Compaq Presario 1200

The Compaq Presario 1200 Series was a line of notebook computers produced between 1998 and 2000 by Compaq. They were originally noted for their AMD processors, light weight and 12-inch LCD screens, while later models included a shift to Intel processors and other changed features. The label of "Compaq Presario 1200" includes a vast set of model numbers and revisions, many of which are not totally compatible, even though the machines share the same general Presario model number.

Many original models of the Presario 1200 series ran on AMD K6-2 processors, which was quite an adventurous move at a time when AMD was very much second place to the dominant market leader Intel. The chips were notable for their inclusion of 3D-NOW technology, enabling marked performance increases from the original K6. The chips came in a variety of speeds, ranging from 333 MHz to 550 MHz, however performance varied only slightly between models.

A number of Presario 1200 series notebooks exist with Celeron or Pentium III processors as well, primarily found in the later designs. These later models are often noted for having a silver display lid instead of the original black lid.

The range came with Toshiba HDDs and optical media drives, available as 24X CD-ROMs or 4X DVD-ROMs. Hard drives ranged from 3.01 GB to 10.0 GB and ran at a slow 3300 RPM across the range. This could have been due to noise limitations, as the series is noted for its low noise output. Screens were available as 12.1 / 13.0 inch LCDs yet screen housing varied from model to model. The 1245 and 1246 had very different screen housing to the 1200 and the 1200XL which came with the 13 inch screen. The 1200 also had a silver housing whereas all other models came in black. Screens for this series are notable for their banding and white edges which appear more evident as the machine ages, the backlight at the sides clearly visible. Memory expansion was available on the bottom of the units, allowing up to 128MB of additional SODIMM memory to be added. All models came equipped with a Floppy Disk Drive, VGA output and PC Card slot as standard. They also came with on-board JBL stereo speakers and Synaptics touchpads. These systems were preinstalled with Windows 98, Windows Me or Windows 2000 Professional. They were supplied with a Quick Restore disc which returned the system to its factory condition in the event of change of ownership, wish to reinstall the OS or system failure.

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