Compaq Armada
Armada is a discontinued line of business laptops by Compaq. They started as a more affordable version of the Contura line, but after that, they replaced Contura as a mainstream laptop line, and then the high-end Compaq LTE line were merged with Armada as a premium 7300 and 7700 sub-lines.
Overview
History
The 3 generations can be classified:- First gen with gray 1100 low-end lines, grey 4100/4200 midrange lines and white 7300 and 7700 high-end lines with Pentium I CPU's.
- Second gen — the design unification: new 1500/1700 and 3500 models, and redesign of previous generation high-end lines — all-gray design and wave in a palmrest ; except early models of 1500 line, all new models have a Pentium II CPU in a base.
- Third gen — E, M and V series with all-flat design, similar to 6500 model, with dark gray case and blue touchpad buttons.
Design
Armada is a line of classic business laptops, with hot-swappable bays, magnesium alloys, and have a dual battery and docking stations as common option. Some models have a small lifting feet; some models could be ordered with internal power supply, and most of the Armada laptops have a screen latches.Armada 1100, 4100 and 4200 series
1996-1997 lines. These have a trackball, instead of high-end LTE 5#00 line with pointing stick. Like other Pentium I laptops, soldered RAM placed in the same replaceable board with CPU and can be easily upgraded.Early-released base models is a 1110, 1120 and 4110.
The Armada 1100 offers a mainstream feature set in order to provide a compelling price-performance equation for the target market. It is meant to give customers all they need to run standard business applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, mail, etc... For customers that desire multi-media features, Compaq offers the LTE 5000 and the new Armada 4100 family of notebook computers. Third party external CD solutions are also available.
Armada 1100 series
An affordable version of the Contura 420 & 430C models with same case and base specs which started at less than $2,000. The Armada version has a larger HDD and better CPU, but less warranty and no docking port. They only have a FDD, 8 or 16 MB base RAM and one EDO SODIMM RAM slot, and a NiMH battery with up to ~2–3 hours of runtime. This is the last Compaq notebook without a sound card. T models have a TFT display, just like the Contura CX models.290 x 260 x 38 mm; ~2.3 kg. 10.4" screen.
Armada 4100 and 4200 series
Mainstream lines; 2 RAM slots, CD drive option, gray plastic case with internal magnesium alloy and with speakers in palmrest. Cirrus Logic graphic. Support for up to 3 batteries with promised 12 hours of working ; the transportation handle with additional battery inside of them is one of these options.Supports full-size dock option and smallest 4100 series docking base.
302 x 226 x 57 mm ; ~2.8 kg. Up to 12.1" screen.
Armada 7300 and 7700 series
High-end models with conservative white cases and with similar to last gen LTE laptops design. Only Pointstick is a pointing option. Both of them have a lifting feet, multiple bay option and both of them support a same docking stations. The successors with similar cases is a 7400 and 7800 models.Armada 7300 series
Slightly more affordable and compact version of 7700 line. New white case with hiding keyboard, MultiBay, palmrest with speakers.12.1" screens and S3 Aurora64V+ video; 305 mm × 235 mm × 39 mm; ~2.7+ kg ; up to 128 MB RAM, with no soldered.
Armada 7700 series
Successor of LTE 5000 line, starts in end of 1997 with 7750MT model.White case with no palmrest, speakers on the sides of screen.
~3.3-3.5 kg, 320 mm × 242 mm × 51 mm; 2 EDO RAM slots + soldered. S3 Aurora video.
Armada 1500/1700 series, 3500, 7400 and 7800
Released in the end of 1997 and 1998-1999. They had a new case design with a wavy palmrest.There were value 1500 and 1700 lines, slim 3500 line and hi-end 7400 and 7800 lines. Only 1500/1700 lines can be purchased in consumer electronic shops, and only 1700 had a Windows 98 option instead of the option of Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows ME. The 7400 and 7800 lines were upgraded and facelifted versions of 7300 and 7700 lines with the same dock options; the newer 3500 model had a personal dock option.
