allow you to record to DVD media.

Compaq has equipped the Presario 2110US with several multimedia-related perks, including an oversized 15-inch XGA TFT display capable of detailed 1,024 x 768 screen resolutions, a 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro-compatible audio chip, and a set of internal stereo speakers. The system also features a full-size 88-key keyboard with embedded numeric keypad, a touchpad with on/off button, and a dedicated vertical scroll-up/-down pad.

Other amenities include two USB 1.1 ports for plug-and-play peripherals, S-Video and VGA outs for external displays and television links, an RJ-45 Ethernet jack for fast network and Internet interaction, and a built-in 56K modem for low-speed e-communication. Camcorder owners and anyone else who desires fast data transfer with external peripherals should note the system does not sport high-speed USB 2.0 or IEEE 1394 ports.

Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 6.0, Intuit’s Quicken Financial Center, and Microsoft Money 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Overall it's a good product
The Acer USB port disconnects when copying images from some camera. This is one of the main things I wanted to use it for.
Tech support stepped me through a few updates, but was unsuccessful in helping me.

I wasn't sure at first, but WOW....
I had a Presario 710 notebook and I decided I would like to upgrade as the 710 was beginning to be to slow for my work (programming). I spent a few weeks looking around to find the best deal on a good notebook without spending $2000. The 2110 is a NICE machine. I finally choose that one after debating 3 notebooks. This machine will play Warcraft 3 with all the graphics/video cranked all the way up!!! I did some tweaks to WinXP Pro and the machine now boots in 30 seconds from power to start bar and shuts down in 15 or less. The 710 would get so hot you could cook eggs on it, this machine stays pretty decently cool.

With a 60 GB HD, 512 megs of ram and 64 megs (shared) for video and a DVD/CD-RW you can't go wrong. So far I am very happy with my purchase and I would recoment anyone else in the market to consider this machine on their list.

Nice HP, but a few issues.
Well the system is a good as other HP models. The system has enough power and memory to complete any task a mobile user can through at it. The bigest problem is Firmware, it has been updated twice since my purchase in early january. So much for right the first time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Designed with an emphasis on business use, the Presario 705US offers a comprehensive feature set at a price that won't hurt the bottom line.Boasting a 1 GHz AMD Athlon 4 CPU, 256 MB of RAM (expandable to 384 MB), a 20 GB hard disk, and a combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM (6x) drive, thissystem will fulfill most any portable PC need. Also included are a 56K modem, a10/100 Mbps Ethernet NIC, and a 14.1-inch, active-matrix LCD with 1024 x 768resolution. The installed operating system is Windows XP, Microsoft's newoperating system that combines the stability of Windows 2000 with better supportfor peripherals and games. This system is also easily portable, weighing in atjust 6.39 pounds with a height of 1.64 inches. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

More added problems
I'm putting this review on several of the Compaq laptop systems since they are all from the same platform

1. The offer and rebates did not apply from Compaq, but only from an authorized reseller.

2. Right out of the box the 700z system had Driver errors and a bad modem. Corporate tech support sugested that I return it and buy another through a reseller.

3. They then took 2 months to clear up my account for financing after I returned the system but meanwhile I bought a newer system - a 705us.

4. The rebate went through and everything was working okay until the floppy drive went bad, which occured in four weeks. It never wrote to the hard drive and I couldn't copy to or from other disks onto any other computer.

5. I called tech support and they sent out a box for repair pickup and told me the turnaround would be 3-5 days. Well, it took over 4 weeks to get the system back.

6. The repair shop failed to recognize that the second system was mine and did not follow through with repairs even when all the proper paperwork was channeled through support on the phone. I also seemed to get tech swupport in India when I called during certain business hours, and they were not help at all!

7. I wish they could dumped the hard drive info on to a refurbished 2710 system that has a better track record. As it is I'll use this until I get the funds for another system.

My advice is to wait until they get the bugs worked out on this system. They don't even have a Docking station yet, but they'll tell you the part number to order the "phantom" station.

In their defense they have tried to compensate me by sending memory to update my system but they've sent the wrong memory twice!

