Gateway's Quad Core Retail Desktop
Thursday August 9, 2007
Image Courtesy Gateway
Gateway seems to be doing a lot more with its retail computer systems of late than what they offer from their website. Take the new GM5478 desktop PC. This is the first of their retail products to use the Intel quad core desktop processors. Thanks to all the price cuts over the past couple of months, it is now possible for mainstream desktops to finally feature a quad core setup. Find out more how this can impact the average user in my latest review.
Comments
I have this PC. Before I even turned it on I updgraded it to 4gb of ram and added a second DVD/RW drive. It is kind of silly it only came with one and I can tell it was not easy to add that second optical drive. Not fun at all. Gateway had a piece of steel blocking the opening and did not give any easy option to remove it. I had to pop off the front faceplate and to remove. Other than that I love the PC. I got it for 1050 from Best Buy and I haven’t regretted it yet.
If you compare what Dell offers now with what Gateway has, well… there is a gaming PC there on Gateway’s homepage that’s 1300, comes with a monitor, 2 gigs of ram, a quad core processor, and ummm it annihalates anything I can think of… I haven’t bought one yet but you can bet I’m going to, hell the thing even comes with speakers for cryin out loud. What’s Dell got? The XPS 700 that’s a small fortune, that’s what…
Gateway here I come…
I bought this machine over the weekend at Best Buy on sale for $1014. I was torn between this machine and an HP m8120n for virtually the same price. The HP has 3Gb of RAM and a 640Gb hard drive, but the video card is a 7530 with 128Mb dedicated and some shared memory. The only HP they had left was the floor model and they didn’t want to give a big discount on it.
The Gateway coupled with the new HP w2408 monitor makes for a really nice, reasonably priced system.
I bought this computer and really like it…I had an older Gateway and never really had any problems with it – I agree with you Sam – it seemed to be a pretty good deal for the price.
The only problem I am having is with the front analog inputs for composite video and left/right stereo audio…I plugged an older Sony video recorder in (which worked fine on my tv’s inputs) but I couldn’t find a program to recognize the playback…
Any ideas?
Great machine – it has everything I wanted – BUT…beware of hardware problems! About 1-2 months after I bought this PC, it started occasionally suddenly making a really loud noise (the power supply fan running up to very high speed) and then automatically rebooting. Then about a month later, the keyboard or keyboard interface died. I’ve been researching online and discovered that other people have encountered the same power supply fan/reboot issue so it’s not an isolated case.
I’m having the loud fan then reboot problem also. Gateway’s first contact recommendations are shutting down all but necessary software at startup, suspicion of third-party software and hardware, System Restore, check for overheating, and reseat components. All prudent steps, but it does sound like the issue is a bad power supply – that’s not on the list. Very nice machine but for the fact it reboots at random occasionally (but too often).
Hey I have same comp with same problem, EXACTLY…. Called gateway and was told to comp back to bestbuy. I did not want to pay full price fo “refurbished” computer. There is no way that gateway did not know about this problem. I say we start a petition for either a replacement with similar “newer model” or full refund. P.S. BestBuy return policy is 14days…. thats B.S……………
I’m going to spread this to some other post and try to get this going, let me know…. Any suggestions?
I got this computer from COSTCO for $999.99 and I have started to have the same cooling fan rebooting problems. Called COSTCO which transfered me to Gateway…very friendly and asked me to take tower to CompUSA for them to check out the system for free (under warrenty). They said the same thing could be software issue…don’t think so! Good thing about COSTCO is that they have a 90 day no questions asked return policy. It has rebooted 3 times tonight already…looks like it may be going back. I will call Gateway and ask about the power supply cooling fan problem and refer them to this site. If they still want to have CompUSA open the case…it goes back. If they offer to send my a replacement fan or power supply I will try that first…but on the 89th day it will go back! Hope Gateway has a fix working. Nice system…hate to return it! Please post answers to this problem if you find or get some. If they send me the hardware and it works I will let you know.
A few days after my comment above, the failures became somewhat more frequent. I took it to CompUSA to upgrade the power supply. It failed on the bench on power up; the tech said “yup, power supply”. I didn’t try to wrestle with the warranty; with a healthy rebate on the power supply, it wasn’t worth the hassle.
