Compaq Presario 915US Notebook PC (1.53 GHz Athlon XP 1800+ M, 256MB RAM, 40GB hard drive

Amazon.com Product Description

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

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

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

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

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

Customer Reviews:

is the best notebook from 9xx series.......2003-02-24

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

WinXP destroys performance.......2003-02-15

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

False advertising !.......2003-01-21

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

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

HotPaq also serves as your winter heater!.......2003-01-20

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

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

Now back to the laptop under review.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Computer enthusiast.......2002-11-23

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

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

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

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

Product Description

Microtek's C783GM flat-panel LCD display comes in a gray metallic finish and is perfect for the small-business owner or consumer who demands the best in precision viewing. The C783GM features a 17-inch viewable screen, 1280 x 1024 pixel resolution at 250 nits, and brilliant, accurate color output with over 16.7 million colors. The C783 has a sleek 2-inch profile, incorporates advanced on-screen controls, consumes little energy, and features a 19- and 4-degree (up/down) tilt base for the best-viewing angles.

Customer Reviews:

Great product.......2004-03-06

Purchased this monitor 6 months ago. The monitor was packaged with good cushioning and a strong box - very important if you move alot and have your possessions shipped. The monitor itself presents a clear, bright display. My room over here is poorly lit due to a lack of windows. The display is easily read under these conditions; whether I'm typing a paragraph (such as this review) or watching a DVD movie with my computer. I will definitely purchase another monitor of this model when I have more $$$ so that I can run a dual display system.

Great product for the office!.......2003-10-12

I'm going to echo everything that this other reviewer had to say when he wrote:

"You'll be shocked when you open the box with your new Microtek monitor - there's almost nothing in it. A manual, 2 cables and the display. The instructions for connecting are very brief and to the point. Follow them exactly. If you are using an old monitor, just disconnect the cables from the monitor and use them, rather than the new ones. Saves time. You should be delighted when you turn it on. There seems to be no problems out there waiting for you, at least I couldn't locate any thru the sales clerks. A fine product."

Doesn't get any easier to hook up and to install, great product!

Product Description

Pull this spinner from its box and you're only seconds away from a new hard drive for any PC. Just plug it into your parallel port or USB port. Only backpack is hot pluggable on the parallel port, so there's never a need to restart your PC! The backpack hard drive is the fastest parallel port hard drive you can buy with the added versatility of an USB connection. Pass it around at work, use it with your notebook or carry it between your day gig and your PC at home.

Customer Reviews:

decent buy.......2004-07-17

I have had this drive for about three years and have only encountered one problem in all that time. The out-sourced support varies. I talked to one trained chimp who told me that the drive was dead and would never work again, apparently just to get me off the phone. I know ignorance whne I hear it though and called back in amonth. The gal I spoke to then knew exactly what my problem was and talked me through the solution in about 20 minutes. Given the dearth of "Backpack" products here and on the net, I suspect the company is out of business.

Average customer rating:
Lancast CARD 100BTX TO 100BFX MM-LC CONVRT MOD ( R133-1K )

Manufacturer: Lancast Inc.
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Networking Kits | Wireless | Networking & Online Communication | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
ASIN: B0000BVYUF

Product Description

Metrobility offers transparent integration of fiber optic connectivity for 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet networks. These highly reliable conversion solutions provide full signal restoration - with low bit delay - ensuring accurate data transmission and guaranteeing maximum cable length. All line cards and standalone converters are interoperable with any Ethernet device.

Average customer rating:

Decent Product For The Price.

Poor Range

They work.............But not that well

Midland LXT310VP 3 Watt 22 Channel GMRS Value Pack with Up to 10 Mile Range, with Charger and Rechargeable Batteries

Manufacturer: Midland
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
GMRS-FRS Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Midland | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics
Two-Way Radios | Radios & Communication | Emergency Preparedness | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Home Improvement | Home & Garden
Accessories:

Rayovac NM715-8 Rechargeable NiMH AA Batteries, 8-Count Package

Monster Cable MB AA-ALKA-8 High Capacity Alkaline Monster PowerCells

Product Features:

3 Watt 22 Channel GMRS with up to 10 Mile Range

NOAA Weather/All Hazard

38 Privacy Codes

Channel Scan

Call Tone

ASIN: B00081PSJ4

Product Description

Midland is a world leader in wireless two-way and weather/hazard alert radios, with an extensive line of land mobile radios, CB, GMRS and FRS radios, MURS radios, weather-monitor alert radios, itinerant radios and a line of quality antennas and accessories.PRODUCT FEATURES:22 Channels (7 FRS/GMRS, 7 FRS, 8 GMRS) offers clear, crisp communication with easy push button access;HI / LOW settings, providing up to 10-mile range (operating range varies depending on terrain and conditions);38 privacy codes block reception of unwanted transmissions;NOAA Weather Radio provides 24 / 7 weather / hazard information;Call tone notifies you of incoming calls within your group;Hands-Free operation with eVOX Easy Voice Activation;Scan automatically checks all channels for activity;Auto stealth squelch removes annoying popping noise, making the radio stealth quiet;Keypad lock prevents accidental changes to your settings;External jacks for charging and speaker/microphone;Auto battery save extends battery life

Customer Reviews:

Decent Product For The Price........2007-06-18

I only gave it 4 stars as you don't get the performance as advertised. Do not expect 10 miles from these units. If you do, you haven't done your research.

For a basic 2 way radio, these are an excellent deal. Clean and crisp communications with excellent battery life.

Poor Range.......2007-01-25

Nowhere close to 10 miles, maybe a mile if it is not too crowded.
No battery indicator, or charge indicator, a real pain since you can't work out what state the thing is in and whether it needs recharging. I bought two packs and one of the four does not seem to work, but I don't know if its just the battery, since there is no battery level/charge indication to tell me what going wrong. They work, sound quality is decent and are good for close range, Disneyworld/Beach. 2 stars of performance but gave then 3 because of low cost - you get what you pay for?

