Hey All, i need some advice,

I got some money to fork over to Gateway 2000, and yes it HAS to be them for reasons i cannot explain right now

but, can you guys give me some advice, on how to get the best bang out of my buck and what kind of Laptop I should purchase from them


Thanks

My Budget is about 1800 US Dollars.
thanks

My advice is to stay away from Gateway!

They're over priced, and I basically got a lemon from them 3 years ago.

Everything on my desktop, except my case, has been replaced at least twice. I'm on my forth motherboard/cpu/ram right now.

Thank God I got a 3 year warranty... or I would've been screwed!!

The techs at their Gateway Country stores don't know jack about anything. I had to take my computer in there 3 different times to get something fixed (a faulty 3.5 drive - that would shut down my computer everytime I put in a disk), and even then after the third time, it wasn't fixed -- even though they said it was. I called up their phone support, did a little complaining, and they sent me a new one - luckily -- and that fixed it.

And half the time when I called tech support, and told them what was wrong, and told them, "I need a such and such replacement..I've done everything I know to fix it myself" and they told me, "Well let me run through everything that could be wrong with it...and we'll try everything...." - as he looks it up on his computer....

If you go with anything from a major company like Gateway, etc.... Go to Dell instead... Gateway is WAY overpriced for what it is....

But that's just my 2 cents...

Heres a great Gateway story...

I'm suppose to have a Gateway P3 700 Win98... The soundcard messed up in it so we took it in after I managed to back up my files. It took them 3 months to fix it, so I get it back and they took my memory and put a different RAM board in it, Different Processor, and they took my cooling fan out... wtf?

Just recently... err.... not recently, the same computer that went into the shop had to go right back in for a HD & CD-ROM failure. I still have yet to get it back and it has been in the shop for more than 5 months! They gave me a loaner that has a Celeron 733 with WinodwsME, and a CD-ROM that cracks disks (I have 5 cracked disks). Even this loaner computer is beginning to **** up (the screen keeps turning blue. The monitor is fine it does the same thing to every other monitor you hook up to it).

Heres my breakdown of my experince through Gateway:

I have never hated a company as much as this... I highly recommend against Gateway!!! Avoid them like very cheap "unlimited" hosts!

:flamethr:Gateway:smash:

I thought I'd chime in with my Gateway experience. I got a Gateway back in December '98 and it is still running problem-free - it's outdated and slow, but it's dependabality is desirable.

At a local University here in St. Louis, they ordered 25 servers and 150 desktops from Gateway. Out of the 150 desktop, 100 of the worked when they were plugged in and of the 25 servers, only 22 of them worked. It took Gateway 6 months to correct the problem and they are still having issues.

Moral of the story; no matter what the reason, stay away from Gateway!

Originally posted by sasjamal
Hey All, i need some advice,

I got some money to fork over to Gateway 2000, and yes it HAS to be them for reasons i cannot explain right now

but, can you guys give me some advice, on how to get the best bang out of my buck and what kind of Laptop I should purchase from them

My Budget is about 1800 US Dollars.
thanks
I don't think sasjamal is looking for gateway horror or success stories. That's whre he seems to be getting it, so he just wants to know which one he should get.

If you must get it at Gateway,

Maybe this:
http://www.gateway.com/home/prod/hm_s9550se_ProdDetail.shtml


Specifications

Processor: Mobile Intel® Pentium® III Processor-M 1.06GHz

Screen: 15.0" XGA TFT Active Matrix

Memory: 256MB SDRAM (2-128MB Modules)

Hard Drive: 20GB Ultra ATA hard drive

Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive

CD-ROM or DVD: Modular 8X DVD-ROM Drive

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition

Application Software: Microsoft® Works Suite - Including Microsoft® Word and Encarta2

Video: 32MB 4x AGP NVIDIA™ GeForce2 GO™

Keyboard: Full-Size Keyboard

Mouse: EZ Pad® Pointing Device

Expansion Slots: Two PCMCIA Type II or One Type III PC Card Slots

External ports: NTSC/PAL Output, (2) USB Ports, (1) PS2 port, (1) Parallel Port, (1) Serial Port

Advanced Digital Multimedia Ports: Integrated IEEE 1394 (including MGI VideoWave 4 software)

Advanced Digital Multimedia Ports: Integrated AC-3 optical port for Dolby™ Digital Output

Battery: High-Capacity Lithium Ion battery with battery gauge and AC Pack

Dimensions: 12.96inch x 10.31inch x 1.62inch (W x D x H), approximate weight 7.49lb.

