Customer Reviews

Compaq Presario 1200 Notebook (700-MHz Pentium III, 64 MB RAM, 6 GB hard drive)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is the Mellenium edition of the Compaq Presario. I use it at home, and children use it for homework and research.
I have found it easy to use. No problems in all the time I've had it. Even tho' I don't have DSL or cable, it works pretty fast.
I highly recommed this for everyday use. Probably not what a business needs.

I have a Presario 1202 and it's been working a charm for me. I have 800MHz, 128MB RAM (with 320MB maximum), 10 GB hard drive running Windows 2000 Professional. I have to say that this laptop has been working wonders for me. I haven't had one single problem with this machine and it has been very efficiant and fast. My system has been stable, my hardware has functioned 110% my only problem with Compaq is their online chat support. I aksed them general questions about how to use my machine to its "best" and their chat window kept showing the start of the conversation with no way to scroll to the last said message.

It begins to make me wonder if they can't fix their own online chat support window, how will they fix a laptop if it fails? However, despite this minor issue with Their website, I have had nothing but good help from them. A particular consultant was first to give me a BIOS update for best performance. I have not had my system crash once yet, as I said. All functions work perfectly and the system has some intelligent speed system on it. I'm not sure what US models are like but I am told by the US Compaq/Hewlett-Packard supprt people that they can differ.

If you're in Australia, I'd feel very, VERY safe in buying this product. Value for money with quality to boot. For those having SOFTWARE related problems, quit blaming the HARDWARE. Just because you can't control a mouse properly, or fumble with buttons or can't configure your programs properly, that is YOUR fault, not Compaq's. I think they've done an excellent job and some people just need to set things up instead of thinking all is well.

I bought a Compaq Presario 1200. A few months after I had it the battery circuit and the motherboard crashed. I was told by Compaq that the warrenty would not cover the repairs. Now I am stuck with a laptop that is not worth spending the money to fix. I would encourage anyone considering purchasing this product to think twice. It's definitly not worth the cost.

Ok I have never written a review before so here goes. I actully have this model with a 15gig drive and mine came with the dvd player so not sure how it is really that much different. I do not know where the other guy bought his, I bought mine out of a store(BB) not online. I did have my harddrive crash but I took it to the place I bought it and my warranty did cover the hard drive. They shipped it to Compaq for repair cause they did not have a harddrive on site plus since it was still under warranty it was best to sent to them. I did have to wait a month for it and I realize that for someone that is on the road alot that would be a problem. Back to my laptop. Before it did crash I never had one problem with it. It worked perfectly till the crash. I have had it back now since begining of Jan and it works like a champ. I do all kinds of things with mine. I have used it to download mp3 from some newsgroups. I have installed multiplayer games and it works great. I even leave it on for days at a time and still works. I do give it a break when I leave it on for so long and give it a day off and not turn it on. I am even using it to do some database building and website designing. So all in all this paticular model works great even though like I said I have a few extras that came with mine but its is the same model anyway. I do not blame the other guy for being so upset but I think that he actually may have gotten a lemon. So don't give up on this one just yet. Happy notebooking to all.

It is one thing to have various problems with a computer, but another to have incompetent and indifferent tech support.

I had my 1200 Compaq for 3months. First I had problems with the sound drivers, then I had problems with windows ME program and finally with the hard drive.

When the hard drive totally crashed (only 3 months old) I spent almost two hours trying to get help from technical support. 4 individuals (one brain dead, one total indifferent, one telling my that my year warranty did not include the hard drive and one that disconnected me,) the last tech told me to send it back and it would be two weeks before I would get the machine back. Two weeks for a person that works on the road is untenable.

It is one thing to have various problems with a computer, but another to have incompetent and indifferent tech support.

I had my Compaq Presario 1200 Notebook for 3 months before I lost the first hard drive. First I had problems with the sound drivers, then I had problems with windows ME program and finally with the hard drive.

When the hard drive totally crashed (only 3 months old) I spent almost two hours trying to get help from technical support. 4 individuals (one brain dead, one total indifferent, one telling my that my year warranty did not include the hard drive and one that disconnected me,) the last tech told me to send it back and it would be two weeks before I would get the machine back. Two weeks for a person that works on the road is untenable.

