Home > Consumer Reviews > Compaq Presario 5430US Desktop (1.8-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard drive)

The 5430US is one of the best buys around. True, it doesn't use RDRam, but Intel is switching to DDR anyhow, and I'm glad to get ram that runs twice the speed of regular memory.

The 5400 rpm hard drive makes up for lower rpm's with it's Ultra ATA100 interface. ATA100 also gets data at twice the normal rate, just like the DDR ram. It's fast enough, but you could always upgrade to a 7200 rpm drive later.

I've had my 5430US for two months now, and the only minor problem is a video card error that is common with high end cards. I have no other complaint.

I've had this comp since early '02, and it's served me well. Sadly, I think it's time for an upgrade. But on to the review! This comp was "top-of-the-line". When it was made I bought for around $1500 new. I can run Half-Life 2 at medium quality settings with the only upgrade I have is a $100 GeForce 6200, which is working even though I'm running it about 65 watts under power. Hasn't crashed or blue screened me ever. No conflics, came wired a good bit better than most other Compaq's I've seen.

All in all this rig was made to run with the best of 'em for as long as it could, and it has. But it just isn't enough for me anymore. Farewell 5430US. 5 out of 5.

The 512 MB Ram, 80 GB hard drive does all that I expected it to do.
I can play games, and do labels, write letters, plus pay bills online.
Easy to set up and plug printers, scanners, faxes, etc into.
All the things you need to do for a business, already installed on the PC.
Very satisfied!

This is the most advanced of the 5400 series, and ups the ante with a better CPU (Central Processing Unit, or "brain") and better graphics, which is the only area not adequately adressed by the lower end units. Replete with a massive 512 megs of RAM, and 80 meg hard drive, a 16x CD burner, a NIC (Network Interface Card) and a wonderful Intel Pentium 4, 1.8 gigahertz CPU, this will satisfy any needs I can think of today and will need no upgrading as it ships. Getting this close to "cutting edge" would have cost twice as much a few years ago, but times are changing and computers are becoming like the color TVs & VCRs of the 90s. It's a good deal for consumers.

Any computer, even one with a 1.8 GHZ Pentium 4 is limited by what its slowest component is.

What is the speed of the Memory? 66 MHz, 100 MHz, 133 Mhz, 266 Mhz?? It is not 800 MHz RDRam.

What is the speed of the Hard Drive? Is it ATA133 or ATA100, is it 5400 rpm or 7200 rpm, or even faster??