I'm giving it 2 stars since it worked beautifully when it was up and running and the screen is clear and bright! Oh, the DVD player on my system works great and I've played it through my TV with no complaints!

Now the problem is the memory that was sent to me. The 256k chip freezes the system and I've tried to get it fixed but calling tech support only adds to the frustration.

Same problems everyone else had
I had the same problems as everyone else. It runs so hot that it is uncomfortable to hold on your lap. The battery life is less than a year (two batteries died total). The hinge cracks appeared after about a year, and completely broke through after a few more months so the display is dangling...I also got a quote of $800 to repair although the LCD itself is fine.

A couple things of things that weren't mentioned in the other reviews....the PCMCIA slot had no guide initially so the pins bent after I inserted the wireless card a few times, and the power adapter quit working after 1.5 years. Tech support was worthless.

Overall, this product is a joke. Avoid it at all costs.

waste of money
We also developed the small cracks at the hinge site. The whole thing is broken out now after only 1 1/2 years. ONLY solution would be to buy a whole new LCD screen for $800!!! Yeah right, buy the same cheap plastic POS. They do not stand behind their product and do not care we spent our hard earned money on what looks to be a disposable product. If cracks appear in the plastic around the hinges, take immediate action.

Cracked hinge
I have had the same problem as described above, cracks develop above the hinges and eventually the screen falls off. It does not happen until the warranty is expired.

Not Recommended
Well I dropped quite a bit of money on this thing with many enjoyable problems.

*Overheats!!! (You better have some fans handy)
*Battery life is short!!! (Expect to buy replacement batteries)
*Case cracks!!! (Expect to quickly get cracks and imperfections with normal use)
*S-video feature doesn't appear on screen correctly
*Compaq had to replace my hinges, they did it for free but only because it was still under warranty. If you are lucky yours will break early.
*Keyboard keys are cheap and flimsy and prone to breakage if you decide to clean underneath.
* If you want to run different OSes on your computer such as Linux this particular machine is not ideal, search around and find a better one.
* Don't even think about gaming with this, poor performance.

Basically after replacing the battery on this machine it becomes a decent machine for internet browsing, instant messaging, and word processing. That's really about it. I've done basic things in Fireworks, multitasking doesn't really lag this machine that much. It's a decent machine but has many problems. I will be giving this machine to my dad soon when I can afford a nice NON-Compaq/HP notebook. I really wish I had shopped around but when you have money in pocket and get excited you tend to make impulse buys. All well, lesson learned. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Sporting superior performance and a larger viewing screen than many stationary PCs, the Compaq Presario 3045US Notebook is a full-featured mobile computer that easily doubles as an effective desktop replacement. It isn't the smallest notebook on the market at 13.8 by 11.8 by 1.75 inches and 8.09 pounds, but it is certainly one of the most capable.

Compaq has built the Presario 3015US around one of the fastest processors currently available for a notebook, Intel's 2.4 GHz Pentium 4, and enhanced it further with a generous allotment of 512 MB Random Access Memory. The system's graphics chipset, an SiS 650 UMA 4x AGP with 64 MB of shared memory, will suffice for all 2-D and most 3-D tasks but may have trouble efficiently rendering the latest and most demanding 3-D animation and drawing packages and 3-D games.

Topping the unit's impressive list of features is its display screen, a 16-inch monster capable of super-clean 1024 by 768 resolution. You'll really enjoy this jumbo-size screen while watching movies, something you'll want to do via the integrated DVD/CD-RW drive. You can also use this drive to burn and listen to audio CDs and backup the data you've stored on the massive 60 GB hard disk.

Compaq has equipped the Presario 3015US with a wide range of state-of-the-art amenities, including four ultra-fast USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, one IEEE 1394 port for efficient interaction with external devices such as digital camcorders, a full-size 88-key keyboard with embedded numeric keypad and Touch Pad pointing device, a built-in RJ-11 modem for low-speed connectivity and an RJ-45 LAN port for high-speed surfing and network access. Bundled software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 6.0, Microsoft Money 2003, and a variety of multimedia and communication utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

GREAT COMPUTER
PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN PORTABILITY, POWER AND CONFIG. A MUST!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

At 11.02 by 12.99 by 1.65 inches and 7.9 pounds, the Compaq Presario 2720US is not the smallest notebook on the market, yet that may be precisely the reason Compaq can offer such a capable computer at such a reasonable price. If you appreciate the power and performance of a top-notch notebook and can handle its slightly above-average size, the 2720US offers a lot of bang for the buck.

