Presario 5005, 1.1 GHZ - New Computer? The wife finally said OK
Written: Oct 22 '01 (Updated Oct 22 '01)
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Pros: Excellent price vs. features. I've had good luck with Compaq. Easy access to innards.
Cons: Lacks game port, not enough expansion card slots and front panel space.
The Bottom Line: This was everything I was looking for in a home PC. I poked some fun at it, but this was very good value for the money spent.
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| Yarborough's Full Review: Compaq Presario 5005 (470014-507) PC Desktop |
This review was previously created in May and misfiled for lack of a place to put it. I have just moved it to the new Presario 5005 placeholder created by Epinions. If you have seen this before, I apologize but please leave your mark.
Three years had passed since I purchased my last new PC, a Compaq Presario. It had now become more cost efficient to purchase a new PC than to try to upgrade the old. Since the Presario proved to be a trouble free machine for me, I decided to replace it with a Compaq Presario 5005 CL. The old Presario would now have a second life as my wife's PC, after convincing her that it was still a great PC, but at the same time trying to explain why I needed a bigger and better one for me.
Compaq Presario 5005 CL
Don't pay a whole lot of attention to the model number scheme. It doesn't really make sense. My previous Presario was a 5015. The new one is a 5005. Figure that. Many of the Presario model numbers end with "US". This one is a "CL". The "US" model is what you might find in most retail outlets attached to numerous rebates. The "CL" model seems to be used for other distribution channels like Warehouse Clubs where what you see is what you pay.
Overall Features
More important than model number is what's inside. This Presario 5005 is a 1.1 GHZ AMD Athlon processor with L1 and L2 cache. 256 MB of memory, a 60 GB hard drive, a combination CD-ROM/DVD player, a combination CD-ROM/CD writer, 3.5" floppy (will this device ever go away?), and integrated SoundMax audio, a nVidia TNT2 M64 3D graphics card, which unlike the old Presario, is no longer integrated. It occupies one of the expansion slots. A Compaq FS740 17" flat screen monitor is included, not to be confused with a "flat panel" monitor. Occupying two more of the four expansion slots is a dial-up modem and a network NIC card. This leaves one measly expansion slot for you to play with.
Getting it Home
The first task was to wrestle this machine home. Three years ago the system and the monitor where each in their own box, making for somewhat easy transporting. The nice people at Compaq decided that we might get confused with two boxes and leave one behind in the store, so they put both into one very large and unmanageable box. They also made sure that there were absolutely no hand holding grips. So remember to bring a friend. Preferably one with suction cup finger tips.
Some Surprises
BAD - No game port. Oh No! No way that you would figure this out from any in-store feature sheet. My old Presario had one in the front with the 2 USB ports. The poster size installation wiring diagram for the visual impaired, pictured a 15 pin game port connector in 2 different configurations. But search as I may, there was none there. Most likely they assume the new USB game controllers will be used, but then what would I do with my old Microsoft Sidewinder Force? I'm sure Compaq saved a good $1.85 by leaving this out. Many USB game controllers are available, so this is only an issue if you own the older style.
BAD - The feature sheet promoted SoundMAX as Digital Integrated Audio. So one might assume that it would provide a digital output for digital speakers. Wrong! Seems that everything is done within the circuitry as digital until the very last moment when it gets converted to analog for output. I looked at this analog output and then I looked at the new Digital Speaker System that I bought. So I went and purchased a Creative Sound Blaster Live MP3 + 5.1 Sound Card. Kiss that last expansion slot good-bye. I'm now all filled up. The SB-live, besides providing digital out 5.1 and 4 point, also produces analog stereo, and 4 point sound. The SB-live card has a game port which solves that problem.
GOOD - If you don't need digital audio output, this SoundMAX technology is probably the best on board audio that Compaq has provided to date. It does have 3D sound that produces theater surround from stereo speakers, and EAX environmental sound support for games.
GOOD -4 USB ports, 2 in the front and 2 in the back instead of 2 total.
