Nice FULLY LOADED high-end laptop deal: Mobile XP 2000+ for $1628 (512mb, DVD/CDRW, WiFi, ATI Mobility, Office XP)

[MontyBurns]

Was looking into some new laptop deals, and came across this. Warning: This is no bargain-basement $500 laptop. It is, however, an excellent desktop replacement for someone looking for a high-end laptop deal, and a couple of overlapping promotions make this very sweet.

Specs:

Compaq Presario 900Z
Mobile AMD XP 2000+ Processor
15" SXGA+ display
512mb DDR RAM
DVD/CDRW combo drive
Wireless 802.11b Networking (read more below)
ATI Mobility Radeon 64 meg DDR
30 gig hard drive
Integrated JBL Pro speakers
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
V.92 56k Modem
Win XP
Office XP <-------- !!!
Free Targus carrying case
1 year warranty

Total comes to $1728, and there's a $100 INSTANT rebate. Shipping is $30-40, depending on where you are.

Obviously, this is a custom configuration, and you can knock the price down by several hundred dollars by bumping down the screen and RAM. You can also save $100 by choosing Works over Office XP, but picking up office XP for only $100 is a steal IMHO. I think you should always get the most for your money with a laptop, since upgrade costs are so expensive. And in this case, it really is a great deal. I priced out a Dell Inspiron 8200 with the same specs and it was $2300+ plus shipping.

** WIRELESS NETWORKING DEAL: Compaq has an awesome deal going now with this notebook where you get a coupon for either a FREE 802.11b adapter for the notebook, --OR-- you can pay $99 and get both the adapter AND a wireless access point. That's a fantastic deal!

To do this deal, or to play with the specs:

Go to www.compaq.com
Select products and services
Select notebooks
select home and home office: Compaq
Select Presario 900
In the right column, select XP 2000+ and Office XP
Then change specs to fit above, until price hits $1728. Use the code they supply to get $100 off (NOTE that on the specs sheet, it says the code is only worth $50, but hte front page and the actual cart will show you $100 off).

 

[upwardspiral]

very nice deal...drool....

 

[JPSJPS]

Originally posted by: MontyBurns
ATI Mobility Radeon 64 meg DDR

The thread Title says: ATI Mobility 9000

Could this be the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 and not the ATI Mobility Radeon 9000?
http://www.tomshardware.com/mobile/02q1/020220/radeon7500-02.html

Compac describes it as:
ATI Mobility ? Radeon? Graphics with up to 64MB DDR Shared Video Memory

John

 

[MontyBurns]

It's definitely the Radeon 9000 (says so elsewhere on their site).

 

[manko]

Link please, if possible. I wasn't able to find any confirmation of the 900Z using the Radeon 9000. I have been following the 2800 series and the release of the Radeon 9000 closely, and haven't read any references to this model using the 9000. Here is the description from the 2800 page (which offers both the Radeon 7500 and 9000 as options):

? Check out the new ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 w/64MB DDR dedicated graphics memory!
? ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 with 64MB DDR dedicated graphics memory

2800 product page

Compaq's Radeon 9000 page (with no mention of the 900Z)

EDIT: Another thing to note is that to order the 2800 with a Radeon 9000, you are required to also order Windows XP Professional, a requirement not mentioned on the 900Z page.

 

[stingbandel]

This is not ATi 9000. I have Presario 900z that I am returning right now cause I got the 1500T, so I know for sure it's not.

It's using the Radeon UI something like that.

If you go to anandtech.com and search for the presario, you will see an article that explains about the video card.





Darno

 

[Askani]

If you're willing to spend a little bit more money (maybe $100), I would suggest you get the 2800. Hands down one of the best laptops on the market.

 

[Leland]

That's not the Radeon 9000, it's integrated graphics with shared memory.

You can probably get it cheaper through the staples deal(s) anyway (see elsewhere on this board).

I lust after the 2800 myself, but the price is pretty steep. At that point I almost feel like I owe it to myself to get an IBM T30. Hopefully a good UXGA sale will happen with the 2800 soon - why doesn't everyone make a 15" notebook light(er) and thin?

 

[2Crucial]

how reliable are compaqs when it comes to laptops? does anyone have a top 10 or a top 5 for laptop reliability, affordability? thanks!

 

[MontyBurns]

some things:

-- The 2800 is several hundred dollars more, not $100 more. And if you want a comparable processor and you bump the memory up to 512megs, then it's in fact almost $700 more. This processor is much faster than the P4 M 1.7.

-- There was a banner ad on the site that implied all the notebooks with ATI Mobility chips were the 9000, but it seems now that this likely isn't true. I imagine this is infact the integrated graphics chip, which as someone else noted was reviewed (quite favorable) on anandtech.com


Cheaper at staples? I don't think staples even sells the 2000+ model. Can you give us a link?

