Can anyone tell me what is the major difference between HP laptops and Compaq laptops (which are cheaper than the HPs of similar specs)? I thought they were the same company now!

Edited December 1, 200817 yr by girlx

Buy an Asus or Fujitsu, avoid HP or Compaq.

From a techie nerdy POV the difference is HP is a pain to work with and compaq is a nightmare. Or is it the other way round. Actualy I dont think in general the build quality is what it was. Oh alright I just dont like them.

Second advice already given.

And make sure you can have XP. Vista chokes most Laptops I have seen.

Hmmm I have an old HP Pavilion that has lasted me about 6 years now... which is why I want to go with another HP. I never had probs with them, had to send it in to get the screen backlight fixed twice, but it was smooth enough. I just wonder why there is such a difference in price between the two since the companies merged!?

I have an HP Pavillion tx2000 which runs Vista very happily (AMD Turion 64x2; 2GHz; 2GB RAM; 250 GB HD)

The previous model was a basket case - I bought it because it was a full-featured tablet which I need but it was grossly under-powered in terms of speed, memory and battery life and a tiny HD. Processor wasn't quick enoughto render handwriting on screen (broken lines)

Fortunately I 'dropped' it and the next year's model (tx2000) was infinitely better - they did at least listen to the feedback about the first one (can't remember the exact model) and the batteries from the old one fitted the new one so I have lots of mobile power . They got around the battery life problem by making the battery HUGE though. The long-life one sticks out about 2cm.

So, make sure you go for the highest specs you can afford if you're going to run Vista.

(BTW: the old one, with a cracked screen, is going tobe my Linux transition machine )

Edited December 1, 200817 yr by phaethon

Since the merger/takeover Compaq have been marketed as the 'consumer' arm whereas HP are the 'business' arm. Compaq used to be noted for its servers whereas now only HP servers are available. The extra expense of HP product is (allegedly) to pay for the extra support insisted on by business.

hmmm but do you think the quality of the products are essentially the same?

I purchased a Compaq C700 in Panthip on Monday. Monday night I downloaded Avast and my Printer Driver. Yesterday the computer would not boot up so I called HP Service Center and they told me to take it to Zeer IT Centre which was the nearest to me. Unfortunately things were going on in Chaeng Wattana and I couldnt get out. Today went to the Service Center to be told that my brand new never used computer had a hard ware problem.

Was advised to take it back to Panthip and they are obliged to change it if its reported within 7 days.

Can anyone confirm this ruling please !!!

I purchased a Compaq C700 in Panthip on Monday. Monday night I downloaded Avast and my Printer Driver. Yesterday the computer would not boot up so I called HP Service Center and they told me to take it to Zeer IT Centre which was the nearest to me. Unfortunately things were going on in Chaeng Wattana and I couldnt get out. Today went to the Service Center to be told that my brand new never used computer had a hard ware problem.

Was advised to take it back to Panthip and they are obliged to change it if its reported within 7 days.

Can anyone confirm this ruling please !!!

A friend of mine had an HP replaced on the spot at ths shop of purchase in Bangkok after returning the original faulty new unit within 7 days. After 7 days you have to get it fixed for free under warranty. After 1 year you are on your own unless you have some extended warrenty purchase.

I've had a HP nx6125 laptop for about 3 years or so - when I purchased it was basically the topend spec I could buy and it still isn't embarrassed by many new lower level laptops. It has been absolutely rock solid in reliability and has been used and thoroughly abused - included being dropped off a airport luggage trolley (in a non-padded bag!)!

This said I recently purchased a new laptop for myself so my wife could use the venerable HP for learning english - however this time due to the lack of HP range in Laos and NE Thailand I decided to go for an Acer.

In general the Acer so far isn't bad - not earthshatter but not bad.

From looking at new laptop I have to say the one thing that bugs me is the lack of ports other than USB on them! Even wanting a Firewire port is beyond most - let alone a shock horror - SERIAL port. None of the laptops I looked at had an integrated serial port! Sure the old serial port is old technology but come on - people who work in the comms business NEED a serial port!

Sure we can buy usb-serial converters however the convienience of an integrated 'impossible to leave on a desk' serial port is worth it's weigh in gold!

Also for me I find that AMD processors and chipsets are far more reliable than Intel - the past 2 desktops and 2 laptops (inc new Acer) have all been AMD and none of them have missed a beat or failed. Far more than I can say for the Intel chipsets I've own. Also AMD Chipset laptops come with the lovely GE Force graphics processors with far outperforms the Intel one.

Edited December 4, 200817 yr by technocracy