compaq presario 1993 tft display manufacturer

"A breakthrough in PC design to best fit your home and lifestyle! Get all the power, performance, and upgradability of a full-sized desktop. State-of-the-art features deliver total satisfaction like the Intel 200 MHz Pentium processor with MMX™ technology and a DoubleBright TFT display for crisp vibrant images, 4-Disc Autoload CD-Changer offers one touch access to CDs, Cordless Mouse for hassle free setup and use, JBL Pro speakers for outstanding sound performance, Video Phone -Receive capabilities for the latest in communication features, a 33.6K modem for fast Internet access. A friendly, elegant design that�s compact and mobile makes this PC fit into any home decor."

Compaq LTE was a line of laptop computers made by Compaq, introduced in 1989.laptop history. They were also among the first to include both a built-in hard disk and a floppy disk drive, and later models offered optional docking stations, providing performance comparable to then-current desktop machines.

Compaq introduced the LTE in 1989.Compaq SLT, which is coined as the predecessor to the LTE series, despite both models existing side by side for some time. Compaq SLT had large full-size 3.5-inch hard drives, and was heavy at 6.5 kg in comparison to the LTE at approximately 2.5 kg.

The success of the original LTE series led Compaq to apply the designation to later models. LTE 386s/20 made extensive use of flexible electronics for the motherboard and motherboard interconnects. Other later Compaq LTE computers had a pointing stick in the middle of the keyboard, however, the LTE Elite 486 models had a trackball mounted to the right of the LCD screen. The LTE Elite series had an easily removable hard drive for data security purposes. Starting with LTE 386s/20, the LTE series computers were able to connect to a (in some cases, powered) docking station to act as a regular desktop computer. Later models" designs provide for the easy removal the floppy drive to add an internal CD-ROM drive, which was an expensive upgrade option for the late LTE series. The last LTE laptops were the 5000 series, ending with the 5400, which had a 150 MHz Pentium processor, and was quite capable of running Windows 98SE. It also allowed for swappable Floppy/CD-ROM drives.

When the LTE Lite series was first released in 1992, there were only four models released: Lite/25, Lite/25E, Lite/25C, and Lite 4/25C (486/25). Later, in 1993, there was a 486 33 MHz version of the Lite model, which was relatively unknown

In a Homestar Runner DVD exclusive Easter egg short "Real-Live E-Mails", a Compaq LTE was used as a live-action stand-in for Strong Bad"s Lappy 486 computer.

Presario is a discontinued line of consumer desktop computers and notebooks originally produced by Compaq. The Presario family of computers was introduced in September 1993.

In the mid-1990s, Compaq began manufacturing PC monitors as part of the Presario brand. A series of all-in-one units, containing both the PC and the monitor in the same case, were also released.

After Compaq merged with HP in 2002, the Presario line of desktops and laptops were sold concurrently with HP’s other products, such as the HP Pavilion. The Presario laptops subsequently replaced the then-discontinued HP OmniBook line of notebooks around that same year.

The Presario brand name would continue to be used for low-end home desktops and laptops from 2002 until the Compaq brand name was discontinued by HP in 2013.

The 1X25 monitors were paired with the Compaq Presario 4500, 4600, 4800 and a few other Series 2 designed Presarios, which featured a spaceship or rocket ship design on the front casing of the towers. The towers also had smoked-black CD bezel covers. These monitors all shared the same design cues from the towers they were meant to match: all of them had a split lower bezel which ran down the middle. The monitors had dials for brightness and contrast, plus a volume dial for speakers, which also acts as a power button when pressed. It also has a mute button for the volume on the left side of the monitor, and featured a few digital controls located behind the bottom panel. The monitor also has a built-in microphone, located on the top of the monitor.

There is also a very rare set of monitors (the FX series) which have built-in speakers and a subwoofer, plus three extra USB ports. These are designed to go with the 4800 series Presario multimedia towers (specifically the 4830 to 4882), as they were all black like the FX monitor.

