I like to write. I have a regular PC at home. I also have an old laptop that I purchased from my daughter's college friend a couple of years ago. Though I started using it right away, I didn't continue using it. Though a laptop is the direction I wanted to go, I never used it that much because it was very heavy for travel.

I went to a company holiday party recently and I won one of the magor door prizes, this Hewlett Packard Compaq Presario CQ50-130US PC Notebook. I was a very happy man!!

Hewlett Packard Compaq Presario CQ50-130US PC Notebook

The stats on this notebook can be found by clicking the DETAILS tab. For those who need to know speed capacity and all those other things those stats must give, that's the place to find them. Most of this review is dedicated to how easy this computer was to set up, use and maintain. I will mention that this computer weighs 6 and a half pounds with an overall size of 14"w  X 10 d" by 1 and 3/4" h. That's important to me because the last laptop I used was a great deal heavier but too heavy for traveling comfort. This one is just right. I must add that it does not come with a case. I believe I may get one for Christmas as a gift.

I like the Touchpad on this laptop. It takes me a little while to get used to these pads but in time I got much better. I happen to really like the scoll feature built into the touchpad. It allows for more controlled use. Another important factor for me. Different from the old scroll I knew this one has a vertical line where I simply move my finger up and down and all moves well and easily.

This thing has ports all over it with a port for SD cards, 3 USB ports, and a NIC port. Quite frankly, I don't know or care what most are.  Most are on the left and right side with only the headphone and microphone jacks in the front. That leaves for cleaner use of the notebook. Neither headphones or a microphone came with the laptop but finding something compatible was easy.

The layout and feel is ergonomically well designed. I immediately felt comfortable using this.

First Use

I first checked out the instruction book. It was easy to follow. The five steps to set up.

1 Unpack the box
2 Insert the battery
3 connect external power
4 Open the computer and turn it on
5 Follow the on screen instructions.

This was very basic instruction but you have to realize, that's what I'm looking for. I'm not a geek or a tech guy. I just want ease of use for getting to the Internet and receiving Email.

Once I got the Compaq Notebook home I broke it out of the box, placed the Lithium ion battery into it and plugged in the charger that came with the unit. The next day I was ready to roll totally wireless.

I will note that using the wireless seemed to drain the battery very quickly. I only get a couple of hours of solid use. Maybe I'm expecting too much but I was hoping for more. The battery does recharge fairly quickly though. I usual just plug it in overnight and I'm ready to go at full charge in the morning.

I happen to have wireless internet service due to my two daughters who use it when they are using their laptops. This HP Compaq found the signal immediately. This is all important to me because I don't want or need problems. I need simplicity in set up and that's what I got.

Truth is there are tons of things that are on this notebook that I'll never use and more tech detail can be found by clicking the Details tab on the review. I just need a simple to set up and use computer. This has been perfect in the short time I own it.

CD/DVD

This has a CD/DVD drive that opens on the right side. I am a little disappointed in the volume of the CD and DVD player. I am a little hard of hearing in the first place but even with the volume cranked, I have a little problem hearing it. I really have to have complete quiet to be able to listen satisfactorily.

Though I haven't tried it this player is supposed to be able to burn DVDs as I read it.

More Stuff

There are many accessory keys on the board. I suppose they may make my use easier in some way but I haven't experimented. I really do use this for very basic use.

I have found the keys that allow for easy adjustment of the screens brightness. That I liked.

In looking at photos I found that the glossy screen that this computer has makes for very sharp looking images. That's something else I liked in my limited use.

Last Thoughts

Because this was free I am even more excited about having this computer than one could imagine. All in all I like the construction of this Compaq Presario CQ50. It feels solid and has weight but it's not too heavy and is noticeably lighter than the older laptop I owned.

The connections were very easy to make in the first place and I did not have to ask my daughters to bail me out. I was set up on my own very quickly using the book and the prompts that came up on the screen. The computer seems quick enough for my use as compared to my regular home computer and others I use from time to time like those at the library.

I am happy with the feel of the machine. It's easy to use and navigate. I also like that screen with a much glossier look than any I have had before.

I do wish that the battery lasted longer than two to three hours but perhaps I'm asking for too much. I do like the very long plug in system that is about ten feet long  that allows me to reach most any outlet with plenty of extra room.

I'm so happy I could shout out a five star rating but the battery limitation brings me to a solid four stars.
 
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Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): prize!!