{
  "id": 16311947,
  "title": "Rare archival footage tours the CompUSA NYC store in November 2000",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/rare-archival-footage-tours-the-compusa-nyc-store-in-november-2000",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-24T09:40:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Hardware",
    "slug": "tom-s-hardware",
    "url": "https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/retro-gaming/rare-archival-footage-tours-the-compusa-nyc-store-in-november-2000-soak-up-some-y2k-pentium-iii-athlon-powerpc-windows-me-chunky-laptop-and-bulging-crt-nostalgia-in-glorious-360p"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A rare archival video has surfaced on YouTube, offering a glimpse into a CompUSA retail store in New York City during November 2000. This footage captures the Windows Me, Pentium III, and Athlon era, when computers were often constructed with translucent plastics and beige boxes. The store was filled with displays and fast-selling stock, a stark contrast to the decline in these businesses due to the rise of internet shopping.\n\nUpon entering the store, viewers are greeted by a wall of CRT monitors, creating a nostalgic ambiance. The store appears crowded and chaotic, with peripherals, PCs, and devices filling the aisles and boxes. The video showcases a trio of Sony VAIO laptops, with the most intriguing device being a Sony VAIO C1 Series 'PictureBook' subnotebook. Powered by a Transmeta Crusoe TM5600 processor running at 600 MHz, this tiny laptop weighs around 2.2 pounds and features an 8.9-inch TFT display and an ATI Rage Mobility dGPU with 8MB dedicated VRAM.\n\nThe video also reveals other laptops available in the store, including one with an Intel Pentium III 700 MHz CPU, S3 graphics, 128GB of RAM, and a 20GB HDD. Desktop machines, such as Compaq Presario PCs, showcase characteristic translucent accent faceplates, reminiscent of Apple's iMac. These desktops typically come equipped with Celeron/Pentium III or AMD Athlon/Duron chips.\n\nThe store is also stocked with various boxes for Compaq Presario desktops, including a model labeled '5WV294.' This model features an AMD Athlon 1.0 GHz processor, 128MB of RAM, a 30-40GB HDD, an optical drive, and Nvidia GeForce2 MX or S3 Savage4 / ProSavage 3D graphics. Apple Mac desktops, powered by twin 500 MHz G4 processors, are also displayed alongside matching monitors. One model, the Power Macintosh G4 Dual 500, costs a significant $3,500.\n\nApple's presence in the store is further emphasized by a wall of perhaps 50 boxed iMac computers, a 21-inch ViewSonic A110 monitor, and various printers, including HP models. The video also features a shelf of unboxed printers and MFPs, as well as mice, mouse mats, and promotional materials for the Windows Me 'Take Me Home' display.\n\nThe video concludes with shoppers at the checkout, purchasing sundries and peripherals. One customer inquires about a mail-in rebate for an HP printer. Despite the changes in the retail landscape, the CompUSA brand experienced mass closures and liquidation in 2007/8, with a few stores surviving under the Systemax/TigerDirect banner. The CompUSA retail identity was finally retired in 2012.",
  "summary": "Fascinating footage captured inside a busy CompUSA retail store in Y2K lets you relive the PC era when translucent acrylic Presarios and iMacs roamed the Earth.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}