Gateway NX860X - desktop replacement from Gateway.

Description

* Intel Core Duo T2250 Mobile Processor
* 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
* 80GB 5400rpm Hard Drive
* 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
* 17″ WXGA+ (1440×900) Wide Screen LCD
* NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 with 128MB Memory
* v.92 56Kbps Modem, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g Wireless and Bluetooth
* Four USB 2.0, FireWire, 6-in-1 Reader and Type II PC Card Slot
* 16.1″ x 10.9″ x 1.4″ @ 7.7 lbs.
* Windows XP Media Center Edition, Office Basic, McAfee Security

“While many companies build their desktop replacement notebooks to be the flagship systems that can do anything, they often come with very high price tags. Gateway’s NX860X is a reasonably priced system that has good all around components that makes it suitable for just about any role one might have for it.

Powering the Gateway NX860X is the Intel Core Duo T2250. While not as fast as the T2400 used by many companies, the performance is still quite close/ The dual cores also make this notebook good for multitasking. Matched up to the processor is one gigabyte of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory to let it run through most apps smoothly.

Storage is average for the Gateway NX860X. The 80GB hard drive isn’t extremely large but will hold enough data and applications for most users. It spins at a slower 5400rpm rate that does lessen performance somewhat but can help improve battery life. An 8x DVD+/-RW dual layer burner is included for reading and writing CDs and DVDs.


The large 17” screen on the Gateway NX860X uses the lower 1440×900 resolution, but this shouldn’t be a problem for many users as it is easier to read than high resolution displays. An NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 graphics processor is a step up from most basic dedicated graphics and allows the notebook to even be used for gaming albeit without the fancy filtering.

The only real problem with the Gateway NX860X is the use of the Media Center OS without features to compliment it such as a TV tuner.” - writes Compreviews about Gateway NX860X

Reviews of the Gateway NX860X and NX860XL (Core 2 Duo)

Laptop Magazine: Reviewing The Gateway NX860XL, Laptop Magazine gives it 3.5 out of 5 stars rating and writes, “The Gateway NX860XLis a desktop replacement powerhouse that delivers excellent performance and a gorgeous 17-inch widescreen. It lacks some of the higher-end A/V features of competing HP Pavilion and Toshiba Qosmio models but offers smooth multitasking and good gaming performance for a reasonable price.

Cutting-edge industrial design has not been Gateway’s forte, and the NX860XL doesn’t break the bland silver-and-black design mold. And make no mistake: This laptop is extra large (16.1 x 10.9 x 1.4 inches) and is suitable at most for shuttling from room to room and maybe for occasional travel. The platform starts at 8.4 pounds, but our unit tipped the scales at more than 9.5 pounds-not including the one-pound power brick.

Clearly, Gateway put its money into the NX860XL’s core components. The Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 processor, 2GB of high-speed RAM, and fast 7,200-rpm hard drive (100GB) combined to deliver a strong MobileMark 2005 score of 283. And the NX860XL won’t shy away from 3D games. Thanks to the Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics card, the NX860XL delivered 81 frames per second on F.E.A.R. when we let the game pick the optimal settings, and a very playable 54 fps when we pushed the settings to the max.

Battery life was also good for this class, at just shy of three hours. The only performance oddity was low wireless throughput; 7.4 Mbps at 15 feet and 5.8 Mbps at 50 feet are low, even for a desktop replacement.

If you want a big screen and big performance and won’t miss extras like a remote, the Gateway NX860XL is worth a look. The screen is beautiful, and the speed a delight.

PROS & CONS of the Gateway NX860XL

• Beautiful 17-inch widescreen
• Excellent productivity and gaming performance
• Well-priced, given high-end hardware
• Staid styling
• No multimedia buttons or internal TV tuner option
• Low wireless throughput

This entry was posted on August 18, 2006 and is filed under Gateway.