The Bottom Line
- Low Cost
- Excellent Connecticity and Security
- Lacks FireWire
- Bit Underpowered
Description
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 Dual Core Processor
- 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
- 120GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
- 15.4" WXGA (1280x800) Display with 1.3MP Webcam in Bezel
- AMD Radeon Mobility HD 2400 XT Dedicated Graphics
- v.92 56Kbps Modem, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth
- Three USB 2.0, HDMI, ExpressCard/54, Fingerprint Scanner, 5-in-1 Card Reader
- 14" x 10" x 1.5" @ 6.3 lbs
- Vista Home Premium, MS Works 8, Power2Go, McAfee Internet Security
Guide Review - Gateway M-150XL Thin and Light Laptop PC
11/7/07 – The Gateway M-150XL is very similar to their retail M series of notebook computers, but with a few more features added onto them. The most notable of these is the inclusion of a dedicated graphics processor compared to the retail integrated graphics. The AMD Radeon Mobility HD 2400 XT isn't one of the higher end 3D processors, but it does allow this notebook to handle 3D graphics and casual PC gaming without an issue.
In terms of overall processing power, the M-150XL is a bit underpowered compared to most other offerings. It does use the newer Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor with the faster bus speeds, but its core clock speed is lower than what can be found in many other thin and light notebooks. At least they are including a full two gigabytes of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory so that it can run the Vista operating system without any issues.
Storage is a bit on the low side. The 120GB hard drive is about the size that one might find on a budget oriented notebook. Most thin and light systems that it is competing with and even some budget models come with 160GB or larger models. A standard dual layer DVD burner is included for handling all CD and DVD reading and writing.
One other surprising aspect to the Gateway M-150XL is the amount of connectivity options it has. The system uses the newer Intel wireless chipset that allows it to connect to all the current Wi-Fi standards and the draft-802.11n version. In addition to this, it comes equipped with a Bluetooth module as well for wireless peripherals. The drawback to this is that the system fails to include a standard FireWire port. This prevents people from easily transferring video from their digital camcorders to the notebook.
