Gateway SX2851-41 Review
Gateway's SX2851-41 just hits our price ceiling, but you get a lot of PC for your money, including an Intel i3-550 CPU, a huge 1TB hard drive, and 11 USB ports.
Gateway SX2851-41 reviews are fairly enthusiastic about this low-cost system. CNET describes it as a "solid pick" for value-minded users due to Gateway's history of producing budget PCs that deliver on performance. One of the highlights of this system, according to Gateway SX2851-41 reviews, is the inclusion of a wireless card, which is uncommon in this price range. CNET's only real criticism is that Intel will be releasing newer CPUs in just a few months, which will make this system's Intel CPU seem a little outdated in no time flat. Gateway SX2851-41 reviews on Amazon heap praise on this desktop, saying it's fast, quiet, and easy to use. Consumers appreciate the no-hassle set-up, absence of excessive bloatware, and multi-tasking capabilities; one purchaser writes of using the Gateway SX2851-41 with a Braille display and speech application. A handful of users, however, voice complaints about Gateway's customer service.
The Gateway SX2851-41's Intel i3 CPU is a faster processor than you'll find on most budget systems today, and if you have a lot of data you need to store, this cheap PC's 1TB hard drive will no doubt get your attention. The Gateway SX2851-41 also features 11 USB ports, more than enough to connect all of your devices to the desktop at once. The mutli-in-one media card reader should be compatible with any type of media card you prefer to use. The Gateway SX2851-41 also comes with a basic DVD optical drive and 4GB of RAM. The SX2851-41 uses Windows Home Premium 64-bit, and, as mentioned earlier, has a non-standard but much appreciated built-in Wi-Fi chip. You should be able to connect this PC to your home wireless network right out of the box.
Intel may be releasing a new crop of CPUs in a few months, but if you're buying a new desktop now, not to worry: this system's Intel i3 will do just fine. We're impressed with the number of USB ports this system has, and its 1TB hard drive should satisfy even the most packrat-ish hoarders of multimedia files. We also like that the Gateway SX2851-41 has built-in wireless connectivity and wish that feature were more common in budget desktops; most everyone with multiple computers in their homes seems to have a wireless network these days. A built-in Wi-fi card no doubt raises the cost of the PC, but not by that much. And the convenience of being able to connect your PC to your network without having to buy and install a Wi-fi card is well worth a few extra dollars.