The MVX00 and FPX00 monitors were designed to be sold with the Series 3 designed Compaq towers. They retained the original spaceship design of the second generation Presario towers, except most had smoked-black plastic "easy access" flip-up doors on the bottom containing USB and audio ports behind it, and a slightly squatter design that was more rounded. Like the previous monitors before it, these monitors were designed to match the design cues of the Series 3 Presarios. These monitors had their brightness and contrast dials of the previous monitors removed in favor of digital controls accessible by a button on the monitor. The volume dial (which acted as a power button) and mute buttons were also removed, with a standard power button in place of the volume dial.

The MVX20 monitors were designed for use with Series 4 designed Presarios. They retained the spaceship form factor of previous generation Presarios but in a more curvature shape, and most of them had translucent purple plastic flip-up doors that provided access to USB and/or FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports. Like previous Presario monitors, these were designed to match with the Series 4 Presarios as they shared the same design cues. The monitors featured on-screen display digital controls instead of six LED lights on previous monitors that indicated the type of control being used.

The MVX40 and FSX40 monitors were used with the Compaq Presario 5000 and 7000 series, as well as some Series 5 designed Presarios. Both the 5000 and 7000 series of towers had a brand new front case design that moved away from the spaceship-derived design of previous generation Presarios in favor of a more sleek and stylish design that featured removable translucent colored plastic faceplates, which were offered in five colors. These monitors were mostly similar in design with the previous MVX20 monitors, but with a refreshed design that featured a more curvature exterior instead of the boxy-styled angular design of previous monitors, fitting in with the design cues of the 5000 and 7000 series.

Flat-screen CRT displays were introduced alongside the MVX40 monitors and are designated with the letters FS. Flat panel LCD displays were also available, designated with the letters FP.

Compaq succeeded in getting the better of IBM throughout the 1980s. First, reverse-engineering the PC’s BIOS when creating the trailblazing Compaq Portable. Then, introducing Intel’s 80386 processor in the Compaq DeskPro computer. Finally, spearheading industry opposition to IBM’s proprietary Micro Channel architecture and developing the competing EISA bus.

Though Compaq soared through the ’80s, it suffered when PCs were commoditized in the early ’90s. Lagging sales in 1991 prompted Compaq’s chairman, Ben Rosen, to orchestrate the ouster of long-time CEO Rod Canion. Rosen and Canion disagreed on how Compaq should respond to the industry’s race to the bottom, with Canion favoring in-house technologies and Rosen wanting to purchase off-the-shelf components. In June 1992, under new CEO Eckhard Pfeiffer’s leadership, Compaq lowered prices and launched sixteen new products, including updates to the venerable DeskPro line, a new ProLinea line, and Contura laptops.

The following year, on August 27, 1993, Compaq launched the budget-minded and long-lasting Presario line. First was the $1,399 Presario 425. It was a compact and well-equipped 486SX all-in-one system that looked like a Macintosh LC molded to its monitor. They also announced the Presario 633—a conventional desktop system priced $100 less than the Presario 425.

Consumers responded enthusiastically to Compaq’s low-end offerings, with more than 100,000 Presarios selling in the first 60 days. By the end of 1993, Presario sales totaled $500 million.

Compaq continued to produce all-in-one Presarios along with conventional models. They released three versions of the original 400 series, and in 1994, Compaq jumped on the multimedia bandwagon, adding a CD-ROM with the CDS 500s and integrating a TV-tuner in the CDTV 500s.

In late 1996, the Presario 3020 became the next generation all-in-one. Built on Intel’s Pentium processor and sporting a hinged 12.1-inch flat-panel display, the 3020 was innovative and eye-catching. The design was dominated by a prominent speaker grill surrounding the LCD, with the rest of the system neatly packaged behind the display. A style Compaq debuted a few months before Apple’s sleeker Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh and eight years before the iMac made it commonplace.

