In a nod to the tough economic environment, mega-retailer Wal-Mart is offering a selection of one-day in-store specials, a few of which caught our eye, including a sub-$300 laptop.
A Wal-Mart press release says the company will be offering a "$298 Compaq CQ-139WM 15.4" laptop with 2GB RAM and 160GB hard drive." The Compaq brand name (which HP usually saves for bottom of the barrel junk) is almost enough to scare us off, and we've asked HP for information on this specific model, including what CPU is has. But, if you've only got $300 to spend on a laptop, and don't want a 9-inch Netbook, it might be worth a look.
Other notable Nov. 8 tech deals include a $100 Wal-Mart Gift Card with a $399 Sony PlayStation 3 purchase and a $30 Wal-Mart Gift Card with $129 Sony PlayStation 2 purchase. A handful of older (but popular) PS3 games--Warhawk, Resistance and MotorStorm--are going to be $19.82.
My question to you is: Would you trust a $298 laptop, especially one with a Compaq logo?
Update: HP never got back to us with specs, but after the system went live on Walmart's Web site Saturday, the info is now available for all to see:
- Intel Celeron Processor 575
2.00 GHz, 667MHz FSB, 1MB Cache - 2048MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
Expandable up to 3072MB with 2 accessible memory slots - 15.4" Diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800) Display
Viewing is enhanced with the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (shared) with up to 765MB Total Available Graphics Memory - 160GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA)
Store all of your digital media on this expansive drive - Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic with Service Pack 1 Makes your computing experience more efficient, more secure and more fun
- SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW drive With double-layer support
HP Pavilion dv4-1125nr: A feature-packed $800 laptop.
The five laptops in the $700 to $800 price range that we reviewed as part of our Holiday Retail Laptop Roundup are a diverse group. These budget laptops are one step up from the entry-level models you'll see on Big Box store shelves, bumping you up to Core 2 Duo processors (from a Pentium Dual Core chip). The quintet we reviewed range in size from a 14-inch midsize model to a big 17-inch desktop replacement. In between are a pair of standard 15.4-inch models and a 15.6-inch model that features a cinematic display with a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Our pick of the budget litter turns out to be the runt: the 14-inch HP Pavilion dv4-1125nr. It separates itself from its retail competition by including 64-bit Vista and 4GB of memory while also serving up multimedia-friendly features such as an HDMI port, dual headphone jacks, and a remote control. Had it delivered better battery life, it would have likely earned an Editors' Choice award. Still, the Pavilion dv4-1125nr serves up leading performance and excellent value. Just be sure to try out the glossy keyboard and touchpad before you pull the trigger on a purchase.
The two 15.4-inch laptops in this group tied for runner-up status. The Sony Vaio NS140E/W and Toshiba Satellite A305-S6872 are two solidly constructed mainstream laptops with nearly identical configurations. The Satellite A305 is a bit heavier but runs longer, thanks to its extended cell battery, and can charge USB devices when it's powered down. It also has a row of handy touch-sensitive media control keys above the keyboard, which the Sony lacks. For its part, the Vaio NS140 has the better keyboard and touchpad--at least to these fingertips--and Bluetooth.
See more laptop recommendations in our holiday gift guide.
(Credit:
Systemax)
Thrifty laptop shoppers can easily put together a decent system for around $800 or so (or even dip down to $500 if they're brave), but these low-cost machines have always had major trade-offs in terms of components and performance.
We can't speak to the performance aspect just yet, but Systemax has hit the $999 sweet spot with a just-announced Vista Ultimate version of its Core 2 Duo 15.4-inch Pursuit 4155 laptop. It's also got 1GB of memory, a 60GB hard drive, and a built-in Webcam.
The Core 2 Duo T5200 processor is admittedly on the low end of the Core 2 Duo scale, but that and the copy of Vista Ultimate ($400 on its own) are the big selling points--the integrated graphics, not so much. We've previously seen a version of this system with Windows XP, and described it as part of, "a new wave of budget laptops stocked with current components and downright desirable features," so if you're looking for Vista Ultimate without spending big bucks, this seems like a nice upgrade.
Note: When we went to the Systemax Web site to check this deal out, we were disappointed to see that only a slower Core Duo T2250 processor was offered in the $999 package--trading up the Core 2 Duo was an extra $90. It seems there was some kind of miscommunication between the guys who build the laptops and the guys who write the press releases. We pressed them on it and have been promised that starting "tomorrow at the latest," the Core 2 Duo T5200 will be offered as a free upgrade to the $999 config. Who looks out for you? Your buddies at Crave, that's who.
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