What do you guys think about this system from Gateway?

[Ryan]

My parents are buying a new system, from Gateway, and they asked me to configure it for them. Here's what I have:
Processor AMD Athlon 1000MHz Processor with New Performance Enhancing Cache Memory
Memory 256MB 133MHz SDRAM (1-256 module) added:
US$ 200
Hard Drive 40GB 7200RPM Ultra ATA Hard Drive added:
US$ 50
Monitor VX920 19" Mitsubishi Diamondtron¿Color Monitor (18.0" viewable area) added:
US$ 240
Floppy Drive 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive
CD-ROM/DVD 16X/40X DVD-ROM Drive (including Rand McNally Explore America on DVD) added:
US$ 70
Video 32MB ATI RADEON AGP Graphics w/ TV-Out and DVI added:
US$ 95
Sound Cards SoundBlaster Live w/ Digital Audio Output added:
US$ 30
Speakers Boston Acoustics® BA7500 Dolby Digital SST Speakers & Sub added:
US$ 150
Modem No Modem Selected subtracted:
US$ 20
Case Gateway Mid-Tower Case
Keyboard Multi-Function Keyboard
Expansion slots Five PCI and One 4X AGP
Mouse PS/2 Mouse and Gateway Mouse Pad
Printers Epson Stylus 880 Color InkJet Printer with USB cable added:
US$ 110
Operating System Microsoft® Windows® Millennium Edition
Application Software Microsoft® Works Suite 2001 - Including Microsoft® Word and Encarta
Bundled Software Quicken® 2001 New User Edition and Norton Anti-Virus
Network Cards 10Mbps USB Home Networking Adapter (HPNA) added:
US$ 59
Warranty 3 Yr Ltd Warranty, 1 Yr Onsite Service, Ltd Hardware & Software Tech Support

The only thing is, I don't want WinME. i want Win2k for it. gateway doens't offer any choice in the matter.

Here is my question: Will WinMe take advantage of 256mb ram like Win2k does.

Thanks for reading

 

[PCAddict]

Take a look at this.

It's Gateway's "business" Athlon system. You can configure what you had, except with Windows 2K. The only thing is you will get MS-Office SBE with it instead of MS Works Suite.

I'd take a look at Micron's Athlon systems as well.

 

[Zenmervolt]

PCAddict has a good point, often the "business" systems are better than the personal systems and offer a little more customization. As for Win Me and 256 megs RAM, well, it will certainly be helpful, but everything I have heard would indicate that it is nowhere near the performance boost that Win 2K gets from 256 meg because of Win 2K's more advanced memory management. I've not run Me, so I can't check it out myself, but I recall it being said that 128 meg was the "sweet spot" for that OS, just as 256 is the "sweet spot" for 2000.

Zenmervolt

 

[Noriaki]

<< Expansion slots Five PCI and One 4X AGP >>

This is key. Makes the system good. Probably cost more than to build it yourself, but at least you have expandability, just be careful you don't get stuck into integrated crap. But all in all that's a pretty nice looking system.

I to would go for Win2k over WinME...Works Suite's not bad actually, comes with the full version Word 2000, a little desktop publisher and a spreadsheet that can open/save/edit Excel sheets. &quot;Excel Lite&quot; maybe? For under $100 that's pretty good....but if you think you'd use the extra stuff in Office SBE, then that's definately better (I have power point at work, woudln't likely use it on my PC). But you definately want Win2000 over WinME.

 

[IamDavid]

Why won't Gateway give you Win2K? They offer it in there workstations..

 

[emjem]

Check this out before buying a Gateway.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=27&amp;threadid=333349

 

[Ryan]

THNX FOR THE INFO! I am happy now, they can get Win2k now

 

[Ryan]

I don't know why gateway won't offer Win2K with their home PC's. I just asked Gateway, and here's what they said:

&quot;Hello Ryan,

Thank you for your e-mail. Not exactly sure. According to Technical
Support its mainly used on business systems not home.

Thank you.

Casey
Online Client Support Team
Gateway&quot;

I don't know.

 

[Hanpan]

200 us for 256 megs of ram is a lot. I payed 112 for teh highest quality cas 2 crucial yesterday. I would get only a little bit of ram and putmore in yourself.

 

[Ryan]

Hmm, Maybe I should do it. Well, it's up to my parents whether or not to save 100 bucks, but I will definitly bring that idea up to them. Thanks!

 

[PCAddict]

The business PC's use the same exact hardware. They just give you more options such as Win2K as an OS.

The motherboard is by MSI and is really a nice piece.

 

[Ryan]

ALrighty, here is the final system I am gonna show them. The Price: US $2241. Thankyou guys for all of your help.

Hard Drive 20GB 7200RPM Ultra ATA hard drive
Operating System Microsoft® Windows 2000 Professional
Printer Epson Stylus Color 880 Ink Jet Printer with USB Cable
Processor AMD Athlon? 1000MHz Processor with New Performance Enhancing Cache Memory
Memory 256MB 133MHz SDRAM (2-128 modules)
Sound System SoundBlaster Live! Value with Digital Audio Output
Monitor VX920 19&quot; (18&quot; viewable) Mitsubishi Diamondtron? Color Monitor
Speakers Boston Acoustics® BA7500? Dolby® Digital SST? Speakers and
Application Software Microsoft® Office 2000 Small Business
Surge Protector APC Pro8T2 Surge Protector
Controller Integrated Ultra ATA 66 Controller
Network Adapter PCI 10/100 Ethernet Adapter
Video 32MB ATI RADEON AGP Graphics with TV-Out and DVI
Case Gateway Mid-Tower Case
Anti-Virus Software Norton 2000
Keyboard Millennium 104+ keyboard
Floppy Drive 3.5&quot; 1.44MB diskette drive
Mouse MS IntelliPoint Mouse and Gateway mouse pad
Expansion Slots 5 PCI and 1 2X AGP
CD-ROM or DVD 16X/40X DVD-ROM Drive

If you have any other stuff that you think I should add, please tell me

 

[sparkle]

do yourself a favor and don't get the BA7500 speakers. They really aren't that good.

 

[Ryan]

Should I get the next best ones?

 

[PCAddict]

Save some money and get the BA 735's.

 

[Luv2Teach]

I don't know it might just be me or something... but I haven't had good &quot;luck&quot; or &quot;experience&quot; with Gateway. I'm a teacher so I get to use ALOT of gateways, from the cheapest systems they havein student classrooms to the top of the line workstations they offer to the teachers (courtesy of the government of course). They constantly crash and are really slow... You might want to go with DELL or something, maybe even Hypersonic-PC or Falcon Graphics.... They would be more happy... And if they do want it for business use also... the added stability of a better OEM would allow them to actually accomplish some work... instead of spending 90% of their time rebooting... Thats just my 2 cents.... BTW, i'm partial to Falcon Graphics as that's who I bought my system from... I also have a Compaq, a Sony Vaio, and a HP system.... those are ancient now... but oh well... again... just my 2 cents...