Futureshop: $449 Compaq Presario Notebook (F565CA)

[alwaysbuylow]

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10090301&catid=

A very cheap budget notebook, on sales starting this Friday at Futureshop for $449. I think this is a better buy than the Acer Aspire AS3050-1092 on sales for $399 from Bestbuy. This one has 1G RAM, 120G harddisk.

Compaq Presario AMD Sempron Processor 3500+ 1.8GHz Laptop (F565CA)

Base Features:
Approximate Battery Life 2 Hours
Hard Drive Speed/Capacity 120GB 5400RPM
Optical Drive Super Multi DL DVD Burner
Processor Speed 1.8GHz
Processor Type AMD Sempron 3500+
RAM 1GB (Expandable to 2GB)
Screen Size 15.4 inches
Pre-loaded Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium - Bilingual

Interfaces: 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x VGA (15-Pin), 1 x RJ-11 (Modem), 1 x TV-Out (S-Video), 1 x RJ-45 (LAN), 1 x Headphone-Out, 1 x Microphone-In

Remember to add this printer for $19.99.
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10087005&logon=&langid=EN

[alwaysbuylow]

Price just got updated, added it to cart, showed $449 now.

[gizmo]

screen is bigger too.
throw in the cheap printer, s-video out, easy returns, and no delivery wait;and this is a great deal!
Ordered :)

[Formula1]

This looks like a better deal than the $400 Acer at BB.

It has 1 GB ram vs 512 MB.
It has a 15.4 in screen vs 14.1 in screen.
It has a 120 Gig hard drive vs 80 Gig HD.
It burns DL DVD's whereas the Acer doesn't according to specs so I'm not sure on this one.
It has Nvidia 6150 vs ATi 1100. Not sure which is better.
It'a a litter heavier at 3.08 kb vs 2.4 kg.

I'd take this for $50 more over the Acer.

[SuperAho]

I bet the 1gig ram is 2 x 512 though. so u need to scrap them to upgrade anything.

[ryyback]

It says the ram is 1GB, not 2 x 512-:)
Seems like a good deal really.

This one seems better to buy though-although a little more money at $699, but comes with 'more'.
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10090035&logon=&langid=EN

[advantage21]

Good find, but it's a tough choice between this Compaq and the Dell 1501 deal. (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472543)

The Dell is $499, Duo Core, but HDD is only 80 Gig.

[alwaysbuylow]

This is a very good value notebook for people on budget. It comes with 1G RAM, 120G Hard Disk, Windows Vista Home Premium.

[B40]

Can you sell the Vista? Is it worth anything?

If I got this, I'd probably just format and install XP.

[Peridium]

Does anybody know if this notebook has a bilingual keyboard as well? I looked up the product name on the HP website (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01063797&lc=en&cc=ca&dlc=en&product=3443813&rule=32484&lang=en) and it indicates that the product is French? Does this mean the keyboard has smaller Enter and Shift keys?

[Viz79]

Good find, but it's a tough choice between this Compaq and the Dell 1501 deal. (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472543)

The Dell is $499, Duo Core, but HDD is only 80 Gig.

Just noticed the Presario is powered by an AMD Sempron 3500+ CPU... I would much rather go with Dell's Inspiron at $50 more.

~V79~

[alwaysbuylow]

Just noticed the Presario is powered by an AMD Sempron 3500+ CPU... I would much rather go with Dell's Inspiron at $50 more.

~V79~

The inspriron has a smaller 80G HD, cost $50 more. This Compaq has a slower cpu, but larger 120G HD, Vista Premium instead of Basic, and $50 cheaper. It all depends on your budget and needs.

[Aggy]

Just ordered one online and picking it up tonight...the FS laptop that is.

[bolufromthesoo]

My dad bought this at FS just now,, it has 2 x 512MB for ram and the keyboard is bilingual, the left shift key is small but the right one is the same size as a english laptop keyboard. The enter key is huge though. He's not planning to use this laptop for more than web surfing and word processing on business trips so this is a pretty good deal for him.

The set up was on the first boot was over an hour... and the boot up time is very slow as well

[Formula1]

My dad bought this at FS just now,, it has 2 x 512MB for ram and the keyboard is bilingual, the left shift key is small but the right one is the same size as a english laptop keyboard. The enter key is huge though. He's not planning to use this laptop for more than web surfing and word processing on business trips so this is a pretty good deal for him.

The set up was on the first boot was over an hour... and the boot up time is very slow as wellJust curious. Did it come with any kind of recovery disc to reinstall Windows?

[ajimondo]

You have to make your own recovery disc. I find this laptop really slow... I don't know if it's Vista or all the crappy software loaded onto it when you first get it. How would I install a fresh copy of Vista without all that crap?

[GYR8]

You have to make your own recovery disc. I find this laptop really slow... I don't know if it's Vista or all the crappy software loaded onto it when you first get it. How would I install a fresh copy of Vista without all that crap?

YMMV on this, but if the computer includes the 'Anytime Upgrade Disc' (usually in what looks like a DVD-style case), you might be able to do a clean install. I had some issues with a couple of Acer Laptops at work and I was able to use the disc on bootup with the Windows Vista serial # on the bottom of the laptop. It installed peferctly for me :cheesygri

BEFORE YOU DO THIS, make sure you make the manufacturers recovery discs in case something goes horribly wrong. ;)

GYR8

[bolufromthesoo]

Just curious. Did it come with any kind of recovery disc to reinstall Windows?

