Gateway NV5214u 15.6-inch Budget Laptop PC

Sep 3 2009 - Gateway's afforable NV5214u takes a chance by using the AMD platform instead of Intel but it actually succeeds. While just slightly slower than Intel based budget laptops, the AMD can hold its and even surpasses the capabilities found in Intel's integrated graphics. Sure, it won't be a gaming platform, but it does well with HD video and casual gaming with older titles. The trackpad button bar may take some getting used to and beware of viewing the display off angle by tilting it back too far or too close.

Sep 3 2009 - Gateway's NV5214u is powered by an AMD Athlon X2 QL-64 dual core processor instead of the more common Intel Pentium Dual core found in most budget laptop PCs. While it does perform slightly behind Intel's offering in many tests, it is generally not that noticeable to the average user to make a difference. It would have been nice to see PC2-6400 DDR2 memory used but it shouldn't be faulted with its low price.

The 15.6-inch display uses an LED backlit to help reduce the power consumption and provide it with a very bright and colorful appearance. The glossy coating works well indoors but can cause a fair amount of reflections in certain lighting. The ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics are a clear step up from the Intel GMA. It easily handles high definition video streams without issue and is capable of some lighter 3D gaming fare, albeit without high detail settings.

With the wider 16:9 aspect ratio display, Gateway had some additional width on the NV5214u to manage to put in a full sized keyboard with a numeric keypad on the right hand side. It uses a flat chicklet style of key without the isolate design. It works quite well and has a nice feel. The trackpad is recessed slightly with a raised single bar button design. The trackpad itself is fine but the button can be awkward at times.

Battery life on the NV5214u was quite good for the relatively small battery pack. In my video playback tests, the laptop was able to achieve just under two hours of playback before shutting down. This translates into about three to four hours of typical non-intensive usage.

For a price of just over $500, the Gateway NV5214u offers a good overall package for those wanting a decent performing laptop with solid design elements.