The unit is particularly well suited to multimedia applications. Its large 1,024 x 768 15-inch, active-matrix viewing screen ensures you'll get the most out of the movies you can play on the system's integrated eight-speed DVD drive. Its subwoofer-enhanced JBL Pro Audio speaker system delivers impressive output whether you're enjoying a Hollywood blockbuster or listening to a compilation CD you've burned on the built-in, 16-speed (write) CD-RW drive. And although its 8 MB ATI Radeon video card won't effectively render the latest and greatest 3-D animation programs or games, it quite comfortably runs most any other entertainment or business application.

Driven by a reliable 1.2 GHz Intel Pentium III processor with 512 KB of Level 2 cache for improved data retrieval and Intel's battery-conserving SpeedStep technology, the 2720US is faster and more economical than many similarly priced notebooks. Compaq has matched this chip with 256 MB of 133 MHz SDRAM memory (upgradeable to one full GB) and a substantial 20 GB hard drive to fashion a solid nerve center that should satisfy all but the most demanding users. A 3.5-inch floppy disk drive offers support for older, smaller programs and quick data backup.

The 2720US sports enough ports to accommodate virtually any form of expansion and exterior connection, including two USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, an S-video TV-out port for television output, a single parallel port for devices such as printers, an external monitor VGA port, an internal 56K modem and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network connection, an IEEE 1394 digital video port for digital camcorders, and a QuickDock connector for ultrafast hookup of additional accessories.

The keyboard section offers 88 full-size keys, an array of one-touch e-mail and multimedia controls, a four-way Internet scrolling tool, and a touchpad. To help get you started, Compaq has installed the Home Edition of the Windows XP operating system and an assortment of helpful Internet and informational utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This hardware will give you a headache
This notebook has a lot of great features (that is...if the notebook actually works properly). After less than a year of consistent use, my notebook's hard drive crashed. I learned a great lesson from this...NEVER EVER purchase a Compaq computer. I've had the most difficult time with Compaq's tech support. It's very hard trying to convince them something isn't a software problem, but a hardware problem. After Compaq supposedly repaired my notebook the first time, they sent it back to me in non-working condition. Clear your calendar and be prepared to spend many hours and days on the phone with Compaq tech support. After numerous conversations, with what felt like most of Compaq's tech team, they replaced the hard drive for a second time. Too bad they couldn't get it right the first time around. Oh...the problems didn't stop there. The individual at the Compaq repair center didn't even reseal my notebook before sending it back to me. I was "fortunate" enough to have all of the factory settings still installed. To my delight, this meant another phone call to Compaq tech support. So now, after using my laptop (which is on its 3rd hard drive - sad for such a young notebook), my computer is making strange noises. Apparently the hard drive hasn't been fixed, after all. All of my complaining has fallen upon the deaf ears of Compaq personnel, but please take this as a lesson learned and stay away from Compaq hardware. Here's a tip; if you purchase this notebook, make sure you purchase a great backup system!!

A decent notebook
The notebook is overall good.

But there are things to be desired:

1. The 15" screen can only do 1024x768 natively. 1400 x 1050 like 2701, 2710 and 2715 is much better. Besides, 8MB SDRAM is too small for dual monitor in case. The ATI video card seems decent with OpenGL stuffs but mediocre with DirectX.

2. Only one PC card slot available and it's there with the build-in DVD ROM. Practically means you don't have much room for expand or using a card with antena simultaneously while in need of changing DVD (this notebook has no Wireless built-in).

