Cream of the Crop
Written: Mar 25 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: No DELL "Dude" Guy
Cons: You'll find out soon enough
The Bottom Line: Get it....read the review
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| moovaltine's Full Review: Gateway 600XL PC Notebook |
I have taken the 600x for a test drive the last couple of months and this is what I think of it.
First the Specs.
P4-M 1.7GHz
15.7" Display SXGA w/64MB ATI Video Card
512MB RAM
40GB Hard Drive
Windows XP Pro
Combo DVD/CD-RW Drive
I decided to save some money on the processor and go with the 1.7 rather than the standard 2.0. I then upgraded the RAM to 512 from the standard (at the time) 256. I stayed with the standard 40 GB hard drive even though it could have been upgraded to 60GB. I wanted Office XP Pro so Gateway threw in Windows XP Pro for free. The combo drive is standard equipment.
I have always been a desktop person so this is my first laptop. However, I have used several before so I had an idea on what to expect. I narrowed the choices down to the Dell 8200 and the Gateway 600. I had a few problems with Dell's Customer Service so I went for the 600 and I am very happy with that choice.
Pros
The first thing most people say about the 600x is the beautiful 15.7" display and rightly so. It blows my desktop monitor, which is also a Gateway, away. I play DVDs and games on it and the color is awesome. Of course, if 15.7" isn't big enough, you can always hook the 600 up to your TV with a video cable. That way you can watch your favorite movie while still working on that Word document or while someone else is playing a game.
I also like the dual modular bays. Most desktop replacements have two bays but usually one is fixed, Dell comes to mind here. It is ok if you have a combo drive as the fixed and the other bay removeable but the 600 gives you more options. I usually have the combo drive and a second battery (highly recommend the modular battery). But I could have the battery and another modular hard drive something the Dell can't do. I have only found two limitations though. One the modular battery can only be in the right bay so having three batteries is out of the question.(there isn't a power hookup in the left bay)The other is Gateway does not offer a modular zip drive, something Dell does offer. Yes, you can hook up a zip with a USB cable but it is a little inconvenient while on the road. I have not used a 3.5" floppy in years so it would be nice to see that replaced by a zip drive, if not as standard equipment, at least as an option.
When I ordered the 600, I also got a mouse because I have heard the touchpad isn't good for anything more than word processing or other minor jobs. The funny thing is, I haven't needed to use a mouse yet and the one I ordered is now hooked up to my desktop. There is a learning curve to using the touchpad, just like the first few times you used a mouse. But the touchpad is totally programmable. You can set each corner as a different button, have scroll bars on the side and bottom, adjust the sensitivity and even when you get to the edge of the pad set it to keep scrolling and the harder you press, the faster the pointer will move. Maybe it is just a love it or hate it type thing but I have not had any problems with it even though I have used some programs that are pointing intensive. I almost prefer the touchpad because it is always with the computer, no wires, or need to find a flat surface, etc.
Cons
I have heard people say they like the CD player controls on the front of the 600. Yes, this is at times useful but the thing I don't like about them is every once in a while if I am laying on the couch or driving in the car, I will hit the buttons by accident. Not a big deal but a little annoying, having the player pop up on the screen while getting into the exciting part of a movie. The only thing Gateway had to do was put a little door to cover the buttons while not in use.
The other thing that I don't like and that has been mentioned many times before is the placement of the speakers, directly under your hands while you type. Granted, laptop speakers, in general, aren't the best and maybe some of them should be covered up but this is probably the last place to put them. One cool place would be on the lid next to the LCD. That way they point right at you and won't be covered up but I am sure there are space limitations to that. To get around this problem, invest in a good pair of headphones.
I did have some problems with Gateway itself. I ordered the 600x in October and was told I would have it on Nov. 4th, two weeks later. Nov. 4th comes and goes and no laptop. I checked the status on their website and it says "preparing for release to manufacturer" so it is not even built yet. I called Gateway and they said it was delayed because of my zip drive. But remember Gateway does not offer a modular zip drive so that is like saying we can't ship your computer because the printer is out of stock. I finially get everything 10 days later. Which was not a big deal and if they would have told me it would be in the 14th and not the 4th, there wouldn't have been a problem. But I have bought a desktop and a laptop from Gateway and both times I was told I would get it one day and both times it ended up being almost two weeks later. When I finially got the laptop, the first thing I noticed is there is no invoice, not even a list of what is in the box. It is a new company policy that they send the invoice a week later even though it took me 4 phone calls and a month and a half to get one. Then I noticed they sent me a wrong software program and I was missing another altogether. Without the invoice, I didn't know if they charged me or not or they just forgot to ship it or if it was out of stock and that I would get it later. Of course, I didn't get a phone call, email, or a letter about any of this which would have been helpful. So I eventually get everything straightened out and Gateway did repay me for my trouble so that worked for me.
You will notice I did not mention size or price in the cons section. On the price, the more you get the more you pay so I don't consider the price to be a con, I actually spent less than what I was planning and ended up getting more than I planned. With weight, I don't see why people put that as a con. You never see mobility as a con for desktop computers because that is not what they are made for. Just like desktop replacements will be heavier than those bare bones thin and lights because it is difficult to have a computer with a 15.7" screen fit in your back pocket. Besides, they are not that heavy, I know some ladies that care around heavier purses. If size is that much of an issue, get a PDA.
Accessories:
I got the Modular battery and am glad I did, it is almost always in my laptop. I use the DC adapter (air/auto adapter)pretty often even though I think $75 is a little much. I do a lot of driving and having the street atlas on and my MP3s playing without using batteries is nice plus recharging the batteries if you are away from AC for a time. One tip that Gateway told me was to start the car before plugging in the adapter. I guess there is a chance of it overloading the computer if you start the car while it is plugged in. I don't know for sure but I don't really want to find out. I prefer the backpack rather than the shoulder carrier. It can hold more but not feel as heavy.
Get at least 512MB of RAM you can never have enough. Also consider getting the second modular hard drive. It is only $150 (when you buy the computer) for 40GB. At only $3.75 per GB that's not too bad and you can put all your MP3s and digital pictures on it so they are not taking up space on your main hard drive. Of course, go with the combo drive, it comes standard, even though you can save money by getting one or the other. The 600 is good enough to play DVDs and no laptop should be without a CD-RW. Upgrade the video card if at all possible. If you are getting a 600 then it is for more than just word processing so get the best graphics you can. It is easier to upgrade before the thing is built.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): GIFT
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Epinions.com ID:
moovaltine
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Location: Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 3 members
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