Compaq Computers

Compaq computers have been around since 1982, when three Texas Instruments employees left the company to start their own firm. Their idea was to manufacture and sell portable computers to rival those being built by IBM, then the market leader in the computing industry. A mission statement such as this would get any modern-day entrepreneur laughed out of a pitch meeting, but over 20 years ago this was a revolutionary idea.

Since then, Compaq computers have become one of the best-known and most reliable brands in the consumer electronics business. A few years back, Compaq merged with rival Hewlett-Packard to form a technological juggernaut that continues to innovate in the current landscape. Just witness the company's iPAQ Pocket PC, which was named in 2001 as the World's Most Powerful PDA.

Compaq Computers Today

You can't go into any computing store today without finding shelves upon shelves of Presario notebooks and desktops. Their latest line, the 8000Z series, comes with the Athlon 64 chip, which is designed to handle 64-bit applications, though it can also be used with more standard 32-bit programs. The 8000Z retails for under 1000 dollars, a good sign that the affordable computers industry is alive and well.

In addition to the Presario, Compaq also manufactures cables, adapters, gaming equipment, port replicators, floppy drives, and a suite of other accessories. If you're just starting out with your first PC, Compaq computers are an excellent choice as an all-in-one system equipped to handle all your basic computing needs. Compaqs may be some of the most inexpensive computers on the market, but they're also among the most robust in their capabilities.