Gateway, the famous cow-spotted PC brand of the 90s and early 2000s, is re-entering the modern computer world with its first-ever line of laptops. According to an announcement released this morning, the new laptops will be sold exclusively at Walmart and will feature Intel and AMD processors, and Nvidia RTX graphics cards
Editor’s Note: It’s currently unclear if these laptops will be sold in Australia.
The idea of going to Walmart for these isn’t the most appealing, but considering Gateway’s history of making affordable and decently reliable machines, the move makes sense in that context. Stand-alone Gateway stores were put to pasture a long time ago, so the brand needs another physical storefront to keep with tradition.
At a glance, the new laptops seem to hit all the right notes as far as competing with other popular laptop brands. Gateway, which Acer acquired in 2007, has still made some products over the years, but nothing quite as big as this new launch. And damn do these laptops look sleek and modern and nothing like what my brain conjures when you say Gateway computer.
Gateway’s new Creator series start at $US900 ($1,237), and besides including THX Spatial Audio on both models, will also feature either an Intel 10th-gen Core i5 and an RTX 2060, or an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H and a GTX 1650. Both will have a 15.6-inch FHD display, but the Intel model is the more expensive of the two. Interestingly, Walmart lists the AMD model at $US800 ($1,099), and the Intel model at $US1,000 ($1,374), but the press release lists both with higher prices. In any case, either of these models could make decent, budget gaming laptops based on the specs.
The Gateway Ultra Thin series has six different configurations, starting at just $US200 ($275) for an 11.6-inch display and an AMD A4 processor. Higher-end models include either a 14.1-inch or 15.6-inch display, and up to an Intel i5 CPU. All include THX audio.
Gateway also launched two tablets, starting at $US70 ($96) for an 8-inch screen. Both models run on Android OS and are powered by Samsung’s A50 processor. There’s also a 2-in-1 model with an 11.6-inch touch display for $US300 ($412), which includes one year of Microsoft 365 Personal with 1 TB OneDrive cloud storage.
All of these new laptops are available now at Walmart, with additional products releasing later in the year.
With a lot of people working or attending school from home, there’s a huge need for affordable laptops that can get the job done and get the job done well. Acer doing a splashy launch under the Gateway name makes sense. Having grown up using Gateway PCs for most of my childhood and teen years, I can say that a Gateway machine never did me wrong. Maybe these new laptops will just as memorable when I am eventually able to test one.