Gateway - Desktop with AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 6000+

As of this writing, this machine is actually on clearance at my local Best Buy. I did not pay the $497 that the website is currently showing. Imagine my surprise when the Best Buy clerk told me I'd be paying $253 AFTER tax! This computer is a fantastic deal even at $497...at $230, you would be insane not to buy it. But even at $497, this was a great deal. PCI slots (many sub-$500 PCs have no PCI slots), two PCI-e slots (yes, you can run SLI on this system), 3ghz dual core with Windows Vista Home Premium SP1. The default video isn't great (GeForce 6850 SE), but is much better than the embedded video I have seen in comparable systems, and will run most non DX10 games. Dont expect a lot of free software other than the OS. This is bare bones. You are paying for the hardware, not the software. But I'd rather get the hardware cheap and pick my own software anyway. Gateway is not my favorite brand, but my friend has had this machine for about a month now and it works beautifully. I put a GeForce 8600 GT into it, and it runs games at high res and flawless framerates. So I got one for myself and my sister got one as well. The is far and away the best system you can get for under $500 right now. If you can still get this for the 50% Clearance, you should not be reading this. You should be driving to best Buy right now.

I purchased this from Best Buy a few days ago, after doing a lot of research. I was happy to find this system, one for the amount of memory and two for the competitive price they offered. This is my first Gateway, as I usually get HP, but I am very pleased so far. It runs quiet and fast, the keyboard is a multimedia keyboard and it comes with 60 days trial of MS Office and Nortons. Some programs are different than HP branded programs but once I saw what did what it was easy to get set up. Out of the box, it was very easy to set up the system and I was up and running in 10 mins. This is a great system if you play games, surf the net and listen to music. Great all around system and I recommend it highly! It has 2 USB ports in the front which for me is important, also 2 in the back. You do have to download iTunes if you have an iPod but that's a simple fix. Sales staff were a little confused at first, but yes it does have a keyboard, speakers and mouse included. Also has media reader ports in the front and smart copy. AMD processor, 3GB of RAM and 320 GB harddrive. Very happy with it :)

The perfect computer for users at all levels. If you are new to computers or experienced and looking for a computer at a reasonable price and great features..this is the one. Very easy setup instructions as Windows Vista will guide you through setup process very easily. This computer provides great opportunities for expansion (i.e., hard drive, additional CD ROM drive, memory sound card, etc.) for the more experienced user or someone who works heavily with computers. This computer is perfect for the average user at a low cost to buy especially if you're on a budget. I bought this computer on clearance and by far it is the best purchase on a computer that I've made. This is all the computer that anyone would need at home for daily use.

I agree with nearly all of the past reviews, and in fact it was that feedback plus the great purchase price that compelled me to pick one of these up. It really is an outstanding box for the money. The unit itself is whisper-quiet, and the front panel is laid out well. I agree with a previous comment about the DVD bay door - the open button is in a funky place, but you don't really need to use it - you can gently push the drawer itself in and it works fine. I like the keyboard with the built-in wrist pad. So far I just can't say anything negative about the purchase. I'm not a gamer, but a heavy home user, so it offers plenty and then some to meet my needs.

When i first bought the computer, i didnt think it would be too great but now i can run all the latest demanding games with absolutely no problem at all. including company of heroes and lord of the rings online. id say buy it, it's way way cheaper than what its worth. i can also really tell the graphics are doing alot cause the shading model and pixel count is amazing.

With a small video card and power supply upgrade this will make one heck of a gaming system. For the price paid it can not be beat. It already has 128 MB dedicated on the Video so that is a good start in all honesty. I have had really good experience from the integrated card on this machine. I researched and shopped at all the local stores None offered this much system for this price. I have never had a Gateway before but it is proving to be a great choice. If you want to play games this will get you started even without the upgrade for some games.

Bought a package deal from Best Buy which included a Canon printer and 1440 x 900 HD monitor. It was the best deal I found after several months of waiting and watching for a good deal. The biggest issues for me is that there is no manual (but I think you can download one), and having trouble setting the right screen resolution. Even with the AUTO adjust button on the monitor, the picture is still a bit "squashed". Setting the res in the computer to 1440 x 900 makes everything on the screen much too small. There were also some minor software glitches that were easily corrected. I noticed that the IE browser was running much too slow, while the AOL browser was flying. You have to go to START, then DEFAULT PROGRAMS, then SET PROGRAM ACCESS AND COMPUTER DEFAULTS, then CUSTOM dropdown menu, and select Internet Explorer as your Default Web Browser. Now it is running quite well.

This Gateway product has exceptional performance right out of the box. It works well for just about anything you want to do with music, video, and pictures. The included software package should be enough for most home users. The NVIDIA 8400 512MB Graphics card is the biggest recommendation. The onboard card seemed somewhat weak for what this Gateway setup is capable of. The 3MB of Ram is enough to keep everything running smoothly and the dual core AMD multitasks with ease.