Thanks Brian! The sad thing is that Gateway MUST know about this problem with the power supply! If they set out emails or a letter offering a free replacement even if it is out of warrenty…that would be good business! I will be taking my machine back…Costco gives you 90 days…not the joke of 14 like most other places. If Gateway would say…hey we didn’t provide a stong enough power supply for this system…here is a free fix…then I might consider keeping it! Hope others can get it fixed for free or cheap or just return it. Hope Gateway reads these comments as well…again thanks Brian!
Wow, changed my title after reading review….exactly what I just went through with support on the reboots…..See below
Might be good, but wouldn’t know keeps crashing and support was no help, basically told me to take it to people who have no idea about computers (Best Buy where I bought it). As a Network admin of a mid size business I took somewhat of a chance on this computer, was very scared of Vista and its hardware req’s. I lost! Today it has crashed at a minimum of 6 times and once while I was talking to Gateway’s support. It has been crashing since day three when I really had a chance to use it. I paid over $1500 for entire system (22″ monitor and printer) and for support to say “Take it back to where you bought it” is not acceptable to me. I put an external fan on it tonight with the side off of it……..still crashed. I asked support anyway to get my money back….response was take it back to best buy for support. I can’t afford or wish to lose a computer for two weeks, have it returned to me in no better shape (if gateway doesn’t know the issue why would best buy) especially when it is a hardware issue………don’t buy.
After replacing my power supply with a quality unit, I went a number of weeks with no problem. On several occasions, I was ready to write a note with my experiences but I held off. It was good that I did. I just had the loud fan, computer crash again with the new supply.
I would recommend you stay away from this mode.
Hold the phone, folks. I just did a bit more web searching and found that we have other suspects. Either Vista and/or Intel Quad core machines are suspected of having some issues that sound suspiciously similar. The GM5478 is an early mid-level quad core machine running Vista, so it might not be Gateway’s fault. I’m going to see about a BIOS upgrade and some BIOS tweaks.
I am SO glad I read these reviews on this model as I was going to buy this. I have a Gateway Duo Core GM5260 and it works great. It initially had a few bugs that after updating got rid of and now is a smooth running computer that hasn’t crashed even after about a year of having it. I love it. I just thought since I am a gamer, the Quad Core would be best, but since all my games run well on my Duo, I am sticking to the Duo, or at least until a couple of years from now when the bugs are all worked out on this model. Thanks all for sharing because others would never know about this issue since it doesn’t look like Gateway is telling!
Ok so I also have the loud fan rebooting issue. I sent it back to gateway. They re installed whatever and sent it back to me. It still does the same thing so I guess i will send it back again referring to these posts.
The BIOS upgrade is NOT sufficient to repair the issue. Just had a crash; same behavior patterns.
This is getting REALLY old.
Just a thought. This may not be the place for it, but I’m going to post the EventLog times of my crashes. Might there be cross-machine patterns?
2007-12-03 14:33:27
2007-11-09 21:44:01
2007-10-13 18:00:38
2007-10-12 21:01:59
2007-09-27 13:31:57
2007-09-10 20:12:59
2007-09-10 19:12:58
2007-08-19 02:01:05
Anyone see a relation to their crashes? Sorry if this posting is not appropriate.
Per Gateway: http://support.gateway.com/s/issues/2-2554910588.shtml The BIOS update below does resolve this issue. BIOS: (DP0298P.exe) http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=21708&dscr=Schroeder%20Town%20Motherboard%20BIOS%20Update%20version:%20DPP3510J.15A.0298&uid=186532292
Well…lets try anything to help the rebooting problem. I opened the case and used air to clean it out. Had the computer for over 3 months and I haven’t had a reboot since. I know it sounds carzy, but the heat fins were full of dust and that was causing the high speed cooling fan to come on, then the reboot followed. Try this trick to see if it cuts down on the rebooting or takes care of it all together. My wife’s work computer (HP) gets this loud fan sound when it is full of dust and they have to clean it out and there is no problem after that…it is where I got the idea.
