Gateway P-7811FX Laptop - Usability

Regarding its 17.1 inch display, Gateway has updated that as well from previous releases in its FX gaming laptop line. Previous models such as the 6831 FX and the 6860 FX only gave users a 1,440x900 resolution, which was sufficient but not really ideal for a laptop with such a large screen. With the Gateway P-7811FX, the manufacturer decided to upgrade the display to a 1,920x1,200 resolution to match its competition. The improved display resolution really allows the machine to take advantage of its processing capabilities and makes the multimedia experience on the laptop that much better.

One mishap in the production of the Gateway P-7811FX is that you cannot upgrade to a Blu-ray DVD drive. Considering the hype surround Blu-ray DVDs nowadays, this seems like a bit of an oversight by Gateway, and one has to wonder why they would leave such an option out of a laptop designed with the gamer or high tech user in mind. Hopefully the next FX model released will address this issue in the future. However, you can still download HD content with your Gateway P-7811FX, and viewing it on the 17.1 inch display is a joy.

Rounding out the main components on the Gateway P-7811FX is its full-size keyboard. Unlike most laptops, there is a separate numeric keypad on the Gateway P-7811FX, which is great not only for gaming, but also if you also have a need or tendency to work with a lot of numbers while on your laptop. There is nothing worse than having the single row of numbers just above the letters to enter in numeric characters all the time.

Typing is enjoyable thanks to the size and texture of the keys. Just above the keyboard is a row of media controls to control volume, among other things. These media buttons have backlights incorporated into them and add to the modern look of the laptop.

In terms of connectivity, the Gateway P-7811FX has three USB ports. This is fine for a normal laptop, but one would wish that Gateway would have provided more ports to plug in peripheral devices. In addition to the USB ports, there is also an eSATA port for those who like to use external drives, and with only 200 GB of storage, you may need to. There is also a mini Firewire port and an SD card reader as well.

Gamers in the market for a new gaming laptop with high performance at an affordable price should give the Gateway P-7811FX a serious look. Not only does it look like a gaming laptop, it performs like one. Priced at only $1,249.99, it is tough to beat.