The second Hard Drive lasted three months. The machine locked up and was not restorable when I was in South America. I was without a computer for 2 more months. When I returned to the USA I went through [a lot] again with the customer service (oxymoron with Compaq). The service representative and supervisor are from India or Pakistan and their English is very difficult to understand. They have to have me read and reread and reread again the basic information to them (serial number, etc.). Another sad state of affairs at Compaq/HP. Finally they sent me the box to return the machine and assured me that I would get top priority (as I was to return to S.A.). Two weeks passed and when I called (five days before leaving for S.A.) they said they could not find my computer. Un ...believable!

I cannot stress strong enough... AVOID COMPAQ. The quality is Poor and the service is nonexistent.

Now I am stranded without a computer. I lament the day I bought this computer.

Five stars because that's how well it has behaved over these 4 years or so. Of course, if you compare it to more modern computers it would score considerably less, but that's why it is no longer on sale here.

Never a problem, only human error. I should have learnt more about battery life before mine gave up the ghost after just a year. I should not have spilt coffee over the keyboard a few months ago. But let me tell you this is the sturdiest unit I have used and it has served me well.

I'll be sorry to see it go when I upgrade this year, or next.

For the record, mine has Celeron and has had no permanent compatibility problems with any hardware that can be used with Windows 98.

I'm not a computer aficianato or anything, but I was surprised to see so many negative reviews of this computer.

I love the keyboard. I have small hands, and I don't like having to pushdown too hard on keys, and this keyboard is ideal for me.

The audio is great (I use my computer in lieu of my cd player now). Although, I do load most of the music onto my computer instead of playing it direct from the cd because the disk drive is very noisy.

The mouse pad does tend to get hit durring word processing, therefore the cursor can end up in weird places, but you can avoid this problem by pushing the cursor/arrow off to the side of the screen while typing.

I've had this computer for 4 years now; it was a gift upon graduation from high school and I've used it a whole lot during college. It has never crashed on me and has been terrific for this entire time. The design is both ergodynamic and attractive. My dad bought a more expensive HP laptop at the same time that he bought my Presario, and I have hands down preferred my over the years: no annoying blue knob in the middle of the keyboard, and the HP actually lacks the PgDn and PgUp keys that I find ever so useful. Important keys are in accesible places. The design is simple, but utilitarian.

I use my Presario primarily for Word Processing, Internet Access, AOL IM and Windows Media Player.

My processor in my Compaq Presario 1200 is actually a Celeron 700... I've had this laptop now for about 3 years, and I am considering upgrading because I really want a CD-RW. But this little computer has given me 3 years of great use. I only give it 4 stars though because I've had to replace the hard drive and the battery, and I was not too happy with the original software configuration. I don't know why they partitioned the hard drive the way they chose to because it really does not make much sense in terms of backups. I prefer to backup on media that is complete separate from my HD. I've since installed XP on it and repartioned the drive so that it's all in one piece, so to speak, and I've been happy.

this computer sucks! I can not stress that enough. I have had this dog now for 3 years and it is awful. My mother brought me a printer for Christmas last year it and it didn't work. In fact the computer crashed!And this was the printer recomended for this laptop!! Next things the keys began to stick after 6 months. of course Compac staff is NO help. First off they don't speak very good english, and then they get mad at YOU for not understanding what they are saying. Also, they have these keys around the mouse for retriving your mail and for shopping--very easy to hit these key by accident--only if you use companies associated with them, well if you hit these keys your stuck and you can't get out of the set up form without setting up an account and it is a major problem, if you have a dead line to meet and this computer won't let you out. Another thing when ever you get online suddenly Compaq pops up telling you to register once again and it keeps on doing it. Anoying really, even with the fact that you already registered 3 years ago. Do yourself favor and walk away from this dog. I just placed an order for a Sony laptop one of my coworkers has and they love it so we'll see. But this dog is a machine I will have it's memory wiped out and then I will smash it with a sledge hammer! Best to put it out of it's misery.