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Need you opinions on this Gateway system! (slowly puts on flame suit)

Ryan

Ryan

Lifer
My parents want to buy me a new computer for college, and since my 18th birthday is here, they wanna give it too me as a birthday present 🙂 I have already asked if I could just have some money to build my own, but they already said no. So, I think I'm going to go with a Gateway, since I'm the AT Gateway zelot 😛 Here's what I have in mind right now:

Processor ---------- Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.0GHz
Memory ------------- 256MB DDR SDRAM (I'll upgrade to 512mb, because gateway wants $160 for 256mb ram :Q)
Hard Drive --------- 40GB UATA100 7200RPM Hard Drive
Floppy Drive ------- 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive
CD-ROM or DVD ------ 16x/48x DVD-ROM Drive and 40x/12x/48x CDRW
Case --------------- NEW Gateway Mid-Tower Case
Operating System --- Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
Monitor ------------ 18" LCD Flat Panel Display Analog/Digital (18.1" viewable)
Video -------------- 128MB NVIDIA? GeForce4 Ti-4200G with TV Out and DVI Graphics Accelerator
Keyboard ----------- Multi-function Keyboard
Mouse -------------- Logitech USB Optical Wheel Mouse and Gateway mouse pad
Sound System ------- SoundBlaster Audigy Audio w/ IEEE 1394 (FireWire) and Pinnacle Express
Speakers: ---------- (My own Boston Acoustics BA7400 set)
Expansion Slots ---- 3 PCI and 1 AGP
External Ports ----- (6) USB (2 in front and 4 in back are version 2.0) Parallel, Serial and (2) PS/2
Controller --------- Integrated Ultra ATA Controller
Modem -------------- 56K PCI Voice Modem
Network Adapter ---- Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
Warranty Program --- 1 Year Limited Parts / Labor / Support
____________________________________________________________
Total: $1639

The system comes standard with a 17" LCd, but for only 10-0 bucks more, I upgraded to the 18" LCD. Here are some specs on it: http://support.gateway.com/s/MONITOR/7003481/700348103.shtml . I decided to make a trip to my local Gateway Country Store to look at it, and I think that their specs might be a little low. I played the latest Star Wars Game, and everthing looked great - no ghosting, and the colors were bright and vivid.

I'm kind of aprehensive about asking this, but, what do you think? 😀

Edit: I just put together a similar system from Newegg, and the total came to $1739. Just thought you guys should know, for comparison 🙂
 
Considering Newegg's lowest price 18" LCD starts at $800 or so, I would say thats not a bad deal. If you have a few extra bucks you might want to upgrade to 512megs (XP runs games better with that much memory). And make sure your getting the Northwood (512k cache) processor and not the Williamette (256k cache).
 
I'll be upgrading the RAM myself, since gateway wants too much 🙂 ALso, I'm not to worried about the hard drive, since i have yet to use even 10gb on my current 40 gig 🙂
 
If you have to get pre-built (why did your parents say no to building your own?) then Gateway is the way I would go. As was already pointed out the 18" LCD makes the package atractive for how much it costs. Call their sales drones and make sure you are getting a Northwood processor (as WarCon pointed out) and make sure that they aren't doing anything lame (read proprietary) with their RAM. Most likely they aren't but you should make sure first.
 
Two things...
  • Ensure that's a Northwood (.13µ/512 L2 cache) cpu
  • How much would it cost to upgrade to a P4-2.26, P4-2.4b, or P402.53? The 533mhz FSB does make a significant difference.
 
Looks okay, but any AthlonXP system would beat that especially if its not northwood. In fact HP has a XP 2100 system for less than a 800 bucks.
 
Originally posted by: majewski9
Looks okay, but any AthlonXP system would beat that especially if its not northwood. In fact HP has a XP 2100 system for less than a 800 bucks.
Click to expand...

With an 18" LCD, DVD-ROM and CDRW?

 
Originally posted by: majewski9
Looks okay, but any AthlonXP system would beat that especially if its not northwood. In fact HP has a XP 2100 system for less than a 800 bucks.
Click to expand...

Yea, but I won't likely notice the difference (well, maybe word will load .0000456764388 seconds faster, or I'll get 15 more frames from quake
rolleye.gif
)

Also, with a 17" LCD from HP, the price goes WAY over gateways. Dells price comes to 2k, even after all of their promos.
 
I'm kind of aprehensive about asking this, but, what do you think? 😀
Click to expand...
Gateway has some sort of wonderful deal on LCD monitors. I don't know how they can ship a 18" LCD for $480. So my suggestions for prebuilt computers is always: Gateway for LCD and Dell for CRT. If you follow that rule, you will get the cheapest computer. Since you want an LCD, Gateway is the better choice. I personally can't stand them - but they are beginning to catch up in capabilities to a CRT.

Here are some of my thoughts:
1) Be very careful when you customize a Gateway computer. You can build the same computer with different model numbers and get drastically different prices. I'd check really carefully and see which is the best deal. Start with every model listed and configure it with those same parts. Each one will result in the same computer but with prices that vary +-$150. They are starting to end this silly pricing (by giving you fewer options), so you have to do less than you did before.
2) Can you buy the base model from Gateway and then upgrade (even more than the memory)? For example, why pay $180 for that video card, when it can be bought for $150 shipped and then you install it yourself? The same goes for DVD, CDRW, etc.
3) I seriously would consider the 500X with a 2.4 GHz (533 MHz fsb) instead of that 500S you mentioned. Sure the price is about $130 more, but you get free shiping and a much faster computer.
 
Also, with a 17" LCD from HP, the price goes WAY over gateways. Dells price comes to 2k, even after all of their promos.
Click to expand...
I don't see $2k from Dell. Its more like $1800 - click on education since you will be a college student. But yes, Gateway has the best 18" LCD prices anywhere - its been like that for the past year or so.
 
Don't apologize for getting a Dell, Gateway or the dreaded Compaq, if that?s what dad will pay for, don't make waves. For 99% of users they are the best choice. It will work perfectly when delivered--where people get into trouble is when they start messing with it. Don't fix it if it's not broken. The only problems I have run into with pre-builts are that they may have proprietary drivers. For example--It has an Nvidia card, but you must use the Dell drives. Enjoy you new machine, you may have to pay for the next one. RRRRRRRRRR
 
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