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WHAT'S HOT: Gateway's Solo lightweight laptops are almost as small and lightweight as IBM's standard-setting ThinkPad T20--and they cost hundreds of dollars less. The 5300 comes in at $1684, measures 1.4 inches tall, and weighs 5.1 pounds with a hollow travel module in its single internal bay, compared with 4.7 pounds for a similarly configured ThinkPad T20.

WHAT'S NOT: You can't connect the floppy drive externally, so if you want to use floppies and a device in the notebook's bay simultaneously, you'll have to buy Gateway's USB floppy drive for an additional $49. You'll also need to budget for software: None is included with the Solo 5300, though a deluxe version (which costs $129 more) comes with Microsoft Office 2000.

WHAT ELSE: Less expensive than the IBM ThinkPad T20, the Solo 5300 is not as fancy a notebook. The 5300's internal bay, for instance, accommodates one of only four add-in devices, including the bundled floppy drive, the CD-ROM drive, a $149 DVD-ROM drive, or a $99 SuperDisk drive. The 5300 lacks the T20's special digital camera connection, its miniature light for illuminating the keyboard in the dark, and its dedicated application launch buttons. And the T20 has a slightly better keyboard and speakers, too. But you'll have to decide whether those extras are worth the ThinkPad's substantially higher price.

The 5300 features a handsome silver-and-black case with an oversize cow-box medallion on the lid. The hard drive slides out for quick swapping, upgrading, or storage, and a composite video-out connection lets you hook the notebook up to a TV or other big screen for presentations. A conveniently located battery gauge, mouse buttons that you can program to launch applications, and the usual outstanding Gateway documentation add further appeal.

Gateway includes Intel's LANDesk Client Manager software for managing the 5300 across a network, plus an electronic manual and GoBack, a utility that restores your system to its previous settings. With a PC WorldBench 2000 score of 147, the 5300 performed identically to the only other similarly configured notebook we've tested, the Micron Transport LT.

BEST USE: Gateway pitches its latest midsize machine to consumers, students, and professionals, though we can't imagine why the first two would need LAN management utilities. For companies seeking a fairly thin, lightweight corporate laptop at a reasonable price, the 5300 is an excellent choice.

SUMMARY

Gateway Solo 5300 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 147, Pentium III-650/500 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000, 14.1-inch active screen, 8MB of video memory, 10GB hard drive, 10X-24X CD-ROM drive, built-in modem and network adapter, touchpad pointing device, 7.1 pounds (including CD-ROM drive, floppy drive, AC adapter, and phone cord). One-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour tech support. $1684 800/846-2000 www.gateway.com