The good: Classy exterior; slim profile with an integrated optical drive; bright, widescreen display; reasonable price.

The bad: The screen looks small due to a thick border; poor position of the easy-access USB port and audio jacks; integrated optical drive cannot be upgraded.

The bottom line: This notebook is suitable for students or executives in need of a serious work machine that doesn't look like it came out of a mass production facility.

Read full review of the Compaq Presario B1800 »

By
Nov 8, 2005

The newly launched Compaq Presario B1800 marks the beginning of a line by HP that offers full-featured lightweight notebooks at a budget price range. Stylishly designed, the Presario B1800 sports a brushed metal exterior that exudes class. Under the lid, a 12.1-inch WXGA screen provides an immersive experience for movie viewing.

Please note that as of September 16, 2005, the rating system has been revised for more accurate scores.

Design
One of the first machines by HP with the form factor of an ultraportable but incorporating an integrated optical drive, the Compaq Presario B1800 can easily fit into most haversacks or briefcases since it's only slightly larger than an A4 notepad. The thickness is a hair under 30mm, which amounts to no deeper than two standard-sized DVD cases. The mobility of the unit is further enhanced with a heft of only 1.6kg.

	Take me home in a handbag.

At first glance, the exterior seems to be made from brushed aluminum. Yet further inspection yields the fact that its actually textured plastic, which is lightweight and cheap, to keep the cost down. The silver lines, besides giving it a high-end kitchen appliance look, also prevent fingerprints and minor scratches from showing. Only the obvious presence of the connectivity ports reminds you not to put your waffle batter between the screen and the keyboard.

For easy access, most of the ports are located on the flanks with only the battery, monitor out and a USB 2.0 connector at the rear. A minor peeve for some may be the location of the other two USB ports on the right side. Using flash drives or dongles in these ports may hinder the right-handed mouse usage as the slots are located too far forward.

The speakers are well positioned under the screen. This is a good location as audio output will not be blocked when the notebook is open. However, this excludes listening to music when the machine is clamed shut. The screen itself has two borders--a black, shiny plastic surrounding the LCD set in a silver panel. This unfortunate design gives the optical illusion of shrinking the 12.1-inch display. The grey full-sized keyboard fits in well with the color scheme and is comfortable to use due to the good tactile feel.

Features
Three USB 2.0 ports provide high-speed connectivity for flash drives and other accessories. Video buffs can connect their digicams to the mini-FireWire port to download their homemade movies. A memory card reader, which supports SD, MMC and Memory Stick formats, is included for digital photographers. The monitor and S-video output allow the Compaq B1800 to be used with external display devices.

Internet addicts can satisfy their cravings anywhere as this notebook can hook up to 802.11b or the faster 802.11g Wi-Fi networks. Wireless access can be turned off with the dedicated switch to conserve battery power. The integrated Bluetooth function allows compatitble mobile phones and PDAs to sync without cables. Wired ports include a 10/100 ethernet and 56K modem connection. Unless you require infrared, the generous connectivity options should be more than sufficient.

Awkward placement of the USB ports.

The display is a 12.1-inch widescreen transflective LCD. Bright enough to use under strong direct light, it is unfortunate that a compromise, in the form of distracting reflections at low backlight settings, had to be made. There are eight backlight levels available though even the lowest illumination is unsuitable to use in dark environments. The widescreen allows owners to watch letterbox movie editions without stretching the video.

The integrated audio produces stereo sound from the two speakers while loud enough to use in noisy places. At higher levels there are obvious sound artifacts which distort listening pleasure. Working and listening though headphones may prove to be a hassle as the location of the jack means the wires get in the way when using the keyboard.

The touchpad, as a pointing device, is sensitive enough for precision movements. But if you entertain thoughts of using it for sniping in games, be warned that this notebook has only an integrated graphics chipset which will not support resource-intensive game titles.

Performance
Our review unit is powered by an Intel Pentium M 750 processor running at 1.86GHz. The 512MB DDR2 RAM makes full use of the 533MHz FSB speed provided by the Intel 915GM chipset to give a score of 167 on MobileMark 2002's benchmark test. However, this lags behind the Dell Inspiron 6000 and Fujitsu LifeBook S7020. Intensive computations is not the forte of a Presario B1800.

BAPCo MobileMark2002 performance rating (longer bars indicate faster performance)

Compaq Presario B1800 (Pentium M processor 750 1.86GHz; 512MB RAM; 533MHz FSB) 167 Dell Inspiron 6000 (Pentium M processor 750 1.86GHz; 1GB RAM; 533MHz FSB) 195 Fujitsu LifeBook S7020 (Pentium M processor 750 1.86GHz; 1GB RAM; 533MHz FSB) 232

The battery life is rather poor, providing only 2 hours of untethered computing time. This sets it far behind the other two test models, both of which have a larger display. Unfortunately, there is no higher capacity battery available for extended mobile computing.

BAPCo MobileMark2002 battery life in minutes (longer bars indicate longer battery life)

Compaq Presario B1800 (Pentium M processor 750 1.86GHz; 12.1-inch screen) 126 Dell Inspiron 6000 (Pentium M processor 750 1.86GHz; 15.4-inch screen) 300 Fujitsu LifeBook S7020 (Pentium M processor 750 1.86GHz; 14-inch screen) 184

Service And Support
HP notebooks have a one-year local warranty. At HP's support Web site, laptop owners can download the latest drivers and manuals. In the event of a simple malfunction, the company offers an online knowledge database and support forum for troubleshooting. Further diagnosis or repair can be made at the service center, though the owner has to bring the notebook there. Telephone support is available during normal working hours and for current or potential customers who are not sure which HP notebook is right for you, a dedicated number is available for assistance in purchase selection. There is no option to extend or upgrade the warranty.

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