Reviews

Gateway DU10G review

Gateway is back in the business scene and we take a look at a tiny but powerful desktop for the space constrained business.

11 Aug 2009

Businesses will be pleased with the inclusion of a TPM 1.2 chip, and a Kensington lock socket is also provided. The included keyboard and mouse are fine, if basic: the mouse is adequate, while the keyboard offers plenty of travel and an understated but comfortable key action. There are plenty of connections on the chassis, too, with nine USB sockets and even an eSATA port.

Those looking to deploy the DU10G in large numbers should be heartened by the low power draw of the Gateway. When idling, the system needed only 33W, with this figure rising to 68W when running at its performance limit - a result far lower than that of the average desktop PC, and could add considerable value in large roll-outs.

We'd have liked a few more business concessions, though, and the chassis doesn't come close to matching the Lenovo's tool-less entry, and its colour-coded interior that made upgrading components easy for even inexperienced users. The less intuitive Gateway offers no such help and lacks an intrusion detection switch. These are the trade-offs involved with such a small chassis, so it really comes down to how space-saving you need your business PCs to be.

At 543, the Gateway is over 50 more expensive than the Lenovo, and we're not sure the slightly faster processor really makes up for that. True, the DU10G is a tiny, powerful machine with a good specification and decent upgrade potential for its size, but unless you have real space issues we still prefer the stunning design and attention to detail of the fold-out Lenovo. Nevertheless, it's a good showing from Gateway on its return.

Verdict

Gateway returns to the business PC world with a fast, capable and tiny machine but it’s not a flexible a design as some of its rivals.

Processor: 3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Memory: 2GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM Storage: 320GB Western Digital Caviar Blue hard disk, DVD writer Graphics: Intel GMA 4500 graphics; D-SUB in/out; DVI-D; Ports: 9 x USB; eSATA Security: TPM 1.2; Kensington Lock slot Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet Accessories: wired keyboard and mouse OS: Windows Vista Business Warranty: 1yr RTB warranty Dimensions: 102 x 204 x 258mm (WDH) Weight: 2.32kg