Compaq Presario R3210US Laptop (1.60 GHz Athlon, 256 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive)

by HP

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 13 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002H6MAS
• Item model number: PF156UA#ABA
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 30, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

A true powerhouse in a portable package, the Compaq Presario R3210US notebook is powered by a 1.60 GHz AMD Athlon XP processor and has all the amenities you need to take everything with you on the road. A 60 GB hard drive and 256 MB RAM help you store files and run multiple applications efficiently, and the DVD/CD-RW combo drive means you can perform a variety of application like backing up files on CD media, making audio mix CDs, accessing CD- or DVD-ROMs, or watching DVD movies on the 15.4-inch widescreen LCD screen. It also features a built-in NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics card, integrated JBL Pro Performance speakers, and a 5-in-1 Memory Reader.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 60 GB hard drive has ample room to store all your files, including digital audio, video, and photos.
• Processor: The 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon XP processor features QuantiSpeed architecture and PowerNow! technology to extend battery life and improve system performance. It also has a 256 KB L2 cache.
• Memory: It has 256 MB DDR SDRAM and is upgradable to 1.25 GB.
• CD/DVD Drive: The DVD/CD-RW combo drive reads CDs at 40x, writes at 16x, and rewrites at 10x. It can also read DVD-ROMs at 16x.
• Keyboard & Mouse: It has a 101-key compatible keyboard and touch pad.
• Display: The 15.4-inch WXGA high-definition widescreen LCD display has resolutions up to 1280 x 800, making it ideal for watching DVDs.

Sound and Graphics
A built-in NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics card with 32 MB video memory turns this notebook into a gaming machine. It supports 16-bit digital audio and internal JBL Pro Performance speakers, which means you can listen to crystal clear and bright audio right out of the box.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
An integrated 10/100 Base-T ethernet allows for convenient networking, and 54g 802.11b/g wireless LAN means you can get online quickly, easily, and without wires. Additionally, there is a 5-in-1 integrated Memory Reader that reads SD MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and SmartMedia cards so you can share media with other people and devices. It also has the following external ports:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting to a wide range of peripherals, from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 parallel port for connecting to printers or cameras based on older technologies
• 1 notebook expansion port (Type I/Type II) for adding a variety of upgrades, including memory, modems, portable disk drives, and more
• 1 VGA video out port to connect to an external monitor
• 1 S-video out to connect your laptop to a television
• 1 audio out for headphones or speakers
• 1 microphone in port

Preloaded System and Software
The Compaq Presario R3210US notebook is powered by Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. Windows XP Home Edition is packed with multimedia features to help you get your creative juices flowing. Windows Media Player lets you burn and play CDs, in addition to playing and organizing digital audio files. Windows MovieMaker is a basic video editing tool that helps you capture and edit digital video to save your memories and share them with others.

It also comes bundled with Symantec Norton Antivirus (with a complementary 60 days Live Update subscription), Adobe Acrobat Reader, RecordNow, InterVideo WinDVD, Apple iTunes and Apple iTunes Music Store, Adobe PhotoShop Album Suite, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Plus, and Intuit Quicken New User Edition.

Dimensions and Weight
It weighs 7.8 pounds and measures 14.25 x 11.18 x 1.8 inches (W x D x H).

What's in the Box
Presario R3210US notebook, 120 watt AC adapter, 8-cell Lithium-Ion battery, phone cord, user's manual, and warranty information.

From the Manufacturer

The Compaq Presario R3210US Notebook PC is ready to impress at home, at school or on the go. Powered by the Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M processor, 256 MB DDR SDRAM memory and offering the freedom and flexibility of 54 G 802.11b/g WLAN this stylish notebook is sure to impress with performance, quality and value. value. Advanced design to move you ahead
The Compaq Presario R3000 series notebook delivers all the power you need from a desktop PC without tying you down. With the streamlined design - - you'll be ready to take on the ultimate challenge: a day in your demanding life.

Engineered to perform

• Intel Pentium 4 processors supporting HT (Hyper-Threading) (Hyper-Threading) Technology deliver the processing strength for today's demanding applications and provide performance headroom for tomorrow's technology innovations. HT allows the system to be more efficient when performing multiple tasks simultaneously and supports the most demanding applications such as 3D games and digital entertainment software.
• Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor enables exceptional system performance for productivity and multimedia applications.
• Enhanced IDE 80 GB (4200 RPM) hard disk drive stores demanding productivity applications with room to spare for up to 10,000 music tracks, 20,000 20,000 photos and 15 hours of video.
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM (2 DIMM) enables running several applications seamlessly at the same time or excellent support of a demanding multimedia applications.
• Windows XP Professional Edition provides the advanced wireless 802.11b/g networking support and security demanded by your school or business.

