The 500XL (currently listed as the 500S), Gateway's midrange consumer product, delivers all amenities the average computer user needs. The 1.8 GHz Pentium 4 processor along with 256MB of DDR SDRAM and the home version of Windows XP give this computer enough get up and go for just about any normal task including games, music, graphics, and pictures.
The minitower case provides an easy no-tools-needed access to the computer innards, and the 3 PCi and 1 AGP slot leave plenty of room for future expansion. Adding peripherals is easy, thanks to six USB ports. Two USB ports are conveniently located in the front of the computer and provide easy access for cameras and other accessories that are often added and removed. The computer even comes with an integrated 10/100 Ethernet adapter which is useful for creating a small network or using a cable or DSL modem.
A clear, concise poster along with color-coded ports on the computer made the setup easy. The programs came preinstalled, so all I had to do was hook up the cables and turn the computer on. Hats off to Gateway for two things that are overlooked by many of today’s manufacturers: 1. The computer came with a fairly well-written, comprehensive manual and 2. All the program disks were included with the computer.
The bundled programs included Microsoft Works 3.0 which has a full version of Microsoft Word 2002, Encarta Encyclopedia 2002, Money Standard 2002, Streets & Trips 2002, Picture It! Photo 2002, and Microsoft Outlook Express. The included Roxio Easy CD Creator 5.0 software is very helpful in creating CDs on the system's 16X/10X/40X CD-RW drive. Music can be played either on the MusicMatch Jukebox or Window’s Media Player. The software package has something for just about every task. There is even a CD Stomper Pro labeling system included to help you create and apply labels for all the music and photo CDs you create. My only disappointment was the included light version of WinDVD. This software for playing DVDs does an adequate job but is not one of my favorites. (The introductory screen that allows you to upgrade the software for a price appears every time you use the program and forces you to close this “offer” window over and over again.)
My 500XL also came with a guidebook called “Using Your PC to Explore Digital Music,” which contained some useful information about creating and working with music CDs. The included three-piece Boston Acoustics BA745 speaker set provides good sound quality. An upgrade to a five speaker set is also available for avid stereo buffs.
My Gateway came with a Gateway optical mouse with a wheel. (Once you use one of these, you will never want to go back to a mouse pad and old-fashioned mouse again.) The included Gateway keyboard features an additional dozen multimedia and Web shortcut buttons.
Another thing that will spoil you for the better things in life is the 15” flat panel monitor that comes with this Gateway. The monitor is analog, where I would have preferred digital (see my tutorial How To Buy a Flat Panel Monitor for details), but the space-saving, eye-saving qualities of flat panel monitors are real advantages.
Home users will find that this computer performs well whether playing DVD movies, burning CDs, tracking finances, or manipulating photographs. It even offers enough power and features for home office use. At $1,249, it is a solid entry in the mid-range computer bracket.
NOTE: The 500XL reviewed here has been renamed the 500S. The 500XL currently being marketed by Gateway is a 2.4GHz Pentium 4 with 512MB DDR SDRAM and a 120GB hard drive which at the time of this writing is being sold for $2,799. Again, confusion reigns in marketing and naming computers. The manufacturers may not do this to confuse us, but they sure seem to like adding complexity to the already difficult choice of purchasing a new computer!
