Compaq Presario SR5262NX Budget Desktop PC

The Bottom Line
The Compaq Presario SR5262NX is pretty much the epitome of what one gets out of a budget system. It has about all the features one would expect but doesn't have much that really sets it apart from others in either a good or bad way. At least it should run smoothly with the two full gigabytes of memory.

Pros

* Two Full Gigabytes Of Memory
* LightScribe Drive For Labelling Compatible CD/DVD Media

Cons

* Has Lots Of Trialware Installed
* Lacks FireWire Port

Description

* Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2160 Desktop Processor
* 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
* 300GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
* 16x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner with LightScribe
* Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics
* HDA 7.1 Audio
* v.92 56Kbps Modem, 10/100 Ethernet
* Six USB 2.0, 15-in-1 Card Reader
* Vista Home Premium, MS Works 8, Roxio Creator Basic, autoProducer, Norton Internet Security

Guide Review - Compaq Presario SR5262NX Budget Desktop PC
Much of the Compaq Presario SR5262NX desktop is what one would expect to find in a desktop PC these days. It doesn't use the newer Core 2 Duo processors but an older Pentium Dual-Core E2160 processor. It should be plenty for most individuals though. They do ship it with two gigabytes of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory that is still not as common but becoming more so. This lets it run the Windows Vista operating system without much of a problem.

Storage wise, the system comes with a pretty average sized 300GB hard drive. This was once a lot of space, but now notebook drives are reaching these capacities and desktop models can reach the terabyte level. Still, it should provide lots of space for programs and digital files. It comes with the now industry standard dual layer DVD burner to handle playback and recording of DVDs and CDs. One nice benefit of the HP influence on the system is the inclusion of LightScribe on the drive that lets it burn labels directly onto compatible media.

Graphics are driven by an Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics processor. This is typical for a budget system and uses up some of the system memory to handle graphics tasks. It would be nice to see a newer GMA X3100 for improved video playback performance, but that isn't something that will reach the budget market for a while. There is a standard PCI-Express graphics slot for those looking to upgrade but be warned that the power supply probably cannot handle a higher end cards power requirements.

One other disappointing aspect of the Presario SR5262NX and many other budget desktops is the lack of a FireWire port. This prevents the system from interfacing with many digital camcorders on the market without adding a separate expansion card.