Armada 1500 and 1700 series
Both series looked similar, but had different sizes and platforms. The 1500 models had a CD/DVD bay in right side of laptop, instead of 1700 line with frontal bay placement. Both model lines supported the Convenience Base II dock.Armada 3500
Slim line; 300 mm × 236 mm × 33 mm, ~2 kg; Pentium II ; 12.1/13.3" LCD, Chips and Technologies 69000 2 MB, USB; Dock port.Armada 7400
High-end model; 318 mm × 244 mm × 41 mm. 1999; 13.3- or 14-inch LCD, Pentium II ; CD/DVD-rom, S3 Virge/MX ; 2 RAM slots, up to 256 MB. Magnesium top cover and speakers in wavy palmrest.Armada 7800
Top model; Facelifted version of 77#0 series with another display module and top cover.Pentium II ; S3 Virge ; 13.3- or 14-inch screen; up to 256 MB RAM.
Armada 6500
High-end series with another case design. Successor of DEC's Digital HiNote Ultra 2000. Supports Compaq Mobile6500 Expansion Unit or Compaq Armada6500 Convenience Base.1998; Pentium II ; 14.1"; 64 mb soldered, up to 320 MB. USB. AGP-based 3D RAGE LT Pro video.
Armada E, M and V series
Released in 2000; New case design with light blue touchpad buttons.E is the mainstream series; M is the ultra-mobile series, and V is ersatile.
Armada V300 and E500
Same models with internal differences; 14.7"-based case, with 14.1-, 13.3- and 12.1-inch screens options. 316 mm × 254 mm × 42 mm.The Compaq Armada E500 and Armada V300 Series of Personal Computers offer advanced modularity, Intel Pentium II, III, and Celeron processors, AGP port implementation, and extensive multimedia support. The computers provide desktop functionality and connectivity through the optional expansion base, convenience base, or port replicator. This model has a gray flat-shape case with lifting feet. ATI Rage Mobility-P graphics card with 4 MB VRAM; up to 512 MB RAM is supported by the system.
Armada M300
High-end thin-and-light ultraportable laptop without a CD or FDD-disk drive, successor of DEC HiNote Ultra line; they started around $1,999 with base configuration. Intel Pentium II or III Processor, Touchpad; ATI Rage LT Pro graphics card with 4 MB VRAM. Magnesium-alloy case, 1 RAM slot, 64 MB soldered, up to 320 MB; 1.6 kg. 11.3-inch 800x600 or 1024x768 LCD screen. 264 mm × 229 mm × 23 mm.Armada M700
Thin-and-light version of E700 model. Pointstick or touchpad; Pentium II or III ; 14.1" with up to 1024x768. 2 RAM slots, 64 MB soldered; up to 576 MB. CD/DVD drive. ATI Mobility PRO graphics card with 8 MB VRAM. Magnesium top cover. 315 mm × 250 mm × 28 mm, ~2.2 kg. They have a positive PC Mag review.Armada E700
A larger version of the E500, with 2 MultiBay slots to insert either an optical drive or battery. The laptop also had an internal power supply. Pentium II or III, 14" or 15" 1024 × 768 screens. Up to 640 MB RAM. 320 mm × 260 mm × 51 mm, ~4.0 kg.Armada 100s and 110
Last generation with low-end models only; the hi-end lines now branded as Compaq Evo. This sub-line also has a similar dark-gray case design. Both models have a one CD/DVD and one FDD drive. They don't have a docking port.Armada 100s
2000; this model has a sibling low-end version with "Notebook 100" name. Armada 100s was suited to its target small/medium-sized business market.AMD K6-2+ ; 1 RAM slot, 64 or 32 MB soldered, up to 192 or 160 MB; Trident CyberBlade i7. 800x600 12.1" or 1024x768 13.3" screen options. ~3.1 kg. 297 mm × 239 mm × 44 mm.
Armada 110
2001; Affordable version of Evo N110 model.Pentium III; up to 320 MB RAM ; 14.1" 1024x768, or 12.1" 800x600; 318 mm × 248 mm × 42 mm, ~3.4 kg. ATI RAGE LT Pro.; 3.2 kg
Docks
The models that do not support docks: 1100 and 100/110 series.Convenience Base — Armada 4100 series.
Convenience Base II — For Armada 1500, 1700, and 3500 series.
Convenience Base EM − For
Port Replicator EM — For ?
Compaq expansion base — ?
Mobile 3500 expansion unit — Armada 3500.
Expansion base mobile unit — Armada M300. Has a docking connector to a Convenience base EM.
ArmadaStation, Armada MiniStation E, MiniStation EX — for 7000 series.
Mobile6500 Expansion Unit, Armada6500 Convenience Base — 6500 model only.