Gateway Solo 1150 CL

Company: Gateway, Inc., RO. Box 2000,610 Gateway Drive, North Sioux City, South Dakota 57049; Phone: [phone]; Web site: http://www. gateway.com/.

Description: The Gateway Solo 1150 CL Edition is a low-cost Windows ME notebook computer suitable for most productivity and multimedia uses. Specifications: The Solo 1150 CL is a portable laptop computer with a 550 MHz Intel Celeron processor and a 12.1-inch active matrix (800x 600) display.

The standard configuration includes: 64 MB SDRAM (expandable up to 192 MB), a 6 GB hard drive, lOx/24x CDROM drive, internal v.90 56K modem, 4 MB video RAM, integrated 16-bit sound, built-in stereo speakers, two USB ports, one SVGA port, one type II or one type III PC slot, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery, and an AC adapter. The software bundle includes Windows Millennium Edition (ME), Microsoft Works Suite 2001 (with Word 2000), and Norton AntiVirus. The package also includes 1 year of America Online Internet access.

This machine was upgraded to include a 10/100 MB PCMIA network interface card to make it interoperable with most school-based Ethernet-compatible networks and home-based broadband Internet service providers. The cost of the upgrade was $125.

Price: $1,199-base price. $1,324as configured for this review (with an extra 64 MB RAM for $200).

Warranty: The purchase price includes a 1-year limited warranty on parts (including the LCD screen) and labor. Extended coverage plans, including on-site or 3-year programs, are available at an additional cost at the time of purchase.

Reviewer Comments

Installation: The Solo arrived with the software loaded and ready to use. All that was needed was to install the network card in the single PC expansion slot, connect the power adapter, and start the computer.