Description:
Compaq's expansive Presario S5000nx series of computers is intended for light- to medium-use situations where cost is the overriding factor. This model, the Presario S5100NX Desktop PC, is the second most affordable in the series and therefore also the second least capable. Though its price is certainly right and it storage space surprisingly accommodating, it is not recommended for anything beyond general duties such as word processing, homework, CD burning and email. The Presario S5100nx Desktop is driven by a price-conscious Intel Celeron processor operating at 2.6 GHz –- an adequately fast CPU but not nearly as capable or as forward-looking as Intel's flagship processor, the Pentium 4. Compaq has added an acceptable allotment of RAM memory – 256 MB (upgradeable to 1 GB) –- and an integrated Intel Extreme Graphics controller with 64 MB of shared (not dedicated) video memory. As such, the system will handle some 3-D graphics and a minimal amount of multitasking, but is not ready for advanced 3-D applications or demanding business applications. To store and transfer your data, the Presario S5100nx Desktop is equipped with an adequate 80 GB hard disk (lots of room for a midsize MP3 library), a convenient 3.5-inch diskette drive, and a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive that supports CD burning and CD and DVD playing, but no DVD writing. The system features a variety of connectivity options, including serial and parallel ports, a 56K V.90 flex modem for low-speed communication, a high-speed 10-Mbps/100-Mbps Ethernet network port for high-speed LAN and Internet access, and a half-dozen fast USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals. Compaq has not included a FireWire port (normally used for fast data downloads from digital camcorders). Monitor and speakers are sold separately, thus allowing you to choose from the many options available today.
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