Compal (not compaq) laptops

[yokem55]

I am interested in hearing the impressions people have of Compal (not Compaq) manufactured laptops. RJtech.com is selling a centrino based one that they are calling the hd5000 which comes with radeon9k graphics, 15"sxga screen, combo optical drive, 5400rpm hd, can be bought sans os (a big deal for me), and starts at $1319US, which looks rather attractive to me. I know compal typically operates as an OMD (original design manufacturer) and has made lappys for dell and toshiba in the past, so I hoping some people around here have bought a laptop manufactured by them and could share their experiences.

Thanks

 

[AnyMal]

You already know that they are mostly in OEM business. Dell, Gateway, and others. I was less impressed with their PDA's, like Amigo. I believe your biggest problem would be support. AFAIK they do not have a presense here in US, but I could be wrong.

 

[jschuk]

I am not a big fan of them. Compared to Toshiba (the real Toshiba's, not the Compal ones) and IBM, the build quality is not there. They use 2-3 times as many screws to hold them together and they still feel flimsy. Thermally their fans seem to run more often and are noisier. When they fail, they seem to fail catastrophically. Other laptops might lose their sound or battery functionality, but the Compal ones just seem to up and die. On a positive note, they are definately priced lower than other laptops with similar specs.

 

[jpeyton]

I'm typing on a Compal-built X1000 right now. I have nothing but praises. Hardware-wise, this laptop offers the best bang for the buck out of any on the market.

EDIT: The only problem I see with the laptop at RJTech is that you can order an X1000 from HP and it will cost less after MIR than the HD5000, plus it comes with a widescreen display, free shipping, XP Home, etc.