Compaq was an American personal computer company founded in 1982 that once held a prominent position in the tech industry, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s. Renowned for its innovative contributions to the PC market, including the creation of some of the first IBM-compatible computers, Compaq's strengths lay in its cutting-edge hardware design, reliability, and customer-focused approach to computing solutions. The brand enjoyed significant global awareness during its peak, becoming synonymous with quality PCs and servers, and was a formidable competitor to industry giants like IBM and HP. However, its brand awareness has diminished since its acquisition by Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2002, and it has since been phased out, with HP retiring the Compaq name from most products by 2013.