Gateway FX6850-51u

We've done identical complaints about such imbalanced opening from comparison iterations of Gateway's FX line , but the FX6850-51u is arguably the worst offender. As an alternative, Gateway might have deliberate saving $100 by trade down from a 3.4GHz Core i7 2600 to 3.3GHz Intel Core i5 2500 chip, and then requesting that extra savings to a faster graphics card similar to the GeForce GTX 460, or an AMD Radeon HD 6850. Such a setup would post slower focus opening than this model, but not by an intolerable amount for conventional consumer purposes. It would moreover offer significantly softened 3D performance, expected leading that of the Acer Predator system.

It's ironic, actually, that the Predator is done by Acer, that is Gateway's primogenitor company. It underscores a bit the ghastly proof at the back the Acer-Gateway brand split. If Acer left its gaming efforts to the Predator line, for example, and gave the Gateway FX line a more mainstream look-and-feel, you would be praising this Personal Computer for providing in few instances low-cost access to a of Intel's fastest consumer CPUs.

We could, you suppose, throw this network as a solid in the coarse for upgraders. In add-on to the swift CPU and plenty network memory, this Personal Computer moreover boasts a brawny 450-watt power supply, that would be more than sufficient to tie in with a swift graphics card post-purchase. You'd must be ditch the GeForce GT 440 card, but this network would still give easy means to a burly opening foundation. The power supply even has an new span of GPU power connectors. We'll credit Gateway for giving this Personal Computer ascent potential, but that's tiny satisfaction for those that can purchase this Personal Computer with the cursed expectancy of able 3D opening out of its gaming-oriented box.

You can make other upgrades to this PC, if you're so inclined, to the melody of 3 additional hard drives, and a span of 1x PCI Express cards. Another PCI-E 1x container has a Wi-Fi card in it. The RAM slots all advance assigned as well. External connectivity is reduction flexible. You obtain no several digital audio output, and usually encouragement for usually 5.1-channel audio from the analog jacks. Data connectors are worse, with USB 2.0 ports only. All other Sandy Bridge-equipped Personal Computer we've seen from other vendors has enclosed at least a USB 3.0 port.

Due to its slower graphics card, the Gateway FX6850-51u doesn't devour much power. That's not a trade-off we're really vehement about, but at least you can say that its power use falls in line with our expectations since its hardware.

Gateway's service and encouragement policies moreover encounter expectations. You obtain a year of parts-and-labor coverage with the FX650-51u, along with 24-7 toll-free phone service, and a accumulation of help resources existing online. The network moreover comes with a few evidence apps to help you guard the position of assorted components yourself.

Conclusion
Don't let the extraneous of the Gateway FX6850-51u dope you: this PC's setup is not meant for gaming. It will offer well, though, as an ascent platform, or as a well-priced, rsther than gaudy-looking network for mainstream home productivity.

Find out more about how you assessment desktop systems .

System configurations:
Acer Aspire Predator
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; 2.93GHz Intel Core i7 870; 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5850 graphics card; 1.5TB, 7,200rpm Seagate hard drive

Dell XPS 8300
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 2600; 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB AMD Radeon HD 5870; 1.5TB 7,200rpm Seagate hard drive

Gateway FX6850-51u Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 2600; 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1.5GB Nvidia GeForce GT440 graphics card; 1TB 7,200rpm Hitachi hard drive

Velocity Micro Z40
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; 4.0GHz Intel Core i5 2500K (overclocked); 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 560Ti graphics card (overclocked); 1TB 7,200rpm Hitachi hard drive