Description:
Though its raw processor speed may initially seem somewhat average, Compaq's Presario x1040us will easily handle most typical leisure or professional mobile tasks and even many 3D computer games and high-end 3D graphic design programs. In fact, the unit is not only more powerful than many bigger, bulkier portable computers, but also better equipped too. For a compact, capable and full-featured notebook, you can't do much better than the futuristic Presario x1049us. The secret behind the Presario x1040us is Intel's new Centrino technology. Centrino refers to a triumvirate of interconnected elements -- an Intel Pentium M CPU, an Intel 855 chipset, and an Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 network connection -- all of which work hand-in-hand to make your notebook fast, lightweight, battery-efficient and wirelessly connected. At the heart of the unit is an Intel Pentium M processor with a seemingly middling 1.5 GHz clock speed. Being a Centrino processor, however, it also sports one full MB of Level 2 cache to greatly improve speed in frequently accessed applications. Compaq has added 512 MB of 266 MHz DDR SDRAM system memory (expandable to two full GB), an ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics card with a generous 64 MB dedicated video memory, and an absolutely massive 80 GB hard disk. Eminently portable at just 14 by 10 by 1.3 inches and 6.5 lbs., the Presario x1040us nevertheless features a variety of desirable amenities, including a surprisingly spacious 15.4-inch widescreen WXGA display screen capable of 1280 by 800 resolution, a pair of JBL-designed speakers, an 88-key keyboard with touch pad and scroll bar, and a state-of-the-art DVD+R/RW/CD-RW optical drive through which you can burn and play audio CDs and write home movies to long-lasting DVD media. Communication options include a 56K dial-up modem for low-speed Internet and email access, a high-speed RJ-45 LAN connector, and integrated Intel Pro/Wireless 2100 802.11b wireless LAN for those times when you can't or don't want to plug in. To ensure top-notch connectivity, the unit features an IEEE 1394 FireWire port for quick data streaming with external peripherals such as digital camcorders, a trio of fast USB 2.0 ports for other plug and play devices, an S-Video TV-Out, and an SD/MMC digital media slot for memory cards from high-tech devices such as digital cameras.
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