The industry noticed the unusual design, giving the 3020 attention in Newsweek, the New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. WSJ’s Walt Mossberg described the Presario 3020 as “a sort of novelty product, which should appeal to people with a strong desire for a radical design.” He admits it generated conversation when guests entered his office, and it was well-equipped with a 166 MHz Pentium processor, 24MB of RAM, 2MB of video RAM, a 2GB hard drive, a four-disk 8x CD-ROM changer, and a 33.6Kbps modem. He was not a fan of the “ton of useless software” and its relatively high price at $3,500. Popular Sciencewas more impressed, appreciating the design and configuration. PC Magazine was also favorable, describing the “monoputer” as a successful merger of convenience, portability, power, and functionality.

A few months later, in January 1997, Compaq bumped the 3020 to the Presario 3060, upping the processor to 200 MHz and the hard drive to 3.8GB. They also lowered the price to $3,000.

I picked up this particular Presario 3060 by chance. I arrived at a local junk dealer’s warehouse to collect a Macintosh Performa listed on Facebook Marketplace. Before I left, he said the magic words, “Do you want to see something else while you’re here?” We burrowed deeper into the dark warehouse and came out with a device I’d never seen before. It lacked a keyboard or mouse, and neither of us was quite sure what it was at first. I spotted the Compaq branding and Intel sticker on the front, so I assumed it was a PC, but it could have been a stand-alone multimedia player or a strange point-of-sale system. We struck a quick deal, and I took it home.

The Presario 3060 is powered by an Intel Pentium with MMX technology. The Pentium was Intel’s next-generation processor following the successful 80486. MMX referred to instructions Intel added to accelerate multimedia and communication applications. This technology sped up calculations needed for graphics-intensive applications such as video encoding and image compression along with music synthesis, speech recognition, data transfers, and other functions that operate in parallel with primary system functions. Technically, the 3060 has a 200MHz Socket 7 P55C processor running on a 66MHz system bus. The Pentium has an internal 32K cache and a 256K external pipeline burst cache. The system’s memory comes from 8MB of RAM soldered directly to the motherboard, with two additional 8MB SIMMs installed in two of the four SIMM sockets, providing a total of 24MB.

Expansion slots are mounted on a daughter card protruding from the middle of the motherboard. One side of the expansion card has two PCI slots and an ISA slot. One of these PCI slots is occupied by the S3 Aurora64+ video card with 2MB of video RAM. The card drives the built-in LCD at 800 x 600 resolution with 16 million colors. The active-matrix TFT flat-panel LCD is connected by a ribbon cable to the top of the video card, but a port on the side can also drive an external display at 1280 x 1024 with 256 colors. On the other side, a single ISA slot is intended for Compaq’s 33.6kbps/14.4kbps modem/fax card. The remaining PCI and ISA slots are available for user purposes.

The sound system is impressive. JBL Pro speakers are located on the sides of the display, powered by the 16-bit ESS 1888F AudioDrive sound chip. The speakers provide Spatializer 3D surround sound effects and with the built-in modem and microphone, the computer could serve as a full-duplex echo canceling speakerphone. A Wavetable header is provided on the motherboard, but not populated on my unit.

The original 3.8GB IDE drive was missing, so I installed an IDE to compact flash adapter. Ordinarily, this is not a complex upgrade, but Compaq uses proprietary configuration software, which complicates things. The computer accesses the configuration software from a hidden utility partition on the hard drive, but this unit’s hard drive is long gone. Luckily, after posting a picture of the Presario 3060 on Twitter, @DangerDook volunteered to send me images of the setup and diagnostic disks. I’ve since learned that HP still maintains an FTP sitewith all the legacy Compaq SoftPaqs. I finally booted the computer after creating the SP2141 (Setup) and SP10245 (Diagnostics) disks.

The inspection software on the diagnostic disk provided helpful information, and the system passed the full suite of diagnostic tests. Now, it was time to load the setup program to verify the settings and configure the new hard drive. The software has a friendly graphical interface, and the hard drive settings are easy to find. Unfortunately, the BIOS does not automatically detect the hard drive, so I needed to input the drive’s geometry (cylinders/heads/sectors). I learned that SP2824 patches the setup program to correct a problem related to the hard drive information. So, I installed the patch on my setup disk and then used the utility WhatIDE to verify the proper settings for the 2GB compact flash card I’d selected. After changing the settings and a reboot, the setup program recognized the new drive. It offered to create the utility partition and copy the setup and diagnostic software to the drive. After this, I could access Compaq’s software by pressing F10 at boot.

