Compaq Presario – Refurbished Computers and Where to Buy One

I was looking to upgrade to a better computer and could not afford to get a new one with what I wanted. Just a basic computer runs pretty inexpensively these days but I wanted some of the added things that make a good computer.

I have a local Computer Renaissance and went there for several reasons. I like their personal service and how they treat customers. And I like the fact that they have service people in the store, they never send things out to return a few weeks later.

There are certified technicians that can repair and help you with any problems you may be having with your computer, regardless if it’s software, hardware or your just not getting something correct on the computer. They are very helpful and want to help you if you are having problems.

That is one of the reason I went with a local company that sells computers and not some national chain like Best Buy or Dell. I bought a laptop at Best Buy and got some really good deals with rebates. But the service is lousy.

I was having a problem with Works and they said it was software related so go and figure it out. Maybe not that tone or words but you get the idea. They tested the laptop and could find no problem with the hardware so go away. I had the computer for four days.

I had to reload Works and then it ran fine but I did not like the fact that they blew me off so quickly when it was a brand new laptop. I did not have the thing for a week and they were saying it is not their problem.

So I went with a local company and I recommend you do the same. I have checked into some others and really have found that going with a major brand is one thing, but buying from a store that has repair and service in the store is something else.

If they have A+ certified technicians from the Computing Technology Industry Association then that is a place I would look into buying from. I would stay away from places that are so large that they don’t need to worry about turning away a customer or two. Yes, I know there are some things that you have to get at places lie those but for the really good service, that is where I go.

Dell, for instance is not available in my area for service. The closest Dell where I live is in Minneapolis. Quite a ride for me when I want to have them do something to my computer and want it fixed soon.

With Computer Renaissance I take it in and they fix it on the spot, no sending out to get someone else to do it. They either fix it or replace parts in the store. That’s what I like to hear, not we’re shipping it out and it’ll be a few weeks.

Well, I have waxed nostalgic enough about where to buy your computer, now to the Compaq. There were a few things I was looking for in my new desktop computer. I wanted to have the DVD burner and CD burner for music and movies. I wanted enough memory to handle the editing of movies and I wanted firewire to be able to hook up my camera easily.

I definitely got what I wanted and more. The model I have is a Compaq Presario s4220nx, with a AMD Athlon XP2600 processor. The memory came with a 512 MB card and I later upgraded that. The computer has an onboard graphics card that is pretty good and the usual things like modem, sound card, USB with 4 connectors and the firewire in the front.

It came with a good CD/DVD burner from Hewlett Packard. I will not go into all the specifications and such as you probably cannot buy this model of computer unless you get a refurbished one. I wanted to write about the general brand and line of computers and the best places to buy one.

I like the brand of computer. I have an older Hewlett Packard and wanted to upgrade with the same company. I tried at the time when Hewlett Packard was buying out Compaq or the other way around. It doesn’t matter anymore, the company is now one in the same, Hewlett Packard and Compaq.

I like the service, when I call they try to honestly help and send you updates on the products you have bought from them. You can get emails about the latest updates to your model computer and they seem to try to help if you call and have a problem or question.

I have used the live chat feature a few times to talk to a technician about this or that problem and it is a nice easy to use bonus when you buy from HP.

You can talk live using your modem to a technician if you have a problem with something instead of trying to do it over the phone. This is nice when you want to do something or quickly setup things on your computer you are having problems with.

You just go to the support and troubleshooting of HP and go to the chat with online technician. You have to input a few things like your name and model number of your computer and then you chat with a live technician who will try to help you.

It’s things that help and support when things go wrong with your computer that is a nice part of a company when they try really hard to get your problem solved. That is what I look for when I purchase computer related things. Support for after I buy it, not when the salesman is giving me the pitch to sell it.

The Compaq line of computers have all the same characteristics of the Hewlett Packard lines do, they have a system recovery that restores your computer back to a previous time when it was working better.

There is an updating system where they notify you of any updates or important things about your computer called Compaq Connections. And they have the refurbished computers like the one I have bought. They take a computer that is an older model that has been used and replace things like the drives and any older parts and install other better things such as a better processor and newer drives and clean it all up and sell them.

They are at a better price and have been fully tested for you so they work well. They have full warranties with them and if you do have a problem call and try to get help, but if it’s beyond what you can handle, just pack it up in the car and off to the store with it. They can deal with it there and get it back to you a lot sooner than a few weeks.

I say that few weeks stuff a couple of times here because I had a problem with my laptop that I mentioned. The CD drive went out, would not read discs and they had to send the thing in to get it fixed. I could have taken it somewhere local and gotten it fixed in a few days, but it took fourteen for Best Buy to mail the laptop out, fix it and get it back.

That’s why I say to go local, better service and you can go talk to the people that are working on your computer to find out what is going on with it. Not over the phone and we’ll call you back when it comes in.

I had the chance to talk with one of their service technicians when I invited them to the county fair to demonstrate some things about what is inside a computer. They were glad to help and brought out a new computer to let people peek inside of.

The technician I talked with told me how he builds computers for fun on his own, so I know they have qualified technicians if they go home and build their own computers.

So overall the Compaq Presario line of computers are a very good brand and there is nothing wrong with buying a refurbished computer, they test the computer completely before shipping it out to you and it is a little less expensive than a brand new one.

I will definitely be going back to my local Computer Renaissance for my next computer, as a matter of fact my wife is getting grants for the 4-H Tech Team to buy a laptop for their Lego Robotics System.

I would recommend you shop locally and ask to see the guys who will be working on the computer you buy if it gets broke and needs fixing. If they don’t do it locally, then take your business elsewhere. I wouldn’t want my computer mailed out, fixed, and hopefully gets returned in one piece.