Hardware Review
Created: September, 2000
It can be difficult to pick which new PC to buy. Not only are
there so many manufacturers and models to choose from, but you
have to find the right configuration for you, also.
The Gateway Select 800SB is a PC worthy of your small business's
attention, especially because you can modify its makeup to your
needs.
While Gateway has a series of different PCs available for purchase,
you also have the option of tweaking the configuration to include
what you need and get rid of what you don't. And it's a good
thing too because every consumer has different needs and, in
some cases, you may disagree with Gateway's choices.
While a fancy set of speakers may be considered a luxury item,
a sound card certainly isn't. While any small business can appreciate
the idea of cutting corners to save some money, a sound card
is a standard that most have grown accustomed to. Sure, it may
not rate high on a list of priorities but its cost isn't excessive,
either.
Picking a 16MB NVIDIA TNT Vanta video card is smart: it balances
power with affordability. It isn't the newest technology available
but it's still more than powerful enough for almost anything.
But if more power is what you want, it's an option you can pursue.
Again, Gateway's range of configurable options means you'll
only pay for what you want and avoid getting stuck with needless
extras.
At its core, the Gateway Select 800SB is based on an AMD Athlon
800MHz processor. A cheaper alternative to an Intel Pentium
III, an Athlon will save you a few dollars and still perform.
128 megabytes of RAM, a 15-gigabyte hard drive, a 17-inch monitor
and a 48Xspeed CD-ROM drive complete the package.
You also receive a valuable software bundle including Microsoft
Office 2000 Small Business edition, and Norton 2000. The operating
system is Windows 98 Second Edition. Altogether, not a bad package,
especially considering the reasonable $1,329.00 US ($1,999 Canadian)
price tag. But on top of that, Gateway adds some extra touches
that may convince you to give them your business.
On top of a fairly standard three-year parts and labor warranty,
Gateway also offers a year of free, on-site service. There's
nothing worse than encountering a debilitating problem and having
to ship your entire PC back to the manufacturer. If you have
a problem, Gateway will come to you.
And if your small business doesn't have an IT (information
technology) person or team, Gateway can help set up your network,
big or small.
If you don't want to connect your new Gateway Select 800SB
to a network, you'll want to make sure your PC doesn't ship
with a network card. One of the PC's annoying little glitches
included an error message every time the computer was turned
on but no network was found. You can solve this problem easily:
disable the network card in Windows' Control Panel. But still,
it's something that could ruin your first impressions of the
computer.
Another odd and unfortunate oversight is that the reset button
is missing. It's inevitable, any computer will crash, and this
model was no exception. When the computer stops responding,
sometimes the reset button is the last resort. But not on this
PC. A small thing but the oversight is disappointing.
The Gateway Select 800SB is a fine choice for a small business
looking for a new PC. Even if it doesn't have exactly what you're
looking for in a PC, you can easily change it to suit your needs.
Gateway's flexibility in configurations, strong customer support
and competitive pricing makes it a contender for your business.
Reviewer's rating: 3.75 / 5
Comments: While it may include a few odd omissions (where's
the reset button?), the Gateway Select 800SB is a good balance
of price and performance. Worth consideration for your new PC
purchase.
More info:
http://www.gateway.com/gw_atwork/default.asp
Price: $1,329.00 US, $1,999 Canadian
System specifications: Processor: AMD Athlon 800MHz
Processor
128MB 133MHz SDRAM
EV700 17" Color Monitor (15.9" viewable area)
1 6MB NVIDIA(tm) TNT Vanta AGP Graphics Accelerator
15GB Ultra ATA hard drive
48X max. CD-ROM drive
Case: Mid Tower
Keyboard: 104+ keyboard
Mouse: PS/2 Mouse and Gateway Mouse Pad
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Software: Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business, Norton
2000
Expansion Slots: 5 PCI and 1 2X AGP
Network Card: PCI 10/100 Ethernet Adapter
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Adding RAM is easy, 
