Fascinating Look Back at the Compaq Presario 4402 from 1996, a Time When Compaq Put the Computer Inside the Monitor

In 1996, families looking for a home computer had the same old problem: a cluttered desk with different boxes, cables strung out everywhere, and setting it all up felt like launching a small rocket. Compaq responded with the Presario 4402, a stylish (for the time) all-in-one system that combined all of the necessary components into a single, large package.

Compaq introduced the Presario 4402 in mid-1996 as part of an effort to simplify home computing. It cost roughly $1,999, which is nearly $4,144 now, for a system that critics described as one of the few truly all-in-one packages available at the time. The design contained a 15-inch display, but only 13.8 inches showed a real image, and it was fastened on top of the computer’s internals, all squeezed into one enormous beige monstrosity. It was a mammoth, measuring 16 inches wide, 14.1 inches deep, and 15.2 inches tall, weighing a whopping 43 pounds.

An Intel Pentium CPU ran at a respectable 133 MHz on a 66 MHz system bus, with RAM starting at 16 MB of EDO and expanding up to 128 MB with 60 ns modules. A 1.6 GB hard drive was used for storage, a 6x CD-ROM for software installation or audio disc playback, and a 1.44 MB floppy drive for file transfer to disk. The built-in speakers provided stereo sound, and a 33.6 kbps modem enabled dial-up access to the early internet and other services. Windows 95 came included with a Quick Restore CD to assist you fix problems if the system went wrong.

You could control the CD player from the front panel, so you could just insert an audio disc and modify the level without having to restart the computer. Finally, the system functioned as a speakerphone/answering machine, allowing you to keep your desk clutter-free. Then there came the matching remote, which allowed you to control several devices from across the room. The software bundle featured Microsoft Works for work and spreadsheets, Netscape Navigator for web browsing, and Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia 1996 for quick lookups. You can also choose between CompuServe, America Online, and GNN internet access.

Critics at the time praised the Presario 4402 for its performance without requiring you to make too many compromises. One reviewer in particular stated that it was ideal for writing papers, playing games, or searching up information online, particularly if you were cramped in a small college dorm or family room with little space. The main disadvantage of the built-in display was that you couldn’t simply replace the screen when you needed to update; instead, you had to replace the entire system. Internal extension was feasible, however, thanks to a riser card that provided two ISA slots and one PCI slot for adding things like enhanced graphics.