I was then able to install Windows 95. While the system recognized some of the hardware, Compaq expected users to use the System Restoration CD to reload software on the computer. I did not have the CD, and I came up empty when searching online. However, I learned Computer Surgeons, a computer repair business located in Versailles, KY, sells legacy Compaq and HP recovery kits. I was able to find what I needed on their website, and after paying $35, a CD and boot floppy were on their way.

When the new compact flash card arrived, I abandoned the automated restoration program and handled things manually. I reran the patched SP2141 setup program and decided to reset everything to factory defaults. I noticed a few things changed, including a slight adjustment to the hard drive settings. I once again created the setup/diagnostic partition. Using a Windows 95 boot disk (matching version 4.00.950a on the Restoration CD), I partitioned and formated the remaining 3.8GB on the disk. Luckily, Compaq compressed the restoration image using the standard ZIP format, so, on another computer, I unpacked the contents of the file. I then inserted the compact flash card into the other computer and copied all the files to the card. Finally, I reinserted the compact flash card into the Presario 3060. After many failed attempts, I was thrilled to see a colorful Compaq startup screen.

The Presario had a pleasant surprise. Upon starting Windows, it loaded a special introductory video. Hosted by actor John de Lancie (best known as the Star Trek character Q), he walks you through the registration process and introduces you to the special features of the Presario.

The system comes loaded with software. Skirting perilously close to bloatware, Compaq included: Windows 95; the Compaq SmartQ help system; specialized telephony software (fax, address books, speakerphone, and voicemail); a suite of multimedia software; Netscape Navigator, PointCast, and SurfWatch internet tools; trials for American Online and CompuServe; Microsoft Works and Quicken. The original packaging also included CDs for Corel Draw 5, Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia 1996, Ultimate Human Body 2, and the games Pod and The Yukon Trail.

I was able to pair the system with a period-appropriate Compaq keyboard, but the original system came with a pioneering three-button wireless mouse. While I couldn’t source a replacement, I found a wired Compaq-branded three-button Logitech MouseMan that looks comparable.

The Compaq Presario 3060 is a rare Pentium-based all-in-one. Though Presarios were often considered budget PCs, this relatively high-end system was innovative, feature-rich, and loaded with software. Today, it has been all-but-forgotten, so I’m thrilled to have stumbled across the unique example of daring design released during the boring beige-box PC era.

Simply Office. Simple mainstream notebooks with a 15.6 inch display and low entry prices are very popular. Plain design, glossy display and AMD hardware promise a good value for money ratio. Convincing office device or second choice?

Hewlett Packard (HP) releases a simple mainstream notebook without many frills onto the market with its Compaq Presario CQ62. The test device is equipped with a 15.6 inch display, which has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels and a high-gloss surface. A simple, but usually sufficient, standard is also given in case and connectivity. It"s aligned for simple office work, whereby ambitions for multimedia and gaming are covered to a small extent.

We"ve taken a closer look at the HP Compaq Presario CQ62-A04sg, a low price entry model with AMD Athlon II P320 (dual core, 2.1 GHz) and ATI Radeon HD 4250. A fast 2.5 inch, 320 GB hard disk, 3 GB of DDR3 RAM, WLAN standard 802.11 b/g/n and Windows 7 Home Premium as the 64 bit version also belongs to the specs. Our test device is available for 499 euro (RRP). Are workmanship, battery life and processing performance convincing? We"ve checked the CQ62"s qualities in our detailed review.