Hope this helps!
Jim
I have had the same problem with the crashes, reboots and fight with gateway. We sent it to gateway on the feb 7 and just received it back on the 16th. The repair order says power supply…THE POWER SUPPLY IS PRETTY DUSTY for a new one! Hope it all works have’nt set it up yet!
I forgot one thing. I have been putting the computer on standby (hitting the the sleep/moon button) with the main power down the CPU has time to rest and cool off. I do not think it is a power supply problem…other than when the cooling fan kicks in the turbo speed the power supply can’t handle the load. The really sad thing is that Gateway has not sent out notices or emails offering to fix this problem. They have to know about it! Next time it will be a Dell or back to HP…never Gateway again!
Bought my unit at nebraska furniture and it does the same thing as everone else’s I don’t know what to do. Talked to friend that works for qeek squad and he tells me that Best buy new of the heating problem for a long time and has quit selling that model. Gateway you suck at your bussness practices.
I bought this computer last summer. As I don’t know much about computers, but needed one for school work, my uncle (who has some tech savvy) helped me pick it out, said it was the best one, blah, blah, blah. Not five months after getting it, the fan starts making a loud noise and the computer starts rebooting. We go and buy a new video card with fan and the system works well again. Then maybe four months ago, the computer is back to its old tricks. I had to do a system restore, as it wouldn’t even load fully, and lost tons of documents and files I’d accumulated. Now the screen is fragmented looking and my internet won’t work, no matter what I do or who I have look at it. It’s absolutely unbelievable. This computer is worthless, do NOT PURCHASE IT. I am stuck typing on an archaic old computer that works at a glacial pace after having invested a thousand dollars into a computer that was supposed to be top of the line. Oh, and the cherry on top of the sunday? Turns out the CompUSA where I bought the damn thing went out of business a few weeks after I bought it! There’s not another one in my entire state! Can you believe it?
this is the worst pc i have ever purchased. It was over $1000 in septemebr of 2007 and it has been sent in five times for repair. The problem persists of it rebooting and the fan running constantly. Gateway has given me the run around, so i would be very careful when trying to purchase a gateway product that seems to be a great deal, i assume their quailty control is lacking. Major Dissapointment
bought for 499$ on egghead.com a week later i look back at the same page, and they jacked the price up $200 more after i bought it, thought that was kinda note worthy.
I have updated the BIOS and my computer does not restart anymore. It used to restart all the time.
Doesn’t appear that its just that model. I have a brand new Gateway Q6600 Model GT5628 2 QUAD @2.4Ghz that goes through the same intermittent loud fan noise and reboot (many times a week).
DO NOT BUY THIS COMP! We only had this comp for not even a year and the graphincs card went out twice and the motherboard went out once the comp over heats and reboots with a loud fan noise its been to best buy and geek squad prolly more then we had time to use it on and off repair and things going wrong highly reccomended not to buy this comp first time for a gateway and the last one we will ever get..too many problems not reliable for daily use
luckily we bought the 3yr warranty so bestbuy and geek squad had to cover everything the one year factory warranty just went up so they paid for everything might be a good idea to go with a warranty when buying a gateway sill trying to see if we can trade or get a diff comp due to all the problems with this top of the line one..they say that they can only give us half the price of what its worth when its a lemon trying for the lemon law one more time and its there
GM5478 – BOAT ANCHOR
GATEWAY – BOAT ANCHOR MANUFACTURER
SOLUTION – BOYCOTT GATEWAY!
I have been struggling with this same issue with a Gateway GT5628 bought through Buy.com for almost a year now. I sent the machine in to Gateway service in April, and it was gone for literally one month, then came back re-imaged, but still featuring the same loud-fan power-cuts-off problem. I called again, and they said, “huh, I guess send it in again” Later, I saw the link above to the Gateway support issue entry that had the fix, ran that fix download, and it bricked my BIOS, so the machine powers on, and immediately the fan gets loud and the power cuts off – no BIOS activity at all. I called Gateway Support and ran into their “we don’t recognize your S/N” (they change them for refurbs, and their system doesn’t know the new format), before finally getting a chat tech on the line, who hardlined with the “you’re out of warranty” line of BS!
