Customer Reviews

Compaq CQ2009F Desktop PC

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This will not break PC speed records, but it is no slouch either. It will probably still be faster than your average 5 year old computer that you may be using right now.

More details on what's inside:
The DVD-RW drive is a standard easily replaceable/upgradeable 5 1/4" SATA drive. Also the hard drive is also a standard SATA 3.5" replaceable/upgradeable drive. As far as the memory goes, it is a standard desktop 240pin, 800MHz/667MHz DDR2 module (Single Slot) which can be upgraded to 2GB if you were so inclined to do so. (NOTE: To get to the RAM you have to remove the side panel of the case -2 screws-, the front bezel of the system -2 clips-, to dismount the DVD drive -2 screws-, in order to gain access to the single RAM slot on the motherboard which is populated with the default 1GB module.) The power supply is an external module exactly like a laptop power supply which also helps to reduce the size and heat inside the system. One con I noticed with this system is that the little cooling fan in the back of the system will kick in a very high rate of speed (Loudly) when the internal temps go up which is good for cooling, but can be unnerving if you don't expect it. Also there is no active cooling (Fan) on the processor/chipset itself so I am unsure of its longevity in warmer environments. The model that I received did have a dial-up modem (Green RJ11 Jack) in the single pci-e 1x slot of the computer so I am not sure what the other reviewer was talking about. Also keep in mind that this system does not have an Antivirus pre-installed so be sure to load it with your favorite Antivirus before going crazy w/ online browsing. That is actually one of the good things about the system too, in that it does not come preloaded with tons of Promo-Ware (Limited Usability Promotional/Advertising Software) like other systems. It is pretty much a straight forward XP install with very few Compaq-ware items. The mini keyboard and standard optical mouse was a nice throw-in.

Works fine as a web terminal, casual-use home computer, etc. A tremendous value with a dual-layer DVD writer, reasonably large SATA drive, etc. Full-sized Western Digital SATA hard drive is a bit noisier than I'd like but not overtly noisy. Case is very small, and case fan noise is not too obtrusive. Measures about 30 Watts of power consumption, a small fraction of full-sized desktops which usually use 100 to 200 Watts. Analog video on VGA connector is appropriate, but adding a HDMI could be useful for connecting to a digital TV. Probably HDMI is not available on the nettop/netbook chipsets typically used with the Atom CPU.

Performance is adequate. Doesn't quite feel as quick as the Atom can after adding AVG antivirus and particularly Zonealarm firewall software. Still fast enough for casual web surfing, etc.

Overall very good for its intended purpose. Computers needn't be big, expensive or power hungry to meet the needs of most home users, and this is a good example.

This is a nice little system for the kids. It's energy star qualified so you can leave it on all the time without affecting your electricity bill. According to HP's web site, you can't upgrade the ram (click specs):
[...]
This shouldn't be a problem since 1GB for XP is plenty.

It also doesn't come with speakers or a monitor so get those as well. Here what we got:
[...]

Just don't expect to run the latest 3D games on this machine. For web surfing, email, music, and watching movies, it should be fine.

My HP from 2004 died. So I needed a computer that was inexpensive. Most of all, that had Windows XP on it, and that's hard to find for a new computer now a days. About half of my software is made for Windows 95/98, so why should I buy a new computer with Vista on it when I have no idea if any of it is compatible or not- I might be wasting a few houndred dollars. I like the fact that the computer is small and has a DVD/CD writer on it- very universal CD-Rom drive. *Not to forget to mention it only uses about 65 watts of power. The ONLY thing I was let down on this computer was the lack of enough USB ports, I had to spend a little more money for a Belkin USB hub, which is available here @ Amazon.

Pleased with this computer so far.

UPDATE: I have had the computer for about 3 months now. Very Happy with it; I purchased an external 3.5" floppy disk drive thru the USB port and now I can use the old programs on floppy disk. I keep my house temp. between 70-75 degrees when operating the computer- the system fan RARELY kicks in (when it kicks in, it's loud). Other than that, the computer is sooo quiet. The computer is a great machine for email, internet browsing, word processing and old classic games(ie: Ms. Pacman, Galaga, DigDug) and works great with emulators too- Commodore 64, Atari 2600 and Macintosh.

I would like to thanks to Compaq and HP for providing this excellent and affordable computer. My 6 years old boy loves it so much. we love to watch instant movie from Netflix together. And play game from Disney or Shockwave website. My boy can run educational cd-rom smoothly. For regular daily job, I think this one is perfect in any direction. I just can't believe its so low price and great performance.

Compaq CQ2009F Desktop PC

Our computer arrived at my office very quickly (within 3 days with free shipping). I was surprised at how small and light the box was. After removing it from the box, I was able to carry the computer, keyboard, mouse & cords in the saddlebags on my bike. Couldn't believe it!!

It was very easy to set up and we were connected to the internet in less than 15 minutes. The keyboard is small and compact - the only thing I miss is the 10-key on the right on regular keyboards, but that's a minor inconvenience.

I have two kids in online colleges, and we installed all the software quickly & it runs fine. I am happier with this than computers we purchased from big name warehouse stores for (literally) ten times the money. This machine gets the job done and I am seriously considering buying another one.

Bought this PC to replace a 5 year old Dell that was out of disk space. It is basically our kids/family PC so I didn't want to spend too much or get anything more powerful than necessary. It really is a fantistic little PC for an unbelievably low price. The surprises were the size (so small I decided to place it on the table top next to the monitor) and the sound - extremely quiet running. Small con is small number of USB ports. Overall, very happy with it.

My husband's PC was, despite our efforts and upgrades, showing it's age. I got him this Compaq for his birthday. It is perfect for checking e-mail and light duty etc.. He now completes his online activities in a fraction of the time. We are quite pleased!

Don't let the smaller size fool you. It work's great! Seller got it here quicker than Amazon could track.

I bought this to replace an 8 yr. old PC that finally failed--this tiny XP box was the practical answer. I agree with the positive reviews you'll read here, and add just a couple of things that no one has mentioned. First, the onboard Intel video has native support for screen rotation, so if you like to switch your monitor to portrait mode, you're all set. The power switch is mounted in a way that prevents you from using this PC on its side (i.e. with the DVD drive parallel to your work surface). That's a bit odd; I don't like having the drive tray in a vertical orientation. The unit is quiet until the fan kicks in, then it is louder than expected. But the fan is rarely on.

We use it for browsing, email, Rhapsody, and light photo editing. For these everyday tasks it is just great. If you like XP, this is a good solution.