A great system for everyone!
Written: Jul 04 '01 (Updated Jul 14 '01)
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Pros: Great Graphics/Sound. Good quality DVD
Cons: Limited Expansion. No other operating system choice.
The Bottom Line: The best bang for your buck!
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| ryanbloedow's Full Review: Gateway Select 1200 |
Although I have this model computer, it's configuration is different and it was a lot cheaper (Gateway has lowered their prices since this product was introduced to Epinions).
Out of the box, the system worked perfectly. It boots quickly, I don't have to wait for anything to load, and it just feels fast. My system also came standard with a network card and a modem. The modem also doubles as a HPNA 2.0 adapter, so that you can network two computer throughout your house via your current phonelines. The adapter's speed tops out at 10mbps, which is fast enough to share a broadband internet connection. The computer is also housed in a very attractive case.
I was hoping that Gateway would offer another choice for it's operating system besides Windows ME. I am a fan of Windows 2000 because it is extremely stable, and it manages memory quite well, and would rather have that.
The base system price at the time of my purchase was $1099, but I wanted to do a "little" bit of upgrading and adding onto. Here are the following items I upgraded to, and why:
Sound/Video - Although the base system comes w/ integrated video/sound, which is fine for the normal user who surfs the net and and e-mails family every once and a while, it didn't suit my needs. I upgraded to a Soundblaster Live! and an ATI Radeon 64mb ddr VE. The VE model is ATI's lowest Radeon model. It is aimed at the budget consumer, and it doesn't perform as well as a regular Radeon. It'll be adequate for most computer users. It comes with TV out (to connect your computer to your tv), and a digital connector (for LCD monitors). This video card is unique to Gateway, and Gateway only. ATI sells a 32mb version of the Radeon VE, but not a 64mb version, which is included in this system. I am a small-time gamer and music lover, who likes and needs decent video and audio, which the SB Live! and Radeon provide plenty of. They also won't bust the bank, costing only $150 extra.
DVD - Who doesn't like to watch movies? The standard Gateway Select system comes with a CDRW, for making CDs, and etc. I already have a good quality CDRW on my old system, so I didn't need it. I switched out the CDRW for a DVD upgrade, which doesn't cost any money.
Monitor - I decided to upgrade the 17 monitor to a much better one - the 19" VX920. The neat thing about this monitor is that it uses Mitsubishi's Diamondtron technology (the same thing as Sony's Trinitron). The screen is flat, and everything is extremely sharp. Colors look good, and text is great. Although it was my most expensive upgrade, at an extra $230, it's worth it. You look at your monitor every day, why not get the best monitor that you can afford? Gateway also offers a 17" monitor with Diamondtron technology, which is great for those who are on a budget, but still want quality.
Speakers - I upgraded from the regular two speaker sound system to the Digital BA735. Although this is a two speaker system also, it includes a subwoofer, which produces great sounding bass while playing video games and while watching action sequences on your favorite DVDs. Music also sounds great. Because they are digital, you don't hear any "hiss" at high volumes like you do on a regular analog sound system, and they sound very "sharp".
Hard Drive - Most users will be fine with a 20gb hard drive. But, I felt like it would be better to go with a bigger and faster hard drive for $50. This certainly has made my system seem very "peppy".
OS: This system comes with Microsoft Windows ME (Millennium Edition). Gateway offers a free upgrade to the next version of Windows, Windows XP, for only 15 bucks. It's better to pay $15 now than to pay $100 for the upgrade when it is released.
Printer: Everyone needs a printer! I decided to go with the Epson Stylus Color 880. It prints photo-like images, and text looks good. The cost of this upgrade was $129.
I am very happy with my system, overall. It's fast, and it wasn't very expensive. The only thing that I dislike is lack of expansion. The system comes with one AGP slot, and Three PCI slots. With all of my upgrades, I have no expansion slots left. It looks like I'm going to have to buy only USB products, but I can handle that. This computer is best suited for someone who wants speed and performance, but not at a high cost - which I think is the normal computer user. It is made of quality parts, and is very stable.
Also, if you order online, be sure and talk to a Gateway Sales Advisor about the price. They were able to knock $100 off my final system price.
Good luck, and I hope my review help you make your decision on buying a new PC.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1699
Operating System: Windows
Processor: AMD Athlon (K7)
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 31-40
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Epinions.com ID:
ryanbloedow
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Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 2 members
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