The Compaq Presario"s case strikes with a plain design and proves to be an unobtrusive eye-catcher. The device is both suitable for the office as well as for the lecture theater in university or college. The prism texture on the display lid and inside area provides a pleasant feel. Overall, a plain design in matt black. Nevertheless, we ask ourselves why the inside display bezel have been given a high-gloss finish. It doesn"t fit into the concept and is susceptible for dust and scratches. The color options are limited and HP doesn"t offer other color alternatives.

The display hinges hold the desired position well, whereby it teeters evidently. A protective cover isn"t mandatory, even if recommendable, due to the matt and very solid exterior. The notebook weighs 2.6 kilograms with the 6 cell battery at a size of 37.4 x 24.6 x 3.2 - 3.7 centimeters (w x d x h). This weight and dimensions are acceptable for this configuration and construction size.

The given mobile technologies are quite extensive, whereas the latest standards aren"t quite met. The notebook has an RJ45 network socket and 10/100 Mbit LAN via a Realtek controller for cabled communication. The Presario bids a cutting edge Broadcom BCM 4313 controller for mobile data transfer. It supports WLAN standard 802.11 b/g/n and is thus up-to-date. Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR is also part of the alignment, however it lags a bit behind the latest Bluetooth 3.0 +HS. A model with UMTS module isn"t intended for this device category and there is no dummy slot in the case.

HP uses a 15.6 inch screen with a high-gloss surface for the display. It has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels in a 16:9 format. Higher resolutions (interpolated) can"t be selected. A glare-type screen isn"t the best requisite for outdoor use. The display"s good rates might compensate this flaw.

The entire display surface is illuminated by small LEDs. They allegedly supply an even and bright illumination. The screen is in the wide midfield with a maximum rate of 198 cd/m2. The average of 188.2 cd/m2 is also average and higher quality devices, such as the Apple MacBook Pro (13 inch, glare-type), stand out clearly with over 270 cd/m2. Beside the reflective surface, the low brightness is another point that speaks against outdoor use.

The intense brightness decrease on the display"s left is striking. It has a difference of about 30 cd/m2 to the brighter area. Thus, the illumination sinks to only 83 cd/m2. Fortunately, this fluctuation isn"t visible during use. Another negative point of this screen is the increased black value of 1.23 cd/m2, which prevents a saturated black. It looks more like gray and lets the contrast decreases to weak 155:1. Subjectively, the reproduced colors and focus are convincing.

In order to assess the screen accurately, we checked the reproducible color spectrum with X-Rite i1Display 2 (hardware + software). HP"s Presario, colored in the comparison, can only convince to a part. This notebook isn"t suitable for professional users because the sRGB color space can"t be reproduced completely. In comparison to the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 15, Hewlett Packard"s device is impressive though.

Outdoor use is very restricted because of the display"s glossy surface and the average up to poor assessed rates. Use in direct light incidence is hardly possible because intense reflections develop. Working in indirect light is possible with restrictions. Reflections can"t be avoided, however they can be partly intercepted by the display"s light.

The viewing angle stability is only convincing in horizontal rendering. The image remains stable in flat angles during this movement and color rendering is valid. The display hardly allows a deviation on the vertical plane. The slightest change causes the image to invert and colors falsify, respectively bleach intensely.

3 GB of DDR3 RAM from Elpida (2 GB) and Samsung (1 GB) (1066 MHz, DDR3-10600S) and a 2.5 inch hard disk with 320 GB also belong to the HP Compaq Presario CQ62-A04sg"s configuration. Replacing these components is made easy by two large maintenance covers. The RAM is limited to a maximum of 8 GB on two banks. All standard 2.5 inch drives (hard disk or solid state drive) with a construction height of 9.5 millimeters can be used for the hard disk. You can"t access the other components directly.

As expected, the installed graphics chip set in the Presario isn"t astronomically strong and places itself in the entry division. An acceptable 1435 points (3DMarks) are achieved in 3DMark06 in a resolution of 1280x1024 pixels. HP"s EliteBook 2740p with an Intel Core i5-540M and Intel GMA HD or Asus" U50VG with an older Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 and Nvidia GeForce G105M is on a similar level.

