Gateway's Larger Profile

The fourth-generation version of Gateway's all-in-one Profile desktop is larger and more powerful than its predecessor, especially if you opt for the new 17-inch LCD screen. But it remains a stylish, space-saving alternative to the usual drab case-and-monitor duo.

Aside from the handsome charcoal-and-silver decor that graces Gateway's line these days, the company has introduced other thoughtful design changes. The optical drive (a 16X/10X/24X CD-RW drive in our preproduction unit) and the floppy drive now reside below the monitor, making them easier to reach than they were in their previous side-loading locations. And the built-in speakers produced the best-quality sound that we have ever heard from an integrated audio system.

Our upper-end Profile 4 X was configured with the 17-inch LCD, a 2.4-GHz Intel Pentium 4 chip, 512MB of 266-MHz DDR SDRAM, and a roomy 120GB hard drive. But for graphics you have to settle for a less-powerful integrated NVidia GeForce2 MX400 graphics chip. With ports galore (six USB 1.1, two FireWire [IEEE 1394], and one each ethernet, modem, parallel, and serial) at your disposal, plus a PC Card slot, adding peripherals or connections shouldn't be a problem. If the 4 X's $1799 price tag seems too steep, you can save up to $800 by choosing lesser components, such as a 15-inch LCD, a slower CPU, less RAM, and a smaller hard drive.

The Profile 4's thicker LCD support makes it look sturdier than its predecessor, though its depth (7.9 inches) is approximately the same. Our 1280-by-1024-resolution 17-inch display was acceptable, though not as crisp as others we've seen (Gateway says that the picture will improve when its firmware is finalized).

The Profile 4 X's weakest attribute is its performance: Its PC WorldBench 4 score of 111 is a few points below those achieved by similarly configured desktops, but that's probably because we tested it at its native resolution, in accordance with our test center's policy for any LCD-based system. At the lower resolution we typically use to run PC WorldBench 4 (800 by 600), scores typically improve a few points because the display makes fewer demands on system resources.

Either way, the Profile 4 X is no speed champ. But for general business tasks in offices or homes where space is limited and style matters, this all-in-one is well worth a look.

SUMMARY

Gateway Profile 4 X Preproduction unit; not rated. Great all-in-one desktop for users who value good looks and a small footprint more highly than top-notch performance. Street: $1799