Gateway Performance 1500

WHAT'S HOT: With help from its cutting-edge Pentium 4 CPU and a 64MB NVidia GeForce2 Ultra graphics card, Gateway's Performance 1500 recorded the highest frame rates we've ever seen on all three of our 3D gaming tests: Quake III, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, and Rage Expendable.

Gateway has also loaded this system with all the hardware needed to work comfortably with digital video: A CD-RW drive and 60GB hard drive provide ample storage; three IEEE-1394 ports, including one on the front of the case, allow for fast downloads from many digital video cameras; and a Hauppauge TV Tuner Card with remote control lets you view your favorite TV shows without leaving your PC. Other pluses include the Boston Acoustics BA7500G stereo system, whose four speakers and subwoofer produced very rich and real 3D sound.

WHAT'S NOT: The Performance 1500 failed to deliver on the promise of its name, posting a paltry PC WorldBench 2000 score of 161. While that figure is within a few points of scores posted by other P4-1500 systems we've tested, it's actually lower than some of the scores for systems equipped with slower Pentium III and Athlon CPUs. Because a healthy portion of the Performance 1500's $2569 price can be attributed to its top-of-the-line CPU, it seems like you pay dearly for gaming performance. We also found DVD movie playback very dark, despite adjusting the monitor's brightness settings.

WHAT ELSE: Gateway's VX920 display, a 19-inch monitor, produced exceptional image detail at 1280 by 1024 resolution but required a manual refresh-rate adjustment to eliminate annoying screen flicker. Colors looked rich and full. In our test machine, one PCI slot, one 3.5-inch external drive bay, and two internal drive bays were unoccupied. With their quick release latches, these drive bays were surprisingly easy to remove; similarly, the PCI card is secured by a single clamping mechanism that uses an easy-to-grasp thumbscrew. The software bundle includes Microsoft's Works Suite 2001, Adaptec's EasyCD Creator, Rand McNally's Explore America, and Quicken's Basic 2000.

BEST USE: Though the Performance 1500 houses enough hardware to satisfy any home or home-office user, it's best suited to gamers and video enthusiasts who will take advantage of the high-quality graphics performance.

SUMMARY

Gateway Performance 1500 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 161, Pentium 4-1500 CPU, 128MB of RDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows Me, 60GB hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM drive, 12X/8X/32X CD-RW drive, NVidia GeForce2 Ultra graphics card with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, Hauppauge TV Tuner Card, 19-inch Gateway Diamondtron NF VX920 monitor, Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live CT4870 sound card, Boston Acoustics Digital BA7500G speakers, combo V.90 modem/network adapter, midsize tower case, Microsoft Works Suite 2001. Three-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour tech support. $2569 800/846-2000 www.gateway.com