Review of the Compaq CQ57-229WM

The Compaq Presario CQ57-229WM is the latest in a series of low-cost laptops that walks the line between affordability and capability. It's not going to fool anyone into thinking that it's a gaming PC or a heavy-duty business laptop, but it still has a number of essential features that set it apart from other low cost laptops. Plus, it's less than $300 -- not bad for a full-sized laptop.

The power plant of the CQ57-229WM is a dual-core AMD C50, but don't let the "dual core" buzzword fool you. This computer will handle basic programs and Internet browsing just fine, but anything past that will be stretching it--it's not even as powerful as many netbooks, as its 1.0 Ghz processor is paired with only two gigabytes of SDRAM. The RAM is expandable to eight gigabytes, and as SDRAM is fairly inexpensive, buyers should consider tossing some extra RAM in their carts to give the computer a little more juice.

Basically, the CQ57-229WM is intended for so-called "essential" computing tasks, including the aforementioned web browsing and maybe a little light picture editing. It's a great laptop for college students or travelers, and by skimping on the processor, Compaq was able to introduce some really nice extra features.

Its SuperMulti DVD burner is a good example. The 15.6 inch screen should be great for watching movies or TV shows, and although most laptops on the market come with DVD burners these days, very few are able to break the $300 price point. The CQ57-229WM also has a memory card reader, three USB ports and a built-in webcam and microphone. It should be more than fast enough to handle video conferencing through programs like Skype, which is another reason that college students on a budget should consider this laptop.

There's also a nicely-sized 250GB SATA hard drive and built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi. The laptop's battery is listed at a decent if unremarkable 4.5 hours of life. The operating system is Windows 7 Home Premium, which is a nice step up from the limited "Starter" versions of Windows 7 that ship with many low-cost laptops.

Overall, the Presario CQ57-229WM is a very nice computer for the price. It fits in some surprising features along with all of the essentials, and although it's underpowered compared to many other PCs of its size, it's a great computer for people who don't need a lot of extra power or features. The CQ57-229WM was certainly designed with travelers and college students in mind, and those buyers probably won't have many complaints with this inexpensive, efficient computer.