They work.............But not that well.......2007-01-10

The first time I bought them they were broken. The second time I bought them the charger had to be forcefully smacked before it worked. The mile range is definitely not 10 miles, and not a measly 2 miles. There interface is bad. And they are loud and the volume control is hard to axces. Badly designed, and I wouldn't recommend buying them

Product Description

Memorex is a manufacturer and distributor of brand name consumer electronics worldwide. Memorex is keeping abreast of the latest trends in consumer electronics, so that it can provide the most innovative, quality products to you. reflecting the company's philosophy to provide innovative concepts on fast-growing market sectors.

Customer Reviews:

Buy anything else!.......2004-05-26

The CD player quit working after only five months.

Radio reception issues.......2003-10-30

I had a difficult time returning this item. It was easy to program radio stations into memory and at times the sound quality was good. The bass button was noticeable even with the stock headphones, which don't totally suck.
However, I just found tuner interference to be too much. In a neighborhood where my car stereo doesn't have annoying blips and gaps, this unit didn't give me good clean reception.
Both AM and FM reception had this problem at times.
Sunspot activity? Maybe---we are having high activity now.
Radio Shack's manager blamed the nuclear plant at Reed college....I doubt it---that would cause far more problems than radio reception.
He also said that no other units would be any better....we shall see....
I didn't try the CD player...I presume it would be fine.

Product Description

The Lexmark Z55 is a versatile, high performance printer perfectly suited for small business, home office and individuals who demand the highest quality possible from a color inkjet printer. With 3600 x 1200 dpi, the Lexmark Z55 easily outclasses its competition. The Lexmark Z55 delivers higher definition than ever achieved before delivering output so sharp and vivid, that photo quality prints and laser sharp text are possible, right out of the box. Accu-Feed paper handling virtually eliminates paper jams while handling a wide range of paper from envelopes and transparencies to paper stocks.Lexmark offers this printer for IBM only.

Lexmark Z55 Color Jetprinter - Printer - color - ink-jet - Legal, A4 - 3600 dpi x 1200 dpi - up to 17 ppm (mono) / up to 13 ppm (color) - capacity: 100 sheets - Parallel, USB

Average customer rating:

Would not recommend
Costco has good price, but...

Lexmark Z55 Color Jetprinter - Printer - color - ink-jet - Legal, A4 - 3600 dpi x 1200 dpi - up to 17 ppm (mono) / up to 13 ppm (color) - capacity: 100 sheets - Parallel, USB

Manufacturer: Lexmark
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Inkjet | Printers | Office Electronics | Categories | Electronics

Office Electronics | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Lexmark | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Test Printer Node | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
ASIN: B00006BBPL

Product Description

The Lexmark Z55 delivers 3,600 by 1,200 dpi resolution on inkjet and photo paper, at speeds up to 17 ppm in back and 13 ppm in color. It offers automatic cartridge alignment and both USB and parallel interfaces. The Lexmark Z55 features a three-picoliter microfine color drop size, allowing for better color transitions and more detailed textures that will please, among others, photography enthusiasts. The paper type sensor allows for automatic paper type detection and automatic driver settings.

Customer Reviews:

Would not recommend.......2004-03-05

I originally bought this printer at Comp USA because the sample picture that it printed out looked great! However, to my dissapointment, when I printed pics at home, the quality wasn't nearly as good. Also, after a few months of owning the printer, the colors of any colored object were completely off - usually had a red tint to them. I thought this might be because the cartridge needed to be replaced, but that didn't help. I would only recommend this printer if you wanted to print in black and white text documents exclusively.

Costco has good price, but..........2002-12-26

... it was on sale. But the quality turn out to be not so good. When you put in "plain paper," it will get stuck very frequently. I guess it only like papers that are designed for "ink jet printer" only...
Also, the cartridge is very expensive ...so you might want to think twice before you buy this one...

Average customer rating:

very happy with it

Best Keyboard Ever!!!!!!!!!!

Micro Innovations KB900i Windows 98 Multifunction Keyboard

Manufacturer: Micro Innovations
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Keyboards | Keyboards | Mice & Keyboards | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
Micro Innovations | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics
Accessories:

Jensen JF25 Stereo Headphones

Koss R-10 Home Headphones

Monster Cable MP AV600 Power Protector

Monster PC700 Computer PowerCenter¿ with Surge Protection

Panasonic RPHT710 Basic Headphones

ASIN: B00000JC4M

Product Description

Micro Innovations Keyboards offer the reliability you need under all working conditions. The keyboard combines innovative-patented technology with advanced electronic circuitry. The innovative multifunction keyboard features two Windows logo keys allowing you to access shortcuts and assistance in many Windows 98 programs. It also has 15 integrated hot buttons. The keyboard has spill-resistant silicon membrane design.

Customer Reviews:

very happy with it.......2004-11-06

Don't be misled by the name of this product--It doesn't only work with Windows 98! I am using it with Windows 2000 and it's great. There are 21 extra buttons at the top of the keyboard that allows you to control multimedia programs easily, launch the calculator program, launch the web browser, etc.; very convenient. And the keys are pretty quiet. The best of all keyboards I have used.

Best Keyboard Ever!!!!!!!!!!.......2003-11-24

i've had this keyboard for 4 years now, and it is still working perfectly. i have even spilled a little bit of water, and maybe a little bit of soda on it and it still works great. ITS SPILL RESISTENT! don't spend 40 dollars on a keyboard when you can buy the same quality bourd for only 10.

Electronics:

Electronics

Electronics