Compaq
Although Compaq was bought by Hewlett Packard in a much publicized deal in late 2001, the company has managed to stay mostly separate from its parent, and has retained the Compaq label. As a result, consumers are blessed with an additional choice when it comes to laptops, and this brand is definitely a viable one. The company splits its notebook offerings into two groups, one for the general consumer, and one for the business customer.

For the consumer who is shopping for a computer to use in the home, Compaq offers two different versions of its flagship Presario brand, the V3000 and the V6000. For the money, the V3000 is a very good choice, with its AMD dual core processor and a configuration of between 512MB and 2GB of RAM. Its hard drive is also more than adequate, at a minimum of 60GB, up to 160GB of space. But the display is what sets the V3000 apart from its competitors in the lower-priced laptop category, as it comes equipped with a GeForce graphics card, and a 14.1” widescreen LCD. Not many laptops at this price offer a comparable display.

Although the V6000 has the same choices in processor, RAM, and hard drive, it has an even better display than the V3000, with a 15.4” widescreen LCD. The GeForce graphics card is the same as in the other model.

On the business side of things, Compaq laptops start with a mid-range business laptop, which is comparable to many other brands out there in this price range, with dual core processors, and between a 14.1 and 15 inch display. Compaq also offers a line of business laptops that it labels “Extreme Power”, and comes standard with more powerful processors and a display that ranges from 15 to 17 inches. Finally, the “Ultra Light” category consists of Compaq’s super light laptops, which have been optimized for frequent travelers. They still have the power to get things done, but are smaller and lighter than the other models, with a screen of only 12.1 inches.

Compaq notebook computers are available at most major electronics and computer retailers, and also online at Compaq’s website, where accessories like Compaq laptop parts, Compaq laptop computer batteries, and extra cd-rom drives can be bought. The website also has a section where you can download a copy of the Compaq laptop manual, in case you need to refer to it for repairs or for other questions.