3. Unlike SONY rivals, this one, doesn't come with movie software even though a 1394 port is available.

4. XP home edition home networking expect you have all XP machines or at least a DHCP and DNS server. Connecting with NT4 machines in your own domain with static IP is difficult to get right and run smoothly. Don't even think about built-in internet sharing for heterogenous systems. :-(

5. As CNet review pointed out, the shining surface may be a problem of later and it's really hefty.

6. Even before CPQ and HP merge ( a very very bad thing), the support is not something to be always counted on. For example, a yellow paper hinted that there may be something you need to do before first charging the battery, but you don't have a printed user guide for that. It's not even mentioned in the user guide in the documentation CD! The user forum comments doesn't seem to make much sense either. Anyway, I think one just need to calibrate battery during the first use.

An excellent Desktop Replacement
The Presario 2720 US is a lot of bang for the buck and shows very careful design from Compaq. Beginning with the basic case, the screen itself is thicker than on most notebooks in order to protect the 15-inch XGA screen from damage. This type of thoughtful design shows through the rest of this excellent desktop replacement.

The Screen itself is very crisp and clear. DVD movies look great, and are can be seen by people next to the screen as well, not just the person sitting dead in front of it. The Native XGA resolution allows you to view full page documents easily without making you strain your eyes. The integrated DVD drive is fairly quiet and conveniently placed on the left side.

The 1.2 GigaHertz Pentium-III M processor is for some odd reason even faster than the 1.7 GigaHertz Pentium IV processors in some of the newer notebooks. Thanks to Intel's SpeedStep technology, the processor steps down to between 750 and 866 MegaHertz when it is not plugged into save battery life. This lets you use the 2720 as an extremely capable desktop replacement when plugged in, or a reasonably fast notebook while traveling.

This is not the lightest notebook to travel with, but the weightsaver can be placed in the CD-RW bay to reduce the weight by about a pound. The only downside is that the CD-RW is the only built in removable storage device since like many new notebooks, the 2720 does not come with a floppy disk drive. But that same bay can also hold an extra battery (for close to four hours of battery life), other hard drive or various other FutureBayII modules.

All in all, this is a great buy and should satisfy almost all business and home laptop users. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

For the value-minded mobile professional, Compaq offers its lightweight and lean Presario 2598US Notebook PC. Featuring a speedy 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor (upgrading from the 2596US's Intel Celeron processor), this notebook also features 512 MB of built-in RAM, a 60 GB hard drive, integrated wireless LAN (802.11g, offering up to 54 Mbps connectivity speed), and combo DVD/CD-RW drive. (The Compaq Presario 2599US offers the same PC hardware specs, but adds a DVD+R/RW and CD-RW combo drive.)

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 60 GB enhanced-IDE hard drive (4200 RPM) offers a premium amount of storage for a notebook PC and more than enough capacity for road warriors.
• Processor: The 2.66 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor offers enough speed for your work today and into tomorrow. Thanks to its Mobile features, the processor can save power when it's not needed, thus conserving battery life.
• Memory: The 2598US comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 266 MHz)--a good start for power users--with a maximum memory expansion up to 1 GB (2 x 512 MB). It also has an L2 cache of 512 KB.
• CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, which enables you to play DVD-ROM discs and DVD movies as well as burn data and record music to CD discs (at 24x speed).
• Keyboard & Mouse: The 2598US has a 101-key keyboard and two-button touchpad.

The video/graphics card--ATI Mobility Radeon 4X AGP--offers 3-D architecture with 64 MB of shared video memory and can easily drive an external monitor. If you plan on working with professional design or graphics software, you'll want to consider upgrading this video/graphics card. The 15-inch XGA TFT active matrix screen has a native resolution of 1024 x 768.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
You get a decent amount of connectivity options with the 2596US, including high-speed USB 2.0:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 TV-out (S-Video)
• 1 PS/2 port for connecting keyboard or mouse
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II compatible)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack

Preloaded System and Software
The 2598US comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Norton Antivirus 2003 (with 60 days of complimentary live updates), Quicken, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe, Adobe Acrobat Reader, InterVideo WinDVD SE (for playing DVD movies), MusicMatch Jukebox, and Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator (Basic).

Dimensions and Weight
The Presario 2598US Notebook measures 12.96 x 10.72 x 1.79 inches (L x W x H) and weighs a comfortable 7.5 pounds.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers a standard amount of power for a Notebook PC (around 2 hours of typical use).

What's in the Box
This package includes the Compaq Presario 2598US notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. ...