 

[Torghn]

I've got the Presario 900US (Same exact Laptop, but with a 1700+ and 256 DDR). It's an excelent laptop, but the 3d graphics aren't all that fast. It doesn't have a Moble radeon, insted it runs off the Radeon IGP 320M wich has a radeon graphics core built into it. Anand's reiview of the 1500+ version of this laptop can be found here.

 

[designgirl]

staples has the compaq 2800 and you can custom configure it too, even if you used the $300 and $30 off coupon from the other thread with the HP ZE something, it's still more expensive than ordering directly from compaq (I've compared)

staples charges extra $75 for shipping plus you have sales tax since they are everywhere.

compaq does have a coupon for $150 off the 2800 (it's on compaq site under 2800--popup)

so p2.0ghz
radeon 9000
15" uxga
40hd
128mg ram (buy more elsewhere, cheaper)

approximately $2000 with coupon. shipping is like $40 next day or 2nd day i think. staples was like $2400

hope that helps

 

[GoatHerderEd]

:disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust:

DONT BUY A COMPAQ!!!

When they serviced the screen on my 1700t, they somehow ended sending the unit back to me with someone elces hard drive. The one they send back to me wasnt even close to the one tht went out. I hade a 30GB HDD with windows xp. The one i got back had 8GB and was windows 98. Its odd how they didnt notice the OS booting up was not installed on the machine when it came in, and it originaly came with ME, so its beond me why the didnt thing something was wrong there.

To make it even worse... The one i got wasnt even a fresh install, or factory install. It was from someone elses laptop!! And columbia of all places!! I could read the guys e-mail. he just recieved conformation of his 8000 boxes of dental neadles!?!

well, i called them, and they said that there is nothing they can do about it, and i was going to get a new HDD in the mail. they dont care that some druglord in columbia has my HDD with my address, and credit card numbers among many things. what the hell is wrong with them??

if you want to read my story i sent to Michael Cappelas (spelled wrong?) send me a PM.

again, DO NOT BUY A COMPAQ

o one more thing, they just feal cheap! I say, get a Thoshiba! youl be glad you did.

:disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust:

 

[MontyBurns]

Blanket statements about particular brands are useless. I promise you that there isn't a major company doing business today that hasn't screwed its customers over at some point. I have an IBM ThinkPad that I love. A co-worker has had nothing but headaches with his and swears he'll never buy one again. Two years ago I had a Dell desktop fail on me, and it took them four tries to get it right sending my a replacement. Bottom line: Everyone screws up.

Meanwhile, my 19" Compaq monitor (courtesy of AT hot deals) is still razor sharp and working like a charm. I guess the only think I can assume from that fact is DO BUY A COMPAQ! DO BUY A COMPAQ!

 

[Bink]

1. If you want a Radeon 9000, the Compaq 2800T with the following config is $1568 ($1718 - $150 instant coupon) direct from Compaq:

Presario 2800T with 1.7GHz P4M
128MB RAM
20GB Hard Drive
24x CD ROM
15" SXGA+ Screen
MS Productivity Suite

64MB ATI Radeon Mobility 9000
Windows XP Home
Carry Case

BUT, it wont process the order with XP Home! So an extra $75 for XP Professional unless they fix this.

HP lists the Radeon 9000 drivers for Windows XP Home here, so there must be something amiss.

http://www29.compaq.com/falco/sp_detail.asp?Model=5063&Div=4&Os=117&SoftwareVer=15960

Compaq Presario 2800 Radeon 9000 XP Home & XP Pro driver

2. You can complain to Compaq here (or about any other issue): http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/email/fiorina/index.html

HPQ Email to Carly Fiorentina

 

[MontyBurns]

it's not really an apples to apples comparison. I certainly wouldn't sacrifice all that RAM and processor speed just to get a radeon 9000 for the same overall notebook price.

 

[IgoByte]

Pretty nice deal...

 

[stingbandel]

Originally posted by: MontyBurns
some things:

-- The 2800 is several hundred dollars more, not $100 more. And if you want a comparable processor and you bump the memory up to 512megs, then it's in fact almost $700 more. This processor is much faster than the P4 M 1.7.

-- There was a banner ad on the site that implied all the notebooks with ATI Mobility chips were the 9000, but it seems now that this likely isn't true. I imagine this is infact the integrated graphics chip, which as someone else noted was reviewed (quite favorable) on anandtech.com


Cheaper at staples? I don't think staples even sells the 2000+ model. Can you give us a link?

