The Gateway-SX2311-03 is in the middle of the scale for compact desktop PCs, with entry-level models such as the eMachines EL1300G-01W at one end and the well-equipped, entertainment peers HP Pavilion Slimline S5370t at the other end. At $ 599, serves the SX2311-03 to good value with a quad-core AMD Phenom X4 processor, 4GB of fast DDR3 memory and a spacious 1TB hard drive. It offers a mixed bag in terms of performance when viewed against the aesthetically identical, Intel Core-based i3 Gateway SX2840-01 we have previously reviewed in the year. And we must repeat standard reservation surrounding compact PCs here: Your internal expansion is limited to much compared to a full-tower desktop. But with its sleek looks, bundled Wi-Fi connectivity, and quiet operation, would SX2311-03 is a fine fit for a dorm room, a home office, kitchen, or connected to an HDTV in the cave.
The exterior of the SX2311-03 remains unchanged from the predecessor. The black case measures a trim 14x7x20 cm (HWD), making it easy to store, on or under the desk. A glossy black front panel contains covers hide the DVD burner and expansion ports. Five USB 2.0 ports, flash card slots and headphone and microphone jacks are made of the front-panel connectivity. A mini-FireWire port is available on the previous SX2840-01 model, but here it goes missing. In addition to the optical drive eject button on the top of the housing is a photo frame button that, when pressed shows, photos from memory cards or the Pictures folder on the hard disk. Around back are four USB 2.0 ports and one eSATA port related, VGA and HDMI video ports, a Gigabit Ethernet jack, surround-PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports, 5.1 audio outputs.
Removing two small screws allows access to the interior. It is obscured, however: With the DVD drive and a huge heat sink and fan on the CPU, you can hardly motherboard. (On the other hand, a big fan as here, the same amount of air that move used as a smaller fan while spinning slower. This keeps the system runs quietly, even under load.) The board offers two free DIMM slots memory expansion, along with two PCI Express (PCIe) slots: one x1 and x16. The x16 slot is used primarily for graphics cards, but the thin housing means that you have to settle for a half-height card if you want to use the slot. Even with the included 220 watt power supply you have asked for a map with modest power, decide how the ATI Radeon HD 5450, whether or upgrade you want. Otherwise you risk overtaxing the power supply.
BUY GATEWAY SX2311-03 DESKTOP NOW TO GET A DISCOUNT AND SAVE MONEY!
Unlike the previous model SX we tested (the SX2840-01), the SX2311-03 ships with a small 802.11n Wi-Fi card in a PCIe x1 slot. It provides two small ports on the back, the the included Wi-Fi antenna. Since such a small PC can fit in a variety of places, many of them far removed from an Ethernet connection, we welcome the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity on the SX2311-03. While Wi-Fi has traditionally been lacking of budget and mid-range price tower PCs, we are glad that this feature more often.
Apart from the antenna, including the only other peripherals in the box are a keyboard and mouse. Both standard output are wired USB devices. The keyboard is comfortable, but the mouse feels a bit lightweight and cheap. We would prefer that a wireless keyboard and mouse were held, as in the less expensive (but much less powerful) eMachines bundled mini-e ER1402-05 nettop.
The software bundle that ships with the PC follows the standard script, including Microsoft Works and 60-day trial versions of Microsoft Office and Norton Internet Security. You also get the stripped down Nero Express Essentials SE Disc-Burning Suite CyberLink PowerDVD and 9 for playback of discs. Much of HP Pavilion midrange towers, bloatware like Wild Tangent games and deals from eBay and Netflix is the desktop clutter.
The components are fortunately more compelling. In the big heat sink is an AMD Phenom X4 820, a quad-core CPU clocked at 2.8 GHz. It has 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 memory, less than 2 GB, which is $ 559 delivered SX2840-01, although most users will notice the difference is not paired. Conversely, Gateway did not reduce the size of the hard drive, offers a full 1 TB storage capacity. For graphics processing, the PC is the integrated graphics in the form of an Nvidia GeForce 9200 chip that borrows up to 256MB of main system memory.
BUY GATEWAY SX2311-03 DESKTOP NOW TO GET A DISCOUNT AND SAVE MONEY!
Although the gateway SX2311-03 has two processor cores, more than SX2840-01, used the X4 AMD Athlon 820 chip, it has a slower rate than the 2.93 GHz Core i3-530 chip in the second machine. This, combined with the above-mentioned 2 GB of memory deficit, the SX2311-03 can not claim to be a significant performance increase over the SX2840-01, although good in itself. For starters, the SX2311-03 showed a higher score on our CPU-centric Cinebench 10 test (11 769, compared to 9341), and it also trimmed 20 seconds from our Windows Media Encoder (WME) 9 test-rendering of our standard test video file in 3 minutes and 21 seconds. But, predictably, was the slower clocked SX2311-03 took 32 seconds longer to our iTunes file conversion test, as most currently available software, taxes, complete only a single CPU core. respectable (In this test, transforms the PC in question 11 standard MP3 files to AAC format.) Still, the SX2311-03′s score here (3 minutes and 26 seconds) for a PC in this price range.
The pendulum swung back the other way on our PCMark Vantage test to measure a series of synthetic tests on the overall performance of the system. The SX2311-03′s score of 5858 on this test was 11 percent lower than the earlier 6567 managed SX2840-01. In sum: The SX2311-03 performance is not always that exceed the Gateway predecessor, but it has more than enough power for mainstream application. Noted by the $ 299 eMachines EL1300G nettop-01W (“net-tops” to say a kind and shorter way “shockingly underpowered compact PC at a low price”) almost 23 minutes to complete our WME test. This is more than seven times as slow as the gateway SX2311-03. The Gateway’s score also looks good against the $ 929 HP Pavilion Slimline S5370t, the gateway only lasted 4 seconds longer than the HP machine to complete the exam.
As far as this goes on PC gaming, you should get by playing Spore and World of Warcraft on low settings, but you will not be able to run today’s latest 3D titles at acceptable frame rates on the integrated GeForce 9200 graphics. We’ve managed to eke out 33.3 frames per second at 1,280 x1, 024 resolution with advanced settings on our Company of Heroes DirectX 9 test disabled. That’s about twice the frame rate we SX2840-01 from the gateway and the integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics squeezed. While Company of Heroes is a 3D shooter, it noted that it was more than four years ago published. You can not find a system suitable for today’s demanding games in this price class, if you build your own (and even then, you will be pressed).
While it is not flat outperform their Intel Core i3 equipped older siblings, the versatile Gateway SX2311-03 is located in a PC Sweet Spot, delivering up decent productivity and entertainment service at a fair price, while maintaining a trim and attractive housing. It offers a complete desktop experience that you will not get from a bargain-Nettop, while cutting some functions, such as a Blu-ray drive, that are found in more expensive entertainment-oriented PCs. Since it is a compact PC at this price, it is a successful exercise in balance.
BUY GATEWAY SX2311-03 DESKTOP NOW TO GET A DISCOUNT AND SAVE MONEY!
Recent Comments