Gateway SX2802-03 Black Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium)
Gateway SX2802-03 Black Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium)
Gateway SX2802-03 Desktop PC comes with these specs: Intel Core2 Quad Processor Q8300, Windows 7 Home Premium, Intel G43 Express Chipset, 6144MB DDR2 Memory, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 Graphics, 1TB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, High-Definition Audio Support with 5.1-channel Audio Support, 9 – USB 2.0, Keyboard and Mouse, 12.0 lbs. | 5.4 kg (system unit only), 1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll-Free Tech Support, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, Norton Internet Security Suite 2009 Trial
Gateway SX2802-03 Black Desktop PC Reviews.
Pros:
-Quiet
-Fast boot up into Win7
-Plenty of RAM for OS Requirements
-Plenty Big Hard Drive for anything
-Does not include a ton of worthless software
Cons:
-On board integrated graphics
-Button to eject DVD tray must be pressed HARD
-Does not include hard copies of OS or system recovery disks (these must be burned at your $$)
It is a nice quiet compact system. Boot time is noticeably faster (about a minute) over my previous Vista computers. Moreover, there is not a lot of preinstalled worthless junk ware. Although, the optional software (MS Office, Norton, etc) that is there are trail versions only. There is not any good tactile feel to the DVD eject button and must be pressed rather hard. I was very surprised to find no hard copies of Windows 7 or any recovery disks. For these, the system prompted me to insert my own DVDs and burn copies on my own (something EVERYONE SHOULD DO). The on-board integrated video is the weakest link in performance. Windows performance score is 3.6 due to graphics. There is a PCI-expresssx16 slot open. I ordered a video card (which MUST be a LOW PROFILE card) and will update this review on how it affects performance. Over all so far it seems to be a solid computer and a good experience. Time will tell more!
Edit:
I received, installed and tested HIS H435F512HDLP Radeon HD 4350 HDMI Dual Link DVI (HDCP) 512MB (64 bit) DDR2 PCIe 16x 2.0 Low Profile Video Card Retail (RoHS)
It brought up my gaming graphics score from a 3.4 to a 5.8! You may have to fiddle around with Aero and tone down some of the bells and whistles to gain improvements within windows 7 environment. Also this card has a fan. The fan adds a little more air flow within the case but also adds noticeable fan noise. So to maintain the stealthy quiet of the original system…get a card with no fan.
I bought this at Fry’s electronics for the same price that’s listed here. The machine has a small form factor and is very quiet–it basically makes no sound at all. That is an important thing for me, as my last desktop computer was big and noisy and I always had to put it to sleep to quiet it. Whereas, I can just leave this one on all the time, which makes it easy to jump on and off the computer throughout the day.
Windows 7 is nice. My last computer was a Windows Vista machine. Windows 7 is a solid refinement of Vista, though most of what I use the computer for nowadays is surfing the web, so the OS itself is meaning less and less. My browser runs the same in Windows 7 as it did in Vista, so there is nothing revolutionary here for me. Never the less, Windows 7 is a solid platform to move forward with.
In summary, if you are looking for a new Windows based desktop computer with good specs and good value, I can’t imagine you’d find a better unit than this one. The hardware is elegant and quiet, and the OS is solid.
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