Fast connections

• Integrated 54 G 802.11b/g WLAN with 125HSM / SpeedBooster support enables you to stay connected and productive on the go. Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN modem provides DSL or cable cable support for always-on, high-speed surfing at speeds up to 100 Mbps.
• Conveniently-placed integrated USB 2.0 ports provide provide fast connections to external devices.
• The IEEE 1394 port enables fast transfer of music and video files.
• The S-video port enables you enables you to share multimedia presentations on TV.

Visual Impact

• 15.4" WXGA BrightView High Definition widescreen provides 30% more screen information than a 15.0" XGA and visibility of two applications side by side for greater productivity and multi-tasking. It provides a 20% brighter screen for better definition and 33% wider viewing angle for more accurate, off-center viewing when sharing files with co-workers and clients -- plus same glossy glossy look as your TV screen.
• ATI MOBILITY MOBILITY RADEON RADEON 9600 discrete graphics processor and 128 MB discrete video RAM RAM and 8X AGP supporting Microsoft DirectX 9.0 makes your multimedia projects come alive with 3D performance and vivid, authentic, cinematic-quality visuals -- including complex lighting and shading effects.
• Integrated JBL Pro Performance speakers support sharp sound effects for presentations and great audio quality for DVDs and music.
• Integrated DVD+R/RW drive provides a fast and effective back-up solution with high-capacity DVDs holding up to 4.7GB of data and lasting up to 100 years.
• Integrated 5-in-1 digital media card reader supporting SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and Smaredia cards enables you to share files with other people and devices including thumb drives, iPAQs and cameras.

Work/life acceleration

• Quicken New User's Edition enables you to manage your money efficiently freeing you to do more.
• Included Adobe PhotoShop Album photo and imaging software makes it easy to edit your digital photos and put your best face forward.
• Join the digital music revolution! With Apple iTunes you can easily import songs from your favorite CDs, organize your CD and MP3 collection, create custom playlists right on your computer and much more. Expand your collection with the Apple iTunes Music Store offering more than 500,000 tracks from the five major music labels and 200 independent labels. Enjoy free previews for every song in the store, then buy songs or entire albums with one-click, buy-and-download convenience.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A full-featured notebook computer at a great price, September 4, 2004

By 

Frank Forrest "Quasar" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Compaq Presario R3210US Laptop (1.60 GHz Athlon, 256 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

The Compaq Presario R3210US is a value packed notebook computer. (You can get this particular model heavily discounted if you look hard enough) The computer has everything a student or need-to-be-on-the-go person could want. It is packed full of features such as a combination DVD/CD-RW drive, 60 Gigs of storage space, a 5-in-1 memory card reader, wireless internet capability, dedicated video card, video output/S-video ports for external monitors or presentations, stereo speakers and one of the most brilliant/beautiful screens you have seen. It is a widescreen model (15.4"). While this may not seem like much, the extra wide screen makes working on this notebook a pleasure. If you do a lot of writing/word processing/spread sheets; the extra width takes away the claustrophobic feeling that you can get from other narrower screens. I compared the screen brightness and clarity of the Presario R3210US with other manufacturer models and the Presario seemed as good or better than notebooks costing twice as much. The keyboard is top-notch with just the right amount of dampened key pressure. The unit is striking in appearance in that the keyboard is a off-cream color instead of the typical utilitarian black found on other manufacturers models. The surrounding keyboard area is in a very nice silver metalic color. I found this to be very nice as I was tired of the old school black keys and black/gray interior scheme.

While I was doing comparative shopping, I found other brands costing many hundreds of dollars more but without all the features of this unit. The R3210US is the entry level version of its big brothers which have DVD write capacity, a faster processor and more ram. Cosidering the cost difference in moving up to the higher end versions, I feel that the R3210US is far more cost effective if you are on a budget. The computer works flawlessly and has plenty of power to do your everyday tasks. The extra bonus is the DVD player. The widescreen format of the screen is a perfect match for widescreen movies. When I first got the notebook home, I ran a test on the Presario by playing the Star Wars movie "Attack of the Clones". The movie was crystal clear and sharp. The stereo sound was quite good and the DVD player interface was a breeze to use. The control buttons for computer functions are on either side of the notebook with extra connectors on the rear. The USB ports are easy to get to because they are found on the right and left sides. The notebook is extremely quiet. I could not hear the fans even when working in the library.

If there are any cons to this notebook, there are three that may or may not be of importance, depending on your needs. The first is run-time while using battery power. I was doing a writing project on the Presario and was able to use the notebook continuously for about 3 hours. This may not be long enoug for some but you can purchase a higher capacity battery (12 li-ion cell) that will extend your worktime longer. The standard battery that comes with the R3210US is an eight cell lithium ion battery which takes between an hour and an hour and a half to recharge. Some may take issue with the weight of the notebook. It clocks in at almost 8 pounds. However, I did not find this to be much of a problem. Compared to pricier models that will cost you an extra thousand or so to save a few pounds, I figure I can handle the weight. The last concern is that the Presario does not have a floppy drive. Almost all sofware is CD based, but if you still have a need to use floppies for making quick back-ups of your work or have programs that are floppy based, you will have to purchase an external drive. I bought one for less than $20 dollars and it works great with the Presario. I just plug it in after the computer boots and I am up and running.

