Desktop Reviews: Gateway DX4840-03e and the HP Pavilion p6510y

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Today we'll be reviewing two general purpose desktop computers, the Gateway DX4840-03e and the HP Pavilion p6510y. Both offer solid performance, but they differ by more than $100 in price. Is the more expensive one worth it? Keep reading to find out.

The Gateway DX4840-03e is a desktop that can be found at a fixed configuration in retail stores. It brings a solid mix to the table of good performance, satisfactory design, and a competitive feature set. Its $659.99 price tag, however, is a bit more than some others in its class. The DX4840-03e comes paired with a one-year warranty on parts and labor.


The DX4840-03e comes with a 3.0 GHz Intel Core i3-540 processor with 4 MB of cache. This multi-core processor from Intel gives the DX4840-03e impressive performance when compared with other desktops in its class. Common tasks like browsing the Internet, instant messaging, multimedia, and even light gaming are possible. You can also run more than one application at the same time without suffering any noticeable lag in performance. To aid with multitasking, 8 GB of DDR3 SDRAM is on board.

The desktop's graphics are supported by an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD card. Plenty of storage space for all of your important data is handled by a 1 TB hard drive. The operating system that comes pre-installed on the system is Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit.

If the store-bought configuration of the DX4840-03e is not sufficient for your needs, there is some room to upgrade it after the fact. There is room for an extra hard drive to supplement the original 1 TB of storage. All of the RAM slots are occupied, although the 8 GB that comes with the system should be good enough for most. Other vacancies include and standard PCI slot, a 1X PCI Express Card slot, and a 16X PCI Express Card slot.

Additional features of the DX4840-03e include a DVD drive useful for watching DVDs or listening to CDs. If you need to transfer data from other devices like digital cameras, there is a multi-in-1 media reader. The reader supports SD cards, Memory Sticks, and many other formats. Unfortunately, there is no integrated Wi-Fi, so you will have to upgrade the system yourself to achieve wireless connectivity.



Gateway opted for the typical all black color scheme with the DX4840-03e, although the front panel does have an attractive glossy finish. The look of the desktop should fit in well with almost any home or office setting. Size-wise, the tower weighs 25 pounds and measures 16.2 inches tall by 16.3 inches deep by 7.1 inches wide. The top of the front panel features the aforementioned media reader, a photo frame button for watching instant slide shows, two USB ports, and microphone and headphone jacks. This section is set at an angle for easy access.

The very top of the tower has a sunken device tray that can be used for storing digital devices as you charge or sync them. This convenient design feature also houses two USB ports. The rest of the connectivity resides on the back. It includes connections for a keyboard and mouse, a HDMI port, a VGA port, six more USB ports, an Ethernet port, and audio jacks. The HDMI port is a plus, and allows you to connect the computer to a HDTV.

As a general purposed desktop, the Gateway DX4840-03e has the right mix of smart design, features, and performance. Unfortunately, its price is a bit higher than other competing desktops that offer virtually the same. Therefore, although the DX4840-03e is a smart pick, you should shop around a bit before making the decision to purchase it.

Next: HP Pavilion p6510y >>
 

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