Gateway's FX530 series performance desktops

Not to be left out of the latest in nu-industry megahertz wars, Gateway's got a new line of tweakable performance PCs just announced, the FX530 series. These new Viiv BTX boxes are available with options including a Core 2 Duo E6700 (FX530XG) or Core 2 Extreme X6800 (FX530XT and FX530XL), up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM, Creative X-Fi audio, 9-in-1 media reader, 8x dual layer DVD-RW burner, dual ATI Radeon x1950 and x1900 graphics, and even an Intel quad-core processor upgrade path on the two higher end models. Prices range from $2500 for the FX530XG up to $5000 for the FX530XL. A decent chunk of change for what we might be used to paying for a Gateway box, but we all know raw power don't come cheap.

[Nubaeus @ Oct 30th 2006 1:37AM]

Tricky with the name, I thought they were throwing in AMD-FX's

[TeRm @ Oct 30th 2006 1:38AM]

Raw power does come cheep, its called newegg. you can get 90 percent the performance for 20% the price. 700$ will you a badass rig.

[Matt G @ Oct 30th 2006 2:07AM]

Last time i've tried to custom config a PC compared to an already built brand, it always came up to be more expensive, actually. I'm not going to bother to custom config to match this gateway's specs, but i'm doubtful.. I'm sure it depends on which models etc, but whatever. My point is, it used to be cheaper to build, but for the most part, it's not anymore.

[MitchellO @ Oct 30th 2006 1:47AM]

Those look a bit recent Dell-style to me.

[Phil @ Nov 13th 2006 12:34PM]

My, look at what they've done with the XPS400! Oh, wait... nevermind. It's a Gateway. I smell lawsuit.

[Matt G @ Oct 30th 2006 2:00AM]

Are you joking me? You could get a Mac Pro Quad Xeon for like, the SAME price... am I missing something?? Gateway cheap plastic w/ only a standard desktop chip, vs a nice aluminum sleek beauty with quad Xeon?? I think the only thing the gateway has is a better video card, but who cares *DROOL* QUAD XEON...

[JV @ Oct 30th 2006 2:11AM]

Not bad...

[Anders @ Oct 30th 2006 2:14AM]

Depending on the board and BIOS options, I doubt you could do much tweaking with it though.

[Juaquin @ Oct 30th 2006 2:54AM]

Note to gateway - make a gaming box look different from your standard boxes.

The pastel colored "FX" on the side doesn't count.

Just buy a bunch of coolermaster cases and rebadge/paint them.

[Andrew Lazetera @ Oct 30th 2006 3:42AM]

@Matt G

are you retarded? lol

FIRST of all you dont build to match a specific PC, you build to what YOU as the CONSUMER want. Try looking at Newegg.com, as another poster before you said. I spent $815 and got a gaming rig that runs OBLIVION full quality with no lag. If you are thinking you have to have an intel core 2 extreme and 16 million nvidia video cards, get a life. An AMD 64 3500+, ATI X850PRO, and a gig of ram will take you places.

and as far as gateway + power, it = death

I have a Gateway laptop with an AMD Athlon 64 3700+, ATI Mobility Radeon X600, and 1GB RAM. (had it for a year and a half, it has sucked for all of that time)
FIRST off it is COMPLETELY untweakable. Second, it performs great until you try to use it, then the hardware starts dieing, things start breaking, etc. 12 other people in my dorm had the IDENTICAL laptop and had the SAME problems. Gateway = crap, and there is no amount of money you can spend to fix that. Build your own, and it will blow anything commercially available out of the water at a much lower cost.

[rynth @ Oct 30th 2006 5:49AM]

Hear hear Andrew!!!

[Matt G @ Oct 30th 2006 3:11PM]

Andrew:

That is VERY obvious. OF COURSE you wouldn't configure a gaming rig identical to this Gateway, you'd build it how you want it... I was only making the point that building one would cost more money, typically. Therefore, custom building one with the identical specs to this machine would probably cost more money. You must have misunderstood what I said.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 30th 2006 9:08AM]

Note to Gateway:

Start making stuff that isn't total crap.

[Loke Uei @ Oct 30th 2006 2:00PM]

oo another candidate for setting up this display configuration. NICE.

http://blogs.msdn.com/lokeuei/archive/2006/10/23/i-m-so-jealous.aspx

[sdsdv10 @ Oct 30th 2006 3:34PM]

I would have to agree with Matt G. If you actually take the time to make as close a duplicate to the OEM rig for a true apples to apples comparison, then the Newegg route will typically be higher (although I would add the caveat this in mostly true below ~$1500-2000). Once you get into the higher end models, the OEMs seem to take a SUV/automaker approach and jack up profit margins. I have tested this with at least 6 different systems and so far it�s held true. You can check for yourself. Go to Newegg, check the specs on one of the Acer based desktop computers and then try to build it from the same or similar parts on Newegg. For desktops below $2000 the OEM product will be $50-$100 less with a full manufacturer�s warranty. Get much above $2000 and all bets are off. Flame if you need to, but that has been my experience.

[AJ7 @ Nov 26th 2006 1:40AM]

the last 2 desktops ive gotten from gateway had a great list of features but BROKE, both had to be sent in for repair, they used to be a respectable company, but their products don't last so i doubt these "new" ones will either

[TOTY @ May 2nd 2007 4:01AM]

term how is that ? 90 % of power for 20% of the price! u serious?

[RBurke Jr. @ Apr 28th 2008 8:58AM]

I got rid of my DELL to get a FX Gateway which everyone was telling me was the Cadillac of laptops. Yeah. Right.

Everyone with a cheap 400.00 dollar computer can run programs, load any kind of printer and have it actually work. NOT SO WITH MY WONDERFUL PIECE OF SH--- I got from Gateway.

After paying 1800.00 dollars for this boat anchor, they tell me there's a lot of problems with it. Wouldn't you idiots that's supposed to have at least half a brain have tested this product out before you dumped it on the consumer?????

This product is pitaful. And the designer that let this hit the market is of the same calibur.

This will definately be the last boat anchor I will ever buy from Gateway. The company is doing absolutely nothing to help and just think of it, If they couldn't build a good laptop, how in the he-- could they now be able to fix it?????

Roland