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Manufacturer
Gateway
Description
Note: This product is part of the Gateway DX420 series. .
Review
Gateway's mainstream DX420 desktop series is based on Intel's Core 2 Duo processors and comprises three configurable models, though the customization options listed for each are nearly identical. The baseline models--priced at $600, $800, and $1,000--are very similar as well; each shares the same processor, graphics card, and operating system. As you move up in price, the options for memory, hard drive, optical drive, and monitor improve.
To separate the DX420 series from its higher-end FX510 siblings, the Core 2 Extreme 6800 CPU is not an option on any of the mainstream DX420 configurations. The DX420, however, lets you choose from the remaining four CPUs in the Core 2 Duo line. No matter which of the three DX420 models you choose, Gateway starts you off with the low-end Core 2 Duo E6300 chip. If you are looking to upgrade, we'd recommend the E6600, because it's only $175 more than the E6300 and provides double the L2 cache in addition to a bump in clock speed.
All models ship with a convenient multiformat media card reader, Microsoft Works 8.5, and Windows XP Media Center. For the full media center experience, each model offers ATI's Theater 5500 Pro TV tuner as a $100 upgrade.
If you are looking for a PC for only the most basic tasks (and you have already have a monitor), the baseline D420B model will suffice. For others looking for a general-purpose machine that will serve as their primary PC, we recommend choosing at least 1GB of memory, the midrange GeForce 7600 GS graphics card, and a DVD burner. You'll appreciate the added system and graphics memory when editing photos or videos, and the small added cost for the DVD burner is worth the ability to create both CDs and DVDs.
Dell's XPS 410 is a close competitor. You'll find many of the same options on each, but the prices are so close that it's impossible to say which is the better deal. Where Gateway's DX420 models let you hit a lower price point, Dell's upgrades are priced a bit better: for example, it costs less to upgrade the CPU, and its LCDs are priced lower. If you are looking to spend less than $1,000, we'd say take a close look at the Gateway DX420 models. If you have more to spend, you may find Dell's XPS 410 offers a bit more for the money, particularly if you want to bundle an LCD.