I am very happy with this notebook computer and am very impressed with the features and price of the unit. If you are looking for a feature-packed affordable notebook computer with full multi-media functions for home/office or school, I would highly recommend that you put the Presario R3210US on your list of notebooks to check out. I would rate this computer 4 3/4 stars. Almost perfect.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Budget Notebook Computer, September 15, 2004

By 

Daniel R. Buchner "gadget guy" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Compaq Presario R3210US Laptop (1.60 GHz Athlon, 256 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

(...)

The features I liked most include the WXGA+ (high definition) 15.4" screen, 60 GB HD, 256 MB RAM (mine is 512 MB), 32 MB video RAM, fast 1.6 GHz Athlon 64-bit processor, lithium ion battery, Windows XP Home, Microsoft Works, and connectivity, i.e., built-in 802.11g wireless, parallel port, VGA port, LAN port, and USB 2.0 ports. Most notebooks in this price range come with only a 15" XGA screen and a 40 GB HD, and some do not have a VGA port for electronic presentations using an external projector.

There are very few negatives. I had trouble with the network port, and exchanged it for another one. The connector did not stay in place, and the connection was only 10 Mbps instead of 100 Mbps. The new one had no problems at 100 Mbps. Also, the computer automatically changes processor speed, depending on demand, i.e., "PowerNow" technology. This is supposed to reduce battery usage. I had trouble with this, and had to manually go into the power settings to fix it. There is no IEEE-1394 (Firewire) port and no DVD burner. The AMD Athlon processor could be a bit faster, but is definitely faster than an Intel Celeron processor. The battery life could be a bit longer. If you do gaming, you may want 64 MB of video RAM. Also, Windows XP Pro would have been better than Home. These were the compromises and tradeoffs I made that worked well for me.

Compaq is backed (and now owned) by Hewlett Packard, which has a history of outstanding customer support.

I recommend the following:

1. Upgrade to 512 MB RAM.

2. Use an external wireless keyboard and mouse.

3. Get a case.

4. Manually set up the power options.

5. Get a spare battery.

(...) The fact that the processor is an AMD instead of an Intel is why the price is so low. This would be a good choice for a student, home user, or moderate business user.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent value and performance, fine durability., November 7, 2004

By 

D. Jennings (Clarksville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Compaq Presario R3210US Laptop (1.60 GHz Athlon, 256 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

I purchased this notebook a while back and chose it for potential durability. My previous notebook was a 1999 Sony VAIO PCG-F250, which bit the dust recently (hinges, drives, other wearable parts). The audio on the machine is better than what I had expected (Harman International-sourced speakers), a similar design (and AC'97 audio) is found on current eMachines (Gateway), and HP notebooks.

The drawback is the silver paint, but that's a personal opinion. The paint is definitely not durable, but better in the notebook and not on the shell casing (compare HP variant). The quality varies, some models may have ill-fitting and visible seams or others. The locking clip is made out of metal, but it is in a design where it will not be likely to break off in the first few months of ownership.

This configuration of the notebook (nVidia GeForce 4 420) is passable to do some gaming - although not extremely serious gaming, due to the modest 32 MB of RAM. The LCD is quite bright and vibrant in color, if adjusted properly.

The processor is fine, but to any power user, this configuration is left to be desired. If one wants to, look at this company's offering with an AMD Athlon 64 processor, for a real nice value.

This configuration does not have a floppy drive, FireWire (IEEE 1394), infared, or a flash memory card reader. The good side to this is that there are less things to break! It's quite spartan though. But a floppy is necessary for some things - like booting to an obscure operating system, like BeOS. The notebook design does not allow for a PS2 (keyboard/mouse) connector, nor has serial connectors - which is a cost-saving procedure. The cooling fan is not very noisy, compared to some competitors' models; however, the heat output is jokingly warm enough to warm the room that it's in.

The notebook feels sort of solid, and is at a decent weight, but the form factor makes it impossible to fit in some notebook cases but fits well in backpacks. The machine wears very well, but try not to wear a watch, the plastic underneath the silver paint is obviously black in color.

A good note to take is that this machine configuration needs much more RAM, try to get the highest availible.

The battery is another factor, although I'm connected to an outlet at school, many may want to be "free". The battery lasts a little over an hour and a half.

The Wi-Fi reception is quite strong, but there is no connector (modifiable) to attach an antenna.

As with all recent notebooks, it is not a good idea to place it on your lap, since the temperature is very uncomfortable. The unit has fans underneath also, so never put it on carpeting or other fabric surfaces, since this causes an extreme buildup of dust. (common sense)

Also, the design is quite subtle, and looks ready for business. Compared to the flashy offerings from parent company HP. Spare parts are somewhat cheaper than many on the market, but not the cheapest (batteries).