HD videos on the internet or stored locally, on the computer, are becoming more and more popular. The Presario CQ62 doesn"t have any problems rendering smoothly in 480, 720 and 1080p due to the ATI graphics unit. We looked at a current HD cinema trailer and a locally stored H.264 video in the three resolutions for a quick check.

When all system reserves are used for computing intensive applications, the battery is put under high demand. This situation can be simulated by "Classic Test" in the BatteryEater tool. An OpenGL calculation with maximum display brightness is executed for this. The mobile technologies and Windows 7"s high performance profile are selected as additional consumers. The battery is drained after poor 84 minutes (1 hour and 24 minutes) and an electrical outlet has to be targeted. You have an acceptable 3 hours and 24 minutes for checking your emails and surfing on the internet.

CQ62"s charged battery is sufficient for two movies without extra length. In opposition to the "Classic Test", the Reader"s Test determines the maximum possible battery life. For this, all mobile technologies are disabled, Windows 7"s energy savings options are enabled and the display"s minimum brightness is selected. The battery is also drained fairly fast with 4 hours and 5 minutes in this situation. Unfortunately, it"s not possible to use a battery with 8 or 9 cells because they aren"t available. They wouldn"t fit in the intended compartment on the bottom either.

HP"s Compaq Presario CQ62-A04sg is a simple office notebook without reserves for complex applications. The AMD Athlon II P320 (2x1.10 GHz) and the ATI Radeon HD 4250 do a good job for the entry level, whereby current 3D games can only be presented smoothly in minimum settings. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 or the Nvidia GeForce GT 330M is recommendable for higher demands.

The 15.6 inch display is a big disadvantage of this device. The glossy surface and average to poor display rates aren"t convincing and outdoor use is hardly possible. A good and especially matt display would definitely have been a better solution. The "little" 6 cell battery seems to beoverburdened by the installed components" requirements and the battery life is restricted. The Compaq Presario from Hewlett Packard hasn"t earned any kudos with 2 hours and 30 minutes in realistic use.

You"ll get a simple office notebook with a 15.6 inch screen for 499 euro including value added tax (RRP). However, you have to compromise on gaming performance and a superior mobility. Due to this requisite, the HP Compaq Presario CQ62-A04sg is rewarded with a round 80 percent in the overall rating.

Our test device, HP Compaq Presario CQ56-103SG (XH187EA) sets new limits in the price war. The 15.6 incher costs 299 euro in relating specialized online shops. Of course, the configuration with AMD V140 (single core with 2.30GHz), 2048 MB of RAM, 250 GB hard disk and GPU chipset, ATI Radeon HD 4250, won"t be apt for high performance flights. But is there still hope for a proper laptop for surfing and typing in Word? We make the detailed test.

The Compaq Presario CQ56 comes in a case made completely of plastic. Everything looks homogeneous because the black case elements all have the same matt surface. Merely the wrist-rest is an exception. It has a scratch resistant, perforated pattern. The slight wedge-shaped base unit gives the 15.6 incher a rock solid and suitable for everyday use look. If you are looking for sparkle and glamour, you won"t find it in this HP.

The Presario CQ56 has a very limited amount of connections for connecting peripherals, such as printer, router, mouse or external hard disk. e-SATA (external HDDs), ExpressCard or FireWire don"t belong to the array. External monitors or TVs can"t even be addressed digitally for the lack of HDMI. There is only a VGA interface available.

The mini PCIe WLAN adapter supports the fastest WLAN draft-n standard (WLAN 802.11 bgn). A Bluetooth module hasn"t been installed in this price category. The Realtek network card (RTL8102/8103/8136) isn"t up-to-date and only supports Fast Ethernet. If you use a gigabit switch at home, you won"t be able to use it to capacity with the Presario CQ56.

As always in its budget notebooks, HP grants a 12 month warranty via send in service. The buyer thus has to send in the device at his own expense. If you deem this to be too risky, you can buy the two year Care Pack Support with pickup and return service for Presario notebooks ((UM939E) for 59 euro.

