One of the most impressive features of the Compaq CQ56-110 is its small and lightweight design. While it doesn’t have the easy portability of a netbook, it measures just 9.7 inches by 14.7 inches by 1.5 inches and weighs only 5.6 pounds. For a laptop with a 15.6 inch screen, this makes it about as portable as you can get, and the LED backlit display supports a standard resolution of 1366 x 768.

Also included is a LightScribe DVD burner and the laptop supports wired networking as well as 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, making it easy to connect at home and on the road. The keyboard includes full-size keys, which will be good news to those with larger hands, and there are a number of one-touch keys for functions such as brightness and volume, as well as media functions.

The main disappointment of the Compaq CQ56-110 may be that it is a bit underpowered compared to many competing models. It includes an Intel Celeron 900 processor at 2.2 GHz. This processor will not perform as well as the dual-core processors available in many 15 inch laptops, though its inclusion helps keep the cost low. The graphics accelerator is also integrated, sharing memory with the rest of the system. Considering the laptop comes pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition, this could result in much slower performance, especially with the advanced graphics features enabled.

The Compaq CQ56-110 is a very solid laptop that features a sharp screen, plenty of hard drive space, and some nice extras. Buyers will need to consider whether the Celeron processor and shared video memory is likely to slow down the tasks they perform every day, but overall, it is a good value for shoppers on a tight budget.

The notebook is very configurable, offering numerous customization options to fit the varying needs of buyers. There is a choice of powerful AMD processors which provide fast speed and low power consumption, helping to promote longer battery life. Buyers have a choice of 2GB, 3GB, or 4GB of DDR3 system memory depending on their needs. The average user can choose less memory or the high-end user can max out at 4GB for better performance when running multimedia applications or for gaming. The machine includes Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition, allowing the operating system to utilize all of the available memory.

Hard drive options range from 250GB to 500GB in a variety of drives that support either 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM speeds. The ATI Mobility Radeon graphics options provide great support for gaming or multimedia applications, and some options even include an HDMI support for outputting to an HDTV.

The 15.6 inch high-definition LED Brightview display has a resolution of 1366×768 and provides bright and clear images. The LED backlighting uses less power than previous technologies, extending battery life.

Multimedia options abound as well. Users have a choice of DVD burners with support for dual-layer discs and Lightscribe technology. For an additional price, users can also opt for a Blu-Ray reader or even a Blu-Ray burner, though this is an expensive option, as it is with any laptop currently.

Home or business users who want a classic laptop with a straightforward design at a great price will love the Compaq Presario CQ62Z series. It has the multimedia features and performance a user needs, and customization options allow buyers to pay for only the features they want.

The Presario CQ60Z is a fairly compact 15” laptop geared for the average home or business user, who doesn’t need the bells and whistles or the extra processing power of more expensive laptops. Affordably priced, the base configuration starts at around $449, and multiple configuration options allow the user to choose their own hardware priorities.

The main selling point of the Presario CQ60Z, apart from its affordability, is likely the number of configuration options. One of the The laptop comes with your choice of AMD processors, from 2.1GHZ to 2.3GHZ, and hard drive options from 160GB to 500GB. There is also a choice of DVD drives, from a standard dual-layer burning drive or a Lightscribe drive. Users can also choose to have a webcam included, for use in Skype and other videoconferencing applications.

The base configuration includes Windows Vista Home Basic, but for $30 more, you can upgrade to Vista Home Premium. This is a recommended upgrade as Home Basic does not include many of the improvements Microsoft advertises for Vista. At 1GB or RAM in the base configuration, most users will want to upgrade to at least 2GB, as it is the recommended minimum for Vista.

While the configuration options abound, one area that may be lacking for some users is the processor. With only AMD processors to choose from, those who prefer Intel for its lower heat and often better performance may tend to look elsewhere. Of course, the choice of AMD processors is likely what has kept the laptop so affordable.

Overall, the Presario CQ60Z is a solid laptop with numerous configuration options and a compact design that should make it a good choice for most users. Power users who need more speed for video-editing or gaming will not be impressed, but that is the case with any laptop in this price range.

The graphics surpass those of most average integrated chip sets by supporting up to 1.4 GB of video memory but with the less than perfect processor this will yield moderately better graphics. A saving grace for graphics is the BrightView technology that helps to reduce glare. The installed DVD-RW is a LightScribe enabled optical drive and capable of creating DualLayer DVDs. The Even though the Compaq CQ50 lacks a few ports, it still has many common interfaces such a s 3 USB, a VGA, HD D-Sub, 10/100Base-TX Ethernet and a 5 -in-1 memory card reader.

The laptop weighs in at about 6 1/2 pounds making it mid-weight but highly durable. The construction is sound and keyboard is comfortable to use. The track pad and mouse buttons are a bit stiff but useable. Overall performance is good for the average internet browser and email user but any advanced user needing to run multiple applications for extended periods of time will need to think twice. The 6 cell lithium ion battery should last for approximately 2 hours, but will depend upon what applications are running. The Compaq CQ50 comes with Vista Home Premium installed as well as Norton Home Security (60 day trial), and an HP suite of support and help software.

The Compaq CQ50 is a good buy but in order to get the lower price sacrifices in performance and usability have been made.

A 60 GB or 120GB hard drive can be standard on the Compaq Presario V6000; hard drives are Seagate Momentus 5400 hard drives. These sizes are pretty standard on laptops in this class but the V600 supports more memory than most. Wireless cards are installed and support 802.11a/b/g as well as an HDAduio Soft Data modem. Along with these are a 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet connection, 5 in 1 digital media card reader, and optional Bluetooth which is becoming more common in laptops. The choice of DVD ROM drives is commonplace in the laptop market and the Compaq Presario offers the choice of Super Multi 8x DVDR/RW with DualLayer support or the LightScribe 8x DVD+/RW & CD-RW combo drives. In addition the Compaq Presario is equipped with 1 PCI-E slot, 3 USB Ports, a mini Firewire port, S-video, and VGA ports.

Overall performance is good with a fast processor and above average memory specifications, but the unit lacks a little due to poor screen design; priced around $800.00 the Compaq Presario v6000 is a decent purchase for a mobile small business or home user.