Gateway Debuts Core i7 Gaming Rigs

Gateway is adding two Core i7-powered desktops to its FX series of gaming systems, with prices starting at just $1,249.99.

Computer maker Gateway is showing it’s serious about going after the gamer market, announcing two new entries in its FX series of gaming desktops that feature Intel’s brand-new Core i7 processors…and price tags that don’t throw a fragmentation grenade (or laser pulse bomb, or whatever) in customer’s wallets.

The Gateway FX6800-01e features a 2.66 GHZ Core i7 processor (automatically accelerating to 2.93 GHz on a single core), ATI Radeon HD4850 graphics with 512 MB of video memory, 3 GB of RAM, a 750 GB SATA II hard drive, an 18× DVD±RW DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet a 15-in-1 memory card reader, and a whole rack of ports (including eight USB 2.0 ports, two IEEE 1394 ports, two eSATA ports). The system also supports HDMI output (via a DVI-to-HDMI dongle), sports two available PCIe ×4 and ×1 slots (the ×16 is taken up with the graphic card), and a 500 Watt power supply for pushing all the drives and cards you like. The FX6800-01e should be available with Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) now from retailers at a suggested price of $1,249.99.

Not enough oomph there? The Gateway FX6800-05 will feature the 2.93 GHz Core i7 processor (with acceleration up to 3.2 GHz on a single core), 6 GB of RAM, ATI Radeon HD4870 X2 graphics (with 2 GB of video memory), 1 TB of hard drive storage plus an 80 GB SSD, an 18× DVD±RW DVD burner,a 15-in-1 card reader, HDMI 1.3 output, a 1,000 Watt power supply, and the usual raft of ports (eight USB 2.0, two IEEE 1394, two eSATA, plus PS/2). The system also sports 802.11b/g/n wireless networking (with three internal antennae!), gigabit Ethernet, and two front-accessible hard drive bays for 3.5-inch SATA II hard drives. The system ships with Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit and should be available now at a suggested price of $2,999.99.

All told, Gateway’s gaming rigs might how have the theatrical lighting of some company’s high-end setups, but when push comes to shove (or alien-blasting comes to fragging), some gamers might not care whether the tower under their desk or table can light up like a holiday decoration.