Modem: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet & V.90 56K Modem3

Internet Service Provider: 1 Year America Online Internet Access
Additional phone charges may apply. Click here for details


Limited Warranty Program: 3 Years Limited Warranty, Limited Hardware & Software Tech Support as long as you own your system4

Certifications: FCC Class B, UL and CSA certified


Make sure you get the 3 year parts/labor/on-site warranty... you'll need it.

I'm still using my Gateway from 97 or 98. I've never had to have anything repaired or replaced. Mine is also slow and outdated, but it still runs, kind of like an old car. :eek:

We have a 2 Gateways and 1 Dell in my house. I use the Dell, and have used the Gateway. (The Gateway is a 500mhz and was mine until I got my 1.3GHZ Dell) I would have taken the Gateway any day over Dell. Maybe it's because the Dell and I got off on the wrong start. I get the thing and hook it all up and what happens when Windows boots up. Whamm the Blue Screen of Death. So I decided to re-format it then, and have re-formatted 6 times in about 8 months. Then my RAM went bad two weeks ago, took Dell 4 hours of phone calls to figure out that was problem. Although I guess that is better then having to call them more then once to get the right part.

Not to mention the numerous restrictions Dell has on their computers. I have yet to figure out how to partition thing. I bought Partition Magic and it doesn't work with that. I've tried Numerous programs from Download.com and they won't work. They also have made it so that you must use RAM bought from Dell which they sell at $100 for 2 64 Megs sticks, although it is RDRAM which is a little higher priced that SDRam.

Now that's not to say that the Gateways our flawless, we did have to replace the D-Link Ethernet Card in it.

Well

I just got a E2000 PII 350 gateway for my linux box in my home

it was 46$

www.techsmart.com you can find them on ebay.

or

I do have a dell PIII 800 mhz, 384mb of ram, dvd-rom, win 2k

Its a 2k machine, but im open to ideas, its in mint condition

Joe

hey thanks for all the help lol :-P

here is the machine i end up getting, im typing from it right now

Processor: Intel Pentium III -M 1.06GHz Upgrade
Memory: 256MB Memory Module Upgrade
Hard Drive: 20GB Hard Drive Drivers Upgrade
Display: 15.7" SXGA/Li-Ion/32MB Video/56k/NIC/IEEE1394 Upgrade
CD-ROM: 8/24X CD-ROM SL9500 Drivers Upgrade
DVD-ROM: 10x/24x CD-ROM Drive Drivers Upgrade
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Pro SL9550 Upgrade
Bundled Software: Music Match Software 6.1 XP Upgrade
Keyboard: Solo 95/50 keyboard Drivers Upgrade
Floppy Drive: 1.44 3.5" Floppy Drive Upgrade
Internet Access: 1 Year America On Line - Win XP Upgrade
Product ID Product Description
1005691 Gateway DS Solo 9550 LS PC
4500747 Intel Pentium III -M 1.06GHz
5000640 256MB Memory Module
5502098 20GB Hard Drive
3501075 15.7" SXGA/Li-Ion/32MB Video/56k/NIC/IEEE1394
5502122 8/24X CD-ROM SL9500
2030245 10x/24x CD-ROM Drive
2036837 Microsoft Windows XP Pro SL9550
7003797 Solo 95/50 keyboard
5501703 1.44 3.5" Floppy Drive
2037559 1 Year America On Line - Win XP
7509595 Microsoft Windows XP Professional System Recovery CD
8508460 Solo Setup Card
8005026 Hard Drive Mounting
8005032 Keyboard Screw
8005033 Hard Drive Screw
8005034 Heatsink Screw
8005280 Keyboard Cover SL95/50
8005693 LED Power Indicator
8005707 Heatsink
8005886 Right Hinge Cover for Solo 9550
6500600 5.7 Amp Hour Li-Ion Battery for Solo 9550
9900395 CASE KENSINGTON SADDLEBAG R0

Title Expires Time Remaining
Basic Hardware Phone Support as Long as Client Owns PC N/A N/A
Three Year Limited Parts Warranty 2/5/2005 1093 Days
No Onsite Service Agreement 2/6/2002 EXPIRED
Three Year Limited Labor Warranty 2/5/2005 1093 Days
Basic Software Phone Support as Long as Client Owns PC N/A N/A

i think total cost was 1900 with next day shipping, ordered it on saturday or sunday got it thursday..

happy so far!

Not sure on what configuration to get.. but you can use this code for $100 off your order: SPANNRPT

oh man i wish i had that code last week when i ordered! lol :( thanks dude