Description:
The simple truth is that you can save a lot of money by buying a notebook that doesn’t quite match the current ever-decreasing standards of miniaturization. Though not exceedingly bulky at 12.96 by 10.72 by 1.79 inches and 7.5 lbs., Compaq’s Presario 2585us Notebook PC is a bit larger than today’s ultra-portables and therefore carries a surprisingly affordable price tag considering its high-end speed and versatility. Compaq has loaded the Presario 2585us with more power than most users will ever need. Heading the list of components is a speedy 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor and 512 MB of fast 266 MHz RAM memory. This combination will easily handle even the most challenging applications and multitasking, although the system’s ATI Mobility Radeon 3D video controller features just 64 MB of shared (not dedicated) video memory and thusly isn’t equipped to efficiently render ultra-complex 3D games or animations. It should, however, be more than enough for midlevel 3D applications. The Presario 2585us features several welcome amenities, including an oversized 15-inch XGA TFT display screen (maximum resolution 1024x768), an 88-key keyboard, a TouchPad with dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad, and a pair of JBL Pro Performance speakers. At 60 GB, the enclosed hard disk is sufficient for most purposes and should have a few gigabytes left over for a library of music or video files. Impressively, the system’s optical drive permits not only basic CD burning and playing and DVD playing but also DVD burning. Via the unit’s integrated FireWire port, users can download home movies from their digital camcorders, then edit them and record them to digital media With the Presario 2585us, your communication options are virtually limitless. In environments with wired connections, you can select from a low-speed 56K modem or high-speed 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN. When hardwiring is a problem, you can stay in touch with the unit’s integrated 54g wireless LAN. Other key components include a trio of fast USB 2.0 ports, an S-Video TV-Out, a single PC Card slot, and a standard assortment of connections. The impressive bundled software package includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Quicken New User Edition, Microsoft Works 7.0 and a range of multimedia and Internet utilities.
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