Compaq Presario V3197TU Laptop

Over the last few years laptops have steadily found acceptance into the mainstream, as their prices have dropped and performance levels have increased. A lot of people are now looking to get rid of our desktops and go for these mobile units, as they allow you not only to carry your data around but perform multiple roles ranging from entertainment centers to being our steady workhorses.

However when one settles down to looking for a laptop, its then we realize how much choice there is and how confusing it is. Laptops comes in all shapes and sizes and in nearly every kind of budget. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford a full-blown desktop replacement laptop, it’s all fun and games but for the rest of us the search can be pretty harrowing. Most consumers work on a strict budget, which may not get them good value for money, may look aesthetically poor or perform badly.

One company who has been trying to bridge this gap between desktop replacements and budget offerings, is Compaq (which is a subdivision of Hewlett-Packard) by offering attractive slim laptops that don't skimp on performance and features. We had recently checked out such an offering from Compaq the V3122TU and found it to be a winner. Since then Compaq has withdrawn that model and replaced it with the Compaq V3197TU, which sports updated specifications. How much of a difference this has made, read on to find out.

In a surprising move Compaq has retained the same body for the V3197TU which had been shipped with the V3122TU TU. The laptop possesses the same dark gray glossy finish and is still a fingerprint magnet. Despite the glossy interior, Compaq has overlaid the area above the lid of the laptop with a thick plastic sheet that helps in preventing scratches.

Right Hand Side