Yes Staples has the XP2000 already. Actually Staples has it first. I saw it last friday. I was so pissed because I got my Presario 900z that friday and later on that night I saw the 2000+ processor. If you go to staples.com and search presario you will see the presario 900z


about what is a good laptop nowadays, the answer is it depends. I have IBM and I really hate it. I swear I will never buy IBM product no more. I had the A21P that fail 5 times in the last two months. they finally replaced it with A31P. It feels like a sh!t in my opinion cause the plastic squeking all the times. really really really hate it.


on the other hand, I had presario 900 (return it cause I got 1500t from compaq), I saw it, not the greatest laptop but really more than decent in my opinion.




Darno

 

[TekDemon]

I don't see anything about this free wireless access card...any details?!

 

[Bink]

The price of RAM is much less if you buy from Crucial or any supplier that has a special going. It has been usually available for around $50-60 per 256MB stick of SODIMM RAM. So an extra $110 or so for 512MB, less whatever you sell the 128MB in the machine for.

1700MHz P4 with Radeon 9000 vs Athlon 2000XP with Radeon IGP - performance difference will depend on application. For office apps, I would guess the Athlon would be a little bit faster, but for games, the speed advantage of the Radeon 9000 would prevail by a significant margin.

For the comparable price I would easily go for the 2800T.

As to the free wireless card, I think this expired at the end of September

 

[Murse]

Originally posted by: TekDemon
I don't see anything about this free wireless access card...any details?!

Bink is correct, the free wireless adapter ended on 9/30. I've been looking at the 2800 for about a month. It seems the deal optimized on this laptop about the middle of Sept. Since then, they raised the configured price by about $60 (I was going to get one pretty much fully loaded), dropped the free upgrade to WinXP Pro ("required" for the Radeon 9000), and dropped the free wireless adapter. The only thing they changed was they upped the coupon from $100 to $150. I guess sales must be good, because I usually expect computer prices to go down. After some research I've decided on the 2800, but not after prices go UP. I will wait to see what happens on this one as we approach the holidays.

 

[Bink]

Murse,

I think the XP Pro requirement for the Radeon 9000 is a mistake - it doesn't make sense, and I have linked the driver for the 2800 which supports the Radeon 9000 with XP Home (see above)

 

[djchemistry]

The Wireless deal did in fact expire at the end of September.

In the last month I ordered both the 1500T and the 900Z from compaq, first the 1500T because of the radeon 7500 mobility card and the 900Z because it was cheaper for comparable 2D performance. Thankfully, the Staples deal came along when it came time to return both. I returned the 1500T first and am still typing on the 900Z. I can tell you that the 1500T has 2 USB 2.0 ports along with superior 3D graphics. The 900Z uses ATI IGP (integrated graphics processor) either 32mb or 64mb of SHARED memory and has no USB 2.0 ports. They're both built using the same casing and therefore look and feel very similar. Yet the 900Z is crippled by the IGP in video games. Decent framerates are hard to come by on it also. Another point, both systems run very, very hot. I had a Pentium 4 2.0ghz chip in the 1500T... big mistake. I chose the Celeron chip in the Staples deal b/c of this very issue. The Athlon 1600XP chip also runs very very hot in the 900Z. The keyboard is more than warm to the touch after some dvd viewing or intensive I/O operations. Overall, I highly recommend getting the 1500T with a Celeron chip for cooler but slower performance or the 2800T for the combination of performance and less heat.

Finally, I'd like to mention that "the new hp" customer service center is kick ass. They paid for my shipping back without a problem the very same day I asked to return the laptop. I even cut the UPC off the box because I thought of keeping the laptop and sending it in for a rebate, and the customer rep told me it would not be a problem. She even asked if I'd like a new box sent out to me. I don't know if they're trying to please with the recent merger of hp and compaq, but my experiences with their csr have been impeccable.


Oh and to clear the video card configuration issue:

2800T - Radeon 9000 or 7500 (64mb/32mb)
1500T - Radeon 7500 (32mb)
900Z - Radeon IGP (64mb/32mb)

 

[jbwhite99]

When I read someone talking about a loaded laptop, they always leave one clause out - how much do you weigh? This sounds like a 9 pound notebook. Unless someone has come up with a helium battery, look before you leap!

My 4.6 pound notebook may only have a 14.1" screen and a 12GB HDD (it's older), but it has everything else, and it weighs half as much.

 

[TekDemon]

djchemistry, as far as my experience with HP and Compaq as gone, HP definitely had the upper hand...I haven't owned an HP PC though, only their printer line, but they were more than happy to send me a box to fedex my old printer back to them in 1997/1998. All I recall is that the Compaq support people took a long time to answer the phones lol...

So personally, I've never thought HP had bad customer service, only good service.