Compaq CQ56 Free Laptop Review

Good all rounder at a competitive price point

- The Compaq CQ56 occupies the middle ground between a netbook and a powerful laptop in both price and performance. It may not pack quite the power of a top of the range Samsung or Sony machine but it’s a full size laptop and a noticeable step up in performance from a more basic netbook for only a little more money. With a 2.2 GHz processor and 2gb RAM it has roughly 1.5x the speed of a typical netbook and twice the memory and the increased performance is very noticeable, especially when multitasking or running more memory intensive functions like video. If you’re looking for something with the great value for money of a netbook deal but don’t want to compromise on the performance of a larger laptop then this machine is probably for you.

Top Deal on Compaq CQ56: Free with 5gb mobile broadband just £30 a month. See This Deal...

The CQ56 is a full sized laptop with a 15.6” high definition screen that’s great for watching movies or viewing photos. In a neat addition to this it also features high quality Altec Lansec speakers that simulate 3D sound and offer a much better listening experience than your typical laptop. The processor is also fast enough to run streamed videos from the likes of You Tube in full screen mode without any noticeable lag and the 250gb hard drive, whilst not the biggest, offers plenty of room for storing music, movies and photos making this an all round good choice for multimedia.

Having managed to keep the cost down to a level that makes it competitive on price with netbooks it would have been easy for Compaq to skimp on the quality of the production but we’re pleased to say this hasn’t happened. The HD screen is nice and bright with vivid colours, the sound is well above average, the keyboard sturdy with a high quality feel and the overall package runs quietly and coolly. Obviously there have been some compromises to keep the price down, there’s no web cam, HDMI out or memory card reader for example but these don’t let the overall package down.

It’s easy to make comparisons with a netbook because of the price but this is clearly a ‘proper’ laptop with a full DVD rewriter drive, Windows 7 Premium rather than Starter (including Microsoft Media Centre) and a full sized widescreen. As you’d expect it lacks some of the portability and long battery life of netbooks but that isn’t really the point of a device like this. On top of the basic spec Compaq have also done a nice job of adding some neat touches to the CQ56. One in particular that stands out is the ability to easily customise the Function keys which means you get to program 12 keys as shortcuts for any operation you want (e.g. programme launch, mute, skip tracks, etc). The high definition screen is, as you would expect, great for watching video but it also makes a big difference for web browsing too making everything appear sharper and a richer experience.

Overall the CQ56 lacks some of the finesse and high power of the very top end laptops but it’s a nice, new machine with a modern spec that runs rings around a netbook in terms of performance and is exceptional value for money

 

Free Laptop Deals:

Compaq CQ56 for £29.99 with 15gb mobile broadband for £30 a month See This Deal

See all Free Laptop Mobile Broadband Deals

 

Summary and rating:

Good step up from more basic netbooks
Decent spec with good overall performance
Excellent for multimedia with HD and 3D sound
Not as powerful as more expensive laptops

Overall Rating 8/10

 

Specification:

Screen: 15.6” HD screen
Operating System: Windows 7
Processor: AMD V Series (2.3 GHz)
RAM: 2gb
Hard Drive: 250gb
Battery: 3 hours
WiFi: Yes
Weight: 2.2kg
Size: 37.4 x 24.6 x 3.3cm
Other: Altec Lansing 3D sound speakers, 8x DVD RW, two USB ports