We encountered the Presario CQ56"s input devices with the worst expectations. How office suitable can a keyboard be in a 299 euro laptop? We were surprised. Keyboard and touchpad can be used adequately and don"t differ from the higher priced models, HP G62 and Compaq Presario CQ62.

The 15.6 inch display (39.6 cm) already hints a reflective display with the key words "BrighView Display". The Innolux screen (model: BT156GW01) has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels (WXGA), as well as a LED backlight.

If you take the Presario CQ56 outdoors and work in direct sunlight, you"ll not have much pleasure with HP"s budget laptop. The 15.6 inch screen doesn"t have an AR coating that prevents reflections. Non glare would be the better choice for an office notebook. HP reserves this for its business models in the same price range (HP 620, HP 625). The low brightness of 179 cd/m2 also makes it difficult. The TFT is simply too dark for daylight use.

If you don"t want to be content with the single core performance and don"t want to spend a lot of money, you could look around for an Athlon II P320. The dual core achieves a respectable 3576 points in PCMark Vantage (HD 4250, HP Compaq Presario CQ62-A04sg). The Athlon II P320 is already available in HP"s 625 for 325 euro (matt display!). You should really consider this low surcharge.

The Presario CQ56 has two stereo loudspeakers above the keyboard. There is no subwoofer for improving basses. The midranges" and trebles" sound is balanced. The loudspeakers don"t render basses at all. Not even when "BassBack EXP" is enabled in the sound enhancements. The changes can only be heard slightly. The volume is good for a 15.6 incher. There aren"t any distortions or scratching at the maximum level.

Cheap laptop = short battery life? The Presario CQ56 proves the opposite with 3:26 hours (WLAN surfing, 206 minutes). The battery life is only a lot shorter under high processor load. The 25 watt AMD V140 manages to drain the 4200 mAh battery (47 Wh) after 1:17 hours (77 minutes).

299 euro – have we waited for this notebook? Yes and no. For one thing, HP proves in how far laptops have closed in on workmanship these days. No creaking, no twisting and no cheap toy look (see learn computers). If the HP Compaq Presario CQ56-103SG didn"t have the weakest hardware, it could have passed as a 600 euro device and no one would have complained. A solid case with pleasantly resistant surfaces wouldn"t be anything special. But in view of the 299 euro price, a well constructed and durable case is a remarkable achievement. In the meantime, the retail price has increased slightly to 319 euro at Amazon.de.

On the other hand, a weak single core processor can"t be blandished. Dual core alternatives are already available for 30-40 euro more and potential buyers should really consider this step (e.g. HP 625 with Athlon II P320, 2x 2.10 GHz and matt TFT). Moreover, HP has cut back on basic connections like HDMI and a cardreader.

Criticism has to be passed on, but we did quite like the Compaq Presario CQ56. A well working 15.6 incher with viable inputs can be in your home for a nominal price. You will, however, have to invest a few euro in an operating system since that isn"t included in the CQ56 (Suse Linus Enterprise Desktop pre-installed).

If you have to haggle for every euro, but want as much notebook as possible for 299 euro, you currently won"t get around the HP Compaq Pressario CQ56-103SG. Alternatives for this price are only available as a netbook with even weaker performance.

The Compaq Portable 486 was the last portable computer in Compaq’s original “Compaq Portable” line. By the time of its release in 1992, Compaq and other portable manufacturers knew that the days of the portable/luggable were numbered. This news was not new – portable sales had been declining with luggables fighting a losing battle as most people flocked to the much more portable and increasingly more powerful laptops.

Prior to 1992, laptops were significantly underpowered compared to luggable portables (and desktops). Still, by the mid-1990s, as computer development accelerated, the performance & price gap between laptops and portables had disappeared. The rationale to carry an 18 LBs. sewing box-style computer also vanished. Compaq Portable 486’s made after this time were relegated to more specialized use cases, such as being a network sniffer.

This is not to say that the rise of laptops took Compaq by surprise at all – Compaq knew laptops would be the wave of the future. However, they were late to the market, as they refused to follow the competition and release a more basic laptop. Though this “wait and over-deliver” strategy paid off – in 1988, they finally gave in and released the Compaq SLT/286, Compaq’s first laptop computer that was a commercial success.

