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3.5 stars
"With Windows XP Professional and T8100 it's FAST!"
Pros: Lightning speed with Windows XP Professional and 1GB of RAM. Double the speed at least of Vista!
Cons: Inordinate amount of blue screens of death due to driver compatibility issues with Service Pack 3. Some of the lettering is wiping off the keys in short order!
Summary: My E-475M laptop came from the MPC business division of Gateway computers. Because business people don't like Windows Vista, it came loaded with Windows XP Professional 1GB of RAM and the T8100 Core Duo Intel processor running at 2.4 GHz. The first thing I've noticed is that it's FAST! At least double if not triple of any laptop running Windows Vista, even those having 4 GB of RAM! I upgraded with Service Pack 3 almost immediately after receiving it. It runs all the new multimedia extremely well after the upgrade. Unfortunately I have noticed instability problems concerning USB devices. The driver for my Webcam frequently causes blue screens upon disconnection and I haven't figured out if it's the driver or an incompatibility issue with Service Pack 3.This computer is beefy, it doesn't have that delicate easy to break feel other laptops do! I feel comfortable running it in very adverse conditions, it holds up well and is very well cooled, (I rarely hear the two speed fan run!)
One area that I AM NOT pleased with is the keyboard. You have to strike the keys pretty hard and I make a lot of typos on account of it. Also the lettering is wiping off the keys that are most used during typing! This started happening within a month after getting the laptop! For people who don't touch type , (I do!), this is a major problem! I may end up having to replace the top key covers on 6-8 keys because of this! For a laptop of this price this should never happen. It's to easy to activate the Caps Lock button also and you end up screaming in the middle of a sentence...very annoying!
My computer doesn't have wireless 802.11n but does have an a,b &g card, (Intel Pro Wireless 3945 ABG card), whose sensitivity seems on the low side compared the last Gateway laptop I had. Even though, it can still maintain good speed on wireless G at 54 Mbps with a 2-bar signal strength connection. Below that, speed starts to drop off.
My laptop has a maximum screen resolution of 1280 x 800 and any better than that and things would be to small on the screen. It did not come set that way from the factory and I was disappointed with the display until I found the 1280 x 800 setting. the flat matte screen I prefer to the shiny ones, but you can't see the screen outdoors at all. You have to seek shade to use it. One interesting aspect is the lip that extends down and seals the screen against the base when the laptop is closed. This keeps the dirt out while you are transporting it. That is a nice feature!
Battery life is pretty good although I stream audio as well as do other things and life seems to be about 2 hours 30 minutes per charge. I have changed the settings that cause the computer to hibernate or go to sleep if it isn't used, only instructing the hard drive to shut off after 30-minutes. I find those features really annoying! I have a spare battery and find it difficult because there is no charger to charge the second battery off the computer. So, you have to charge one up then switch it and charge the other one up.
Overall this is a beefy computer that will work under adverse situations nicely. I just wish they made the lettering on the keyboard less prone to wiping off. Not having Windows Vista Business is a HUGE ADVANTAGE both in speed and flexibility. I will be upgrading the computer to 2 GB of memory and it will handle anything thrown at it for many years to come! The Windows Wireless Manager is considerably better in XP Professional too and works extremely well with the Intel Pro Wireless 3945 ABG card. I run this laptop entirely on highly secured wireless network, (WPA2 AES) and also many other wireless networks where I attend college. It seems to work these all seamlessly. I would recommend this laptop computer highly to someone who needs a rugged laptop capable of running in harsh environments, it will just handle it and keep on ticking!