I said, “so I buy a machine from you, report a problem in detail right away, you take it for a month, do nothing but re-image it, and send it back with the same problem, which I again report, and you then have a support entry on your site saying how to fix it, which I follow to the T, and it bricks my BIOS, and you’re going to hold onto the flimsy cop-out of a warranty period?”
Before I begin with this necessary rant and possible analysis of the problems with this model, I must say that besides one big problem, this system performs well, as any system of these specifications SHOULD. But this one problem can literally make you want to cuss out every computer vender’s customer support army one by one by one until you’re just exhausted and have had enough, as I have with this one problem – and yes, it’s the stinking fan problem…of course!
I have for one been struggling with this same hogwash for the last year and a half. Bios update after bios update, heh, no avail, of course.
I have heard from many places that doing different things sometimes yields hopeful and at other times not so hopeful results. Vista, for one, is a bug in and of itself. Turning off energy saving stuff on Vista does help stop this problem for a while, at least for me. It happens anywhere from 40 minutes to 60 minutes depending on who you ask – I’ve been around looking for answers, and will NOT trust any of these tech support lines. What do most of these tech support lines usually amount to? Well, a total waste of freaking time. “Is it plugged in, is the inside of the computer dusty, are you a moron?” So anymore I just start a tech support conversation, in the rare case I have one, with “I have been using computers all my life, do not give me the obvious, for the love of God, please!” And so since I’ve been doing that, I have gotten straight-forward answers for most things, but in this case, I don’t think Gateway Support will know anything more than just to update my bios, which I have done again and again to no avail.
The heat sink fan is the fan which speeds up, sounds like a train wreck (you know what I’m talking about if this followed with a shutdown and restart for your 5628 model), and is just a general pain in the neck.
So although these comments are quite old, the issue still stands. Some methods work, some don’t, and I think I may have a theory – LOCATION! That just could be it. If you live in a relatively humid area, say, anyplace in Pennsylvania for the last decade, then you’ll know that the climate is just always humid in the summer.
Humidity seems to be the problem. Every single time this happened to me, the climate was humid. Turning on a dehumidifier, of all things imaginable, helps to lessen these incidents I’ve found. I don’t know if it’s coincidence or what, but if this is the case, and the heatsink or some adjacent area or its linking to the bios is affected by humidity in any way, which I would imagine it would be if not sealed properly, then we just could have our assailant, caught red-handed…I wish. I can’t know for sure. One way to know is if some here live in a dry climate, others live in humid climates, and others live in some area that has climates that are in between. Give what season it happens in, describe the humidity on the day a fan event happens, and we’re in business with testing the theory.
I wouldn’t put it past this theory being right – American corporations have been quite dodgy as of late (and I mean more than usual) – generally these big corporations have managers as well as some employees who really don’t give two loads about any of their customers, even if they’re the profuse customers who always come back for more (especially those who come back for more). So the likelihood of this model having a heatsink that wasn’t properly installed or not sealed in any proper way is just very very high.
By the way folks, if you’re going to get a computer, it’s best you do research on the parts you’re going to get and put the thing together yourself – you’ll not have to worry about some buttlord customer support representatives, and you won’t have to worry about the “Geek Squad” charging you 60 dollars just to see what the heck the problem is, just to tell you that they don’t know what it is.
There are things you can buy from retail stores, and there are things you cannot – this is obvious. Computers seem to be one of those things you should not. Staples is one example, and Best Buy is another amongst many. Stick it to the bloody corporations just like they stick it to you anytime some TV ad or salesperson is thrusting their advertising pike at you. Try and get a good deal, know about every part you’re buying, and put it together yourself.
It makes me wonder, out of every 1 million sales of home computers, how many of them are actually satisfied with the product they receive. I would imagine a majority definitely are not, if they’re buying from the US. I don’t really have much against the US in and of itself, but business practices of late involve ZERO science or logic and involve nothing but psychological warfare, mind control, and marketing – all of this collectively being known as “servicing” the “customer”. Wonder why the economy is bad? Maybe, just maybe, garbage like that has a lot to do with it. Oy vey.