Product Description

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

Product Details

• Color: Black
• Brand: Gateway
• Model: SX2802-03
• Dimensions: 10.50" h x 12.50" w x 4.00" l, 12.00 pounds
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5 GHz
• Memory: 6GB SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 1TB
• Processors: 2

Features

• 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 Processor
• 6144MB DDR2 Memory
• 1TB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, 16X DVD±R/RW SuperMulti Drive
• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500
• Windows 7 Home Premium

Customer Reviews

Nice entry level Mini-tower PC
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.

Good deal, but a weird quirk and very lousy support
I bought this computer at Fry's for the same price listed here. From all accounts, it's a great deal -- you get 6GB of memory, 1TB hard drive, Intel Core Quad processor at 2.5Ghz, Windows 7 Home Premium, two output video ports (VGA and HDMI), tons of USB ports, two low-profile expansion slots and a very compact, attractive and quiet enclosure. This computer is an incredible deal, hundreds less than a comparable Dell or HP desktop.

I have only three complaints about this computer. Here they are:

(1) If you like to rotate your monitor into "portrait" mode, do not buy this computer. Something is wrong with Gateway's implementation of the on-board Intel G45/G43 graphics chipset, because the monitor rotation features available through the Intel software simply do not work. I went back to Fry's and tried it on several other Gateway SX2802 machines on display there and it didn't work on any of them -- but the feature did work fine on several competitor machines (HP, Lenovo, etc.) that had the same graphics chipset. It appears to be some problem with the interplay between the Gateway hardware, the Intel graphics drivers (which are up-to-date) and Windows 7. Gateway technical support was no help.

(2) Obviously you can't expect too much in terms of technical support when you buy a computer for such a rock-bottom price, but even with that caveat, support is totally abysmal. Do not buy this computer if it's your first computer or you don't know how to fix your own problems, because if you get into any kind of trouble and need assistance, Gateway won't know what to do. I owned the computer for less than two days, asked them the above-question about monitor rotation (through their on-line form, of course, because you'll never get to talk to a real person). Here was their response:

"Unfortunately, we are unable to offer support for this type of issue. Please understand that Gateway technicians have not been trained on every possible software title or hardware component. Gateway technicians can assist you with the removal or installation of any hardware or software purchased from Gateway. Due to the magnitude of information that would need to be learned, Gateway technicians are not trained on all the advanced features of the software or hardware Gateway sells."

In other words, Gateway doesn't understand the products it sells and can't address issues beyond the "make sure it's plugged-in" variety. The email goes on to offer technical support that is extremely pricey given the price of the computer, despite the fact that the computer is under warranty and the issue I'm having is clearly a defect with the computer. To make matters worse, the Gateway website has no support forum and no meaningful online resources. In short, you're basically on your own if you have any problems with this machine.

(3) The computer comes with no speakers. Most entry level PCs at least come with cheesy stock speakers, but this one comes with none. Not a big deal for me, but not everyone knows this.

I have been tempted to return this computer in light of the rotation feature, but I have decided to keep it. I generally don't need technical support (been using PCs for more than 20 years) and the monitor rotation problem is a deal-breaker for some, but not for me. But I would never recommend this computer to anyone who isn't already an advanced PC or Windows user, because Gateway technical support will leave you in the cold.

Nice Machine
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.