BAD- With more and more USB devices, it doesn't take long to fill four ports. The USB Internet keyboard took me by surprise. With my USB mouse, scanner, printer, WinTV, and SmartMedia reader, I needed 6. I added my 4 port USB Hub from the old PC so that I would end up with 1 USB spare. When I was done, the keyboard and ps2 connectors on the rear were never used. You might want to take a look at my USB Hub Review to see how more connections can be added.
GOOD - There is an expansion cage for another hard drive.
BAD - There is no 5.25 mounting space left on the front, although there is one half panel blank, the size of a floppy drive.
BAD - The installed modem, NIC, and video cards left only one expansion slot which got gobbled up with a sound card upgrade.
GOOD - Since the hard drive is so HUGE, they partitioned off 3 of the 60 GB to a Drive D. This drive is used to restore your PC to a previous working state should something nasty happen. The system backs up information for a restore (but not your stuff) automatically or you can create a checkpoint manually. It seems to do a checkpoint just before any new software installation. Nice! You get to choose, by date, which checkpoint you want to restore from. This is a good feature unless your system trouble spot turns out to include the D partition of the hard drive.
New System Box Architecture
This is the new style box that Compaq promotes the replaceable color kits. Trim on the keyboard, speakers, and system box front can be replaced with a choice of 6 colors. The default kit that comes with the system is smoked gray. There was a coupon for a free color kit, if you consider $8.00 for shipping and handling free. I opted out on this since my keyboard is on a shelf under, I did not use the JBL speakers, and the system box is behind a closed desk door. Besides I happened to like the smoked gray anyway.
Access to the innards of the older Presario box, required removing quite a few screws and breaking a seal that made you feel that you might face the same consequences as when you pull a tag off a pillow. Now Compaq promotes its "Easy Access Design" for getting inside to dabble. There is one screw and a spring loaded button which pops the side panel off. Everything is easily accessible, including the 3 memory slots, one of which is empty. There is a cage provided to install yet another hard drive, should 60 GB not be enough for your MP3 collection.
The installation of the new SB-live card was very easy, even with the connections to the DVD and CD-ROM drives. The SB-live card, by the way, provided me with the missing serial game port.
Setting up the new system was mindless until on start up, Compaq insisted on using on-line registration for both them and Microsoft. The catch is I didn't connect a phone line because I have broadband. Compaq refused to use this connection. Dial-up only. Microsoft was not so picky. They allowed use of the high speed connection.
Later when I finally connected a telephone line, and I hardly know why I did, I then did my Compaq registration. Of course it yelled at me for not also registering with Microsoft, since it didn't know I already did.
Performance
The 1.1 GHZ processor is fast, fast, fast. I'm not sure if it is the Windows Me or the processor speed or both, but the PC is ready to go in 50 to 60 seconds from powering on. At least all those reboots that you have to do when installing new software is less tedious. The software installation setup screens are noticeably faster. Clicking on a word document will bring up MS Word and the document in about 4 seconds. Web pages, with the cable modem, are just a couple of seconds on major sites with good servers, excluding "Epinions.com" which is seldom quick at anything. Clicking on a floppy or the Windows Explorer responds in the blink of an eye.
I was very impressed with the picture quality when playing a DVD movie to the monitor. It reminded me of a letter box DVD player I recently saw at Sharper Image for a few thousand dollars.
Misc
The JBL speakers which I didn't use, get their 12 VDC power from a jack on the rear of the monitor instead of a power module. They can either hook on the sides of the monitor or sit on the provided stands. Although they have a power on/off switch, they have no volume control. It will be difficult to find another use for them.
Warranty is 1 year parts, labor and hardware support. Software support is for 90 days.
Compaq will supply the brave with replacement parts which they pre-ship to you with return labels for the damaged goods.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1200
Operating System: Windows
Processor: AMD Athlon (K7)
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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Epinions.com ID:
Yarborough
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Member: Herb Yarborough
Location: Coventry, Rhode Island, USA
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 37 members
About Me:
Hey! Where did all the Fun go? :(
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