Posted on 10/15/2009 9:43:55 PM PDT by iowamark
Remember Compaq? Hewlett-Packard acquired the venerable computer company way back in 2002, but it's kept the name alive as a secondary brand ever since, mainly relegating Compaq to overseas markets (Compaq is particularly popular in Asia) and as second-tier PCs sold on the cheap at warehouse-style stores.
But now HP is looking to breathe a little new life into the Compaq brand, positioning it not just as a label for extremely cheap computer equipment but also as one with mainstream appeal in the U.S.
Today the company is announcing the rollout of a line of ultra-inexpensive PCs, both laptops and desktops, with extreme budgets in mind.
Consider first the Compaq CQ61z (pictured), a 15.6-inch laptop with an AMD Sempron CPU, 2GB of RAM, DVD burner, 160GB hard drive, and discrete graphics. Running Windows 7 Home Premium, the machine costs a nearly unfathomable $399. That price point probably sounds familiar -- it's the usual cost for your average netbook, which in comparison offers a tiny screen, minimal hard drive, and an ultra-low-power Atom CPU.
With the $400 laptop's arrival, Compaq wants potential buyers to ask: Why not jump up to a much larger and more capable system for exactly the same price? I'm having a hard time seeing any reason not to. Seriously, it even has a numeric keypad.
Even better bargains abound for desktop shoppers. The attractive Compaq Presario 4010f has similar specs (with a 250GB hard drive) and starts at just $309 after a $100 rebate.
Both systems are available on Windows 7 launch day, October 22.
...Will netbooks finally feel the pinch that they've been giving to standard laptops for two years now? And what kind of pressure will machines like this bring to bear on more expensive notebook PCs? Price war in 3... 2... 1...
(Excerpt) Read more at tech.yahoo.com ...
With netbooks, you get ultra portability that you can’t get with anything else.
Years ago I had a Compaq desktop......... nothing but problems, but then I did something really stupid and bought a Compaq laptop whcih turned out to be a lemon also.
Never again.
I never understood why HP didn’t move it’s PC divisions to Houston. Texas has a much lower cost of living than California.
My first and LAST Compaq was a complete POS laptop that had a fatal flaw which caused the power button to stop functioning and the CPU to overheat so bad that all of the thermal compound was cooked off. It wasn’t just mine...many, many owners reported the same thing, so I know it was a design flaw. Never again...
Agreed!! With a SLR camera, cell phone, an old man's medications, wife's camcorder, and assorted chargers, etc., I am already the guy with a stretched right arm going through the airport and holding up travelers at the preboarding inspection. I couldn't handle the weight of a full size laptop.
Same boat. HP is a POS organization. Their HP Pavilion laptop that I owned since 2006 was returned FIVE TIMES to the Memphis repair center and those Indian imbeciles couldnt figure out the problem either. F*** em and I hope they fail.
Remember Digital?
Carly Fiorina.
Dell has been $399 laptop specials for years.
I do...those were fun and good days too! BTW its DEC. ;)
I’m trying to buy a laptop and my head is spinning.
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