Compaq Evo
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | Compaq Deskpro, Compaq Armada, Compaq Professional Workstation |
| Founded | May 2001 |
| Fate | Brand phased out in 2003, replaced by HP Compaq |
Area served | Corporate and educational sectors |
| Products | Business desktops, laptops, thin clients |
| Parent | Compaq (until 2002), Hewlett-Packard (after 2002) |
The Compaq Evo lineup consisted of business-focused desktops, laptops, and thin clients created by Compaq and subsequently managed by Hewlett-Packard following their 2002 merger. Introduced in May 2001 as Compaq’s premier business series, Evo succeeded the Compaq Deskpro, Compaq Armada, and Compaq Professional Workstation product families. After the merger, the Evo brand also unified HP’s HP OmniBook, HP Vectra, and HP Kayak ranges. This brand was phased out in 2003, replaced by HP Compaq until 2008. It should not be confused with Intel’s later Evo laptop platform branding.
Design
Evo desktops were designed with a compact, horizontal form factor aimed at saving desk space, commonly finished in silver and black tones. Initial models came equipped with CD-ROM drives, while later versions offered CD-RW or DVD-ROM capabilities, including some with dual optical drives. Certain models also featured a 3½" floppy disk drive. For connectivity, front-facing USB 2.0 ports were provided for easy access, supplemented by additional rear USB ports for peripherals; audio jacks for headphones and microphones were located on the front, with line-in and line-out ports at the rear.
The laptop segment of Evo adopted a restrained black aesthetic similar to IBM’s ThinkPad design, featuring midsize displays of 14 or 15 inches and robust multimedia functionality. The chassis of most units emphasized durability to meet business demands.
Desktops and some laptop variants were powered by Intel Pentium 4 processors, whereas select laptops utilized Intel Centrino technology. Thin clients ran on processors from the Geode family, targeting efficient network computing scenarios.
Distribution
The Compaq Evo gained traction among corporate and educational users due to its compact size, cost-effectiveness, and specifications tailored to these sectors. Every Evo device shipped with either Windows 2000 or Windows XP installed by default and could be upgraded to Windows Vista or later to Windows 7.
The final Evo-branded products appeared in 2003 before being succeeded by products under the HP Compaq label.
Desktop models (D and W series)
- Compaq Evo D300 series
- Compaq Evo D310 series
- Compaq Evo D311 series
- Compaq Evo D320 series
- Compaq Evo D380 series
- Compaq Evo D381 series
- Compaq Evo D500 series
- Compaq Evo D510 series
- Compaq Evo D520 series
- Compaq Evo W4000 series
- Compaq Evo W6000 series
- Compaq Evo W8000 series
Notebook models (N series)
| Compaq Evo laptops | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | ||||
| Main | 14" | Intel-basedTemplate:Br(Pentium III/M) | N600c | N610(c/v) | N620c | |
| 12" | N400c | N410c | ||||
| 10" | N200 | |||||
| Entry | 15" | Intel-basedTemplate:Br(Pentium 4) | N1000(c/v) | N1020v | ||
| AMD-based | N1005v | N1015v | ||||
| Intel-basedTemplate:Br(Pentium 4) | N800(c/v/w) | |||||
| Intel-basedTemplate:Br(Pentium III/M) | N180 | |||||
| 14" | N160 | |||||
| N150 | ||||||
| N110 | ||||||
| "V" - Value version, "W" - workstation. | ||||||
The Presario-derived laptops (models N800 and N1000) incorporated desktop-class Pentium 4 processors.
Models closely resembling other lines included:
- Evo N110 – based on Compaq Armada 110
- Evo N400c – derived from Armada M300
- Evo N800 series – linked to Compaq Presario 2800
- Evo N1000/N1020 – related to Presario 1500
- Evo N1005 – connected to Presario 900
The last notebook under the Compaq Evo designation was the 14.1-inch N620c model, which featured up to a 1.6GHz Pentium M CPU and came standard with 256 MB of RAM (expandable up to either 512 MB or 1 GB). Unlike Intel Centrino systems, it used a proprietary wireless module installed via the Multiport slot located on the lid.
Thin clients (T series)
Thin Clients serve as corporate endpoints that allow users to connect to network accounts managed on centralized servers. Their vertical form factor promotes enhanced airflow without the need for fans, merging a compact footprint with a unique aesthetic appeal. This lineup is divided into two main series:
- Compaq Evo T20 series
- Compaq Evo T30 series