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Migs was right. Local whitebox laptops can be a pain.
So I just went ahead and brought an HP Compaq Presario B1957. At least Compaq has much better technical support. Angelo was able to get some nice upgrades at the tail end of his laptop’s warranty period.
I decided to go for a Compaq laptop. Check out the specs:
Processor
Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology
Intel Core Duo 1.73GHz
Memory
512MB DDR2
Hard Disk Drive
120GB
Optical Drive
DVD SUper Multi Drive
Graphics
ATI Mobility Radeon X200
Wireless
Integrated Wireless LAN 802.11, Bluetooth
Operating System
Microsoft Windows VISTA Home Basic
Weight
1.79 kg.
Display
12.1 WXGA Bright View Display
Integrated Card Reader
4-in-1 Card Reader
My main buying decision was the weight. I wanted something relatively light yet powerful. Most laptops will go for 2.4-3 kilograms (kg). This laptop was only 1.79 kg. Yet it had a whooping 120GB hard disk, a 128MB dedicated Video memory (ATI Radeon) that goes up to 300MB because of the RAM share, a DVD writer, and was a core duo 1.73. Bluetooth and wifi are musts nowadays. The card reader was really just a bonus for me.
The price of this hardware: Php 59,950. It’s around Php 5,000 monthly.
I boosted the RAM to 1 GB so I could maximize Windows Vista, which I hear can be quite a resource hog.
I looked around for laptops and my other alternative was the Acer TM 6291 -100512. It had similar specs minus the OS, the dedicated video card. The Acer was heavier – 1.99 kg.
I originally planned on buying from a CompLink store. I had a very good experience with their sales people when I bough my Ebox NE Laptop. When I asked though, they didn’t have any stocks of the B1957. The Acer was there and I almost bought it. Before I did, I decided to go around the various computer stores at SM Megamall. I came upon VillMan and viola! They had it!
I bought it and now have a pretty new laptop. This comes with a FREE 1GB iPod shuffle too!
markku 3:45 pm on July 17, 2007 Permalink
Nice notebook, congrats! Dami pera ah. =)
jozzua 4:16 pm on July 17, 2007 Permalink
Credit card my friend. I’m not as rich as you.Hehe
markku 6:59 pm on July 18, 2007 Permalink
Ako rich? Look at my laptop man! Hehehe.
jozzua 2:59 pm on July 19, 2007 Permalink
I don’t need to look at your laptop Markku. I’ll just drool over your camera. :)
Three Blogging Gadgets by Blog Tutorials 7:46 pm on July 20, 2007 Permalink
[...] Compaq Presario B1957TU – This small yet powerful laptop comes at only 1.79kg. It has Windows Vista Basic and is a Core [...]
markku 10:58 pm on July 22, 2007 Permalink
Bro pahawak naman nitong laptop mo next time, parang gusto ko na rin ng ganito! Hehehe.
Pero gusto ko din ng macbook. Haha!
Microsoft Vista: Cancel Or Allow? - *Jozzua 6:16 am on August 7, 2007 Permalink
[...] the new laptop I now have, I am now forced to use the new Windows Vista Operating System. I am now bombarded with [...]
dennise 10:41 pm on September 8, 2007 Permalink
i’m really interestd in buying the compaq presario b1957tu.. nice reviews. we’re in the same situation, i was choosing between the acer tm 6291 but i guess compaq won me over
louelle 3:46 pm on October 4, 2007 Permalink
I think you posted a wrong specifications as I searched it..I’m quite interested that’s why I tried to find it myself..forgive me if I’m wrong..
There are 2 types of Compaq Presario modelB1957TU, the one you are referring to with a cheaper price P59,950 is Compaq Presario B1957TU but the specs you mentioned do not jive with the Villman specs,all the specs you put in there is for the model Compaq Presario B1957TU Notebook PC amounting to P79,950…Hmmmmm…sounds bad..
louelle 3:50 pm on October 4, 2007 Permalink
anyway, I’m after a laptop with NVIDIA or ATI graphics…Compaq Presario B1957TU has media accelerator graphics which is wrongly stated in your specs…the ATI graphics you typed in the same model is for the Compaq Presario B1957TU Notebook PC…Am I right????Have you noticed it???
jozzua 4:39 am on October 5, 2007 Permalink
Hi Louelle, great questions. I had done some preliminary research before I shopped and I liked the B1957TU specs. It was both light and powerful.
I went to Megamall to buy the B1957TU from Complink because that’s where I saw it before. It was priced at P59,950 in their brochures. When I got to Complink, they told me it was out of stock.
I decided to go around the different computer shops there and found the same model in Villman. It was, as you say priced at P79,950.
I asked Villman directly about the price they had P79,950 and told them Complink was offering the same laptop for only P59,950.
The tech guy called up their manager. I showed them the Complink brochure as proof of the pricing. Viola! They gave in. They gave the laptop to me at P59,950.
The tech guy says that a newer version of the Presario BT1900 series is coming out, that’s why they can lower the price. Go figure.
jozzua 4:46 am on October 5, 2007 Permalink
Louelle, on the video card, I went for the ATI200 because, according to the forums I read, it’s better than the standard Intel Integrated Video Accelerators that seem to come on most laptops. Just a small but not really big add on. You can’t play high res games on it, but I do play Dawn of War, Dark Crusade on it.
BTW, I’m moving this laptop discussions over to the Philippine Laptops website.