Nope, they gave us the offer to buy it but we declined. It has the same thing as HP computers which allows you to make your own recovery discs (once). There isn't an 'Anytime Upgrade' disc in a dvd case either but the laptop I bought for university did have it (which was 1000$ more than this laptop lol).

BTW the Windows Experience Index is 3.0

Specifically - 3.8, 4.5, 3.1, 3.0, 4.6. I'll let you guys know if I can get any of those numbers to increase.

The 3.1 went to a 3.2 hehe

3.2 went to a 3.3 after driver update: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericSoftwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&softwareitem=ob-51066-1&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

[ryyback]

Ok, I have been looking and I'm not to sure why I am looking for a notebook? But anyway, seeing as this one is only $449, that's seems pretty good for just doing photoshop stuff and watching DVD's (kid) and some web surfing.
No remote-oh well
No headphones-Oh well-have a few pairs lying around from the old DVD walkman days-LOL
No card reader?-good thing for the 2 USB ports.
It comes with a ac adapter, so on those trips you plug in the car and the kids are happy.
It has WIFI so I can maybe surf etc in the park while the rugrat plays-Priceless--sorry had to-:)
Get rid of some of the 'useless' programs it comes with and it seems like a half decent notebook.
Hopefully this helps others on a budget decide.
Will post back later----from the park hopefully-LOL

[ryyback]

On second thought, this one has a better processor etc and is only $90 more-:) And it comes with Windows XP Home not Vista.
http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ca&CS=cabsdt1&l=en&OC=N1000A2X_F_1E

[lecorbusier]

So my mother picked up the ACER Aspire AS3050 for 399.00... too slow for my liking and it came with Vista Home Basic... if you read the Details it lists "Pre-loaded Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium." Check the link below... I think I'm going to get er to return it, and jump over to FS for the Compaq...

Also under the WiFi connections window... there are 2 connections present (apparantly)... one being Apple Network and another named Colisko? Anyone know if this is the work of the manufacturer or could it have been returned?

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0926INGFS10089347&catid=20354&logon=&langid=EN

[st7860]

You have to make your own recovery disc. I find this laptop really slow... I don't know if it's Vista or all the crappy software loaded onto it when you first get it. How would I install a fresh copy of Vista without all that crap?

its because of vista. i've tried many luxury models ($1200 etc) even with the bloatware removed the systems feel slow.

[alwaysbuylow]

its because of vista. i've tried many luxury models ($1200 etc) even with the bloatware removed the systems feel slow.

I agree, I have tried models with higher end cpu, I still feel slow than XP. I guess that it is because of the fancy graphical interface on Vista causing it slow.

[st7860]

I agree, I have tried models with higher end cpu, I still feel slow than XP. I guess that it is because of the fancy graphical interface on Vista causing it slow.

even with Vista with the desktop changed to look like Windows 2000 with AERO GLASS turned off, its dog slow, even on a $1400 notebook with the factory installed bloatware removed.

[Neil]

Future Shop site suggests spending $100 to get the HPDV6401 instead. Says it has these advantages over the Compaq:

Celeron M 520
Digital audio output
1MB L2 Cache
Enhanced Design
Webcam and Microphone
3 USB Ports
Firewire
5-in-1 Card Reader
Remote
Headphones
HP Quickplay

[DaddyB]

I bought the f565ca yesterday at futureshop and after hours and hours of checking out all the specs (via Nvidia Ntune and WCPUID/CPUZ) and cross referencing Nvidia's specs I can tell you this laptop does NOT have the GFgo6150 graphics chipset, it has the 6100 chipset, which is 50Mhz slower and does not support some features such as hardware HD decoding.

I'm pissed and this thing is going back, now to decide which laptop will replace it. It seems as though the false advertising is thanks to Compaq/HP, not FS though - compaq says it is the 6150 on their site. I love it when companies rip off their customers assuming that their customers are too stupid to notice - it's like getting slapped in the face...twice.

[jande9]

On second thought, this one has a better processor etc and is only $90 more-:) And it comes with Windows XP Home not Vista.
http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ca&CS=cabsdt1&l=en&OC=N1000A2X_F_1E

This seems like a great deal.

We got a Dell with the Turion 64X2 running Vista last month for double the price and it is fast enough to run games like Call of Duty. Ours has the big high def screen which added a lot to the price.

XP on this Vostro should just zip along. Also, the Vostro isn't loaded down with bloatware which is nice.

[willpoon]

Can anybody tell me if I can upgrade the processor to a duo core? Thanks.

[logitechh]

if yes please share the experience of downgrading to xp.

[lionboy]

People are hilarious.

"It has a 15.4 in screen vs 14.1 in screen. So its better crap"

14.1" screens are MORE EXPENSIVE because the laotp overall is SMALLER, thus more PORABLE!

[willpoon]

Sweet, I put a duel core AMD turion processor in this laptop last night and it breezed thru Vista with ease!

Anyone want an extra Sempron 3500+ mobile processor? I'm selling it. PM me.