Gateway M-1626

Gateway M-1626
Budget model looks good, but performance lags



THE $849.99 GATEWAY M-1626 offers a sleek design and good features for a low price, but performance issues put it behind other notebooks in its class.
The retail-only M-1626 looks rather dapper with its metallic case and 15.4-inch glossy screen, which is clear and appropriately bright. We're also enamored with the softy, springy keyboard. The system's built-in speakers, however, are on the weak side.
Examining the sides of the case, you'll find a good selection of ports, slots, and jacks for a budget system, including three USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI output. You also get an on/off switch for the 802.11b/g Wi-Fi radio and a Kensington lock slot. The only notable omission is a FireWire jack.
Considering that the M-1626's specs-4GB of RAM, 2GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 CPU and discrete graphics-are slightly above those of other budget notebooks, its scores on our benchmark tests were on the disappointing side. (3D performance was expecially poor.) That said, like most low-cost laptops, the M-1626 should handle basic productivity and media tasks with ease. What's more, its 250GB hard drive offers plenty of storage space.
Weighing in at 6 pounds, the M-1626 isn't especially travel-friendly, and we were disappointed by its battery life: The notebook lasted just 1 hour and 10 minutes in our DVD-rundown test-a poor result, even for a budget midsize system.


source: Computer Shopper August 2008.
www.gateway.com