As the 1990s progressed, laptops continued to get more and more powerful, and battery life improved. This article below from 1993 foresaw the future where the “luggable” portable computer would be transformed into a niche product, if not disappear altogether.

Specific use cases were definitely there; for example, to give multimedia presentations on-the-go – as video & sound presentations need large, bright, (and power-hungry) displays with accompanying speakers. People looking for portable, true desktop-class power with full-length ISA / EISA card expandability found that the Compaq Portable 486 would fit the bill.

As you can see, this computer is a bit of an oddity. It was the last of it’s kind and seemed to struggle slightly with an identity crisis. Everyone, including Compaq, knew this would be the last “computer with a handle” they would make. Compaq approached this computer with a 2-in-1 approach of “portable desktop” than other previous portable luggables. There is a clear emphasis on performance and display technology, making the Compaq Portable 486 comparable to mid-to-high-end desktops of its release year. In fact, this computer goes beyond a traditional desktop of its time and replaces the CRT with a state of the art LCD – likely a significant contributing factor to its high price. It is, however, a bit disappointing that the LCD does not support SVGA.

Here’s how the last Compaq Portable and the first Compaq Portable stack up against each other. It’s amazing how far computer technology advanced in 10 (or so) years:

Looking at the comparison above, the most obvious thing that stands out is the price of the Compaq Portable 486 (it’s another one of Compaq’s computers that cost the same price as a car at release, like the Compaq Portable 386). Though, if you take a closer look at the specs and see that for 1992, it’s a mighty computer – packing a decently clocked 486 with up to 32 MB (!!) of RAM.

Weighing in at 17 lbs, the Compaq Portable 486 was relatively light, retaining the lunchbox/suitcase form factor (with the keyboard folding up to lock over the screen), a feature that echoes throughout the design of all Compaq Portables. The Compaq Portable 486 line was the only Compaq Portable to be offered with a color screen (Model 486c – the alternate non “C” model was a monochrome TFT). It also came in 2, 486-CPU varieties, a 33 Mhz, and 66 Mhz, the latter marketed as 486/66 or 486/66c. Both variants were socketed and easily upgradeable.

The Compaq Portable 486 came stock with 4MB of RAM but could be expanded to accommodate up to 32 MB of RAM, the largest amount of RAM in any portable at the time. 32 MB of RAM in 1992 is excessive. Perhaps this RAM expandability coupled with the socketed 486 CPU was a selling point of “future-proofing” the computer to justify its relatively high price. The socketed CPU and support for a large amount of RAM meant that, when maxed out with 32 MB of RAM and an AMD 5×86 CPU running at 133 MHz, the Portable 486 can run Windows 98 (albeit a bit slowly) – but is very responsive in Windows 95.

The Active Matrix TFT LCD screen was and still is impressive – the first thing you notice about it is how bright it is (at the max setting, you get immediate eye strain). Thankfully the brightness can be dialed down through the brightness dial on the right of the display panel. The screen is backlit with a compact TFL bulb, the shape of which causes a slight shadow on-screen but is not too noticeable. I’m sure in 1992, it was a non-issue since LED backlighting was still 10 years away.

The color Active Matrix TFT screen made up a significant portion of the unit’s cost, as the technology was brand new at the time (in 1993, an external consumer flat panel TFT active matrix display cost $1,600 – $2,000). It really does suck, though, that the internal video card is not SVGA compatible. I guess you could work around this by using an external monitor and an ISA / EISA video card, but then that sort of defies the purpose of having a Compaq Portable 486.

Another neat thing about the Compaq Portable 486 was that it featured an audio input jack that allows you to feed the output of an audio card into it, which piped out the sound through its relatively large but mono internal speaker. This meant that you did not have to carry speakers around with you, as mentioned in the ad snipped above, highlighting the benefits of this computer for use in giving mobile presentations on the go.

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