Gateway P-7811 FX gaming laptop gets reviewed

We already got our hands on Gateway's new P-7811 FX gaming laptop for a brief looksee, but if you're craving a few more details on the (relatively) bargain-priced unit, you can now hit up Laptop Magazine for a full review. While they had some of the same quibbles with the "almost garish" design, they were mightily impressed by the laptop overall, with them flat out declaring it "one of the best value-price rigs of 2008." The site was especially impressed by the Gateway's "beautiful high-definition display," as well as its welcome HDMI and eSATA ports, its spacious and comfortable keyboard and, of course, some of the best 3D performance around for the price. On the downside, they found that speakers left a bit to be desired, and you don't get a Blu-ray drive, which is becoming increasingly common even in this price range. Still, if the appearance isn't a deal-breaker for you, it seems like this one is as solid a bet as any.

[Danny @ Aug 14th 2008 1:38PM]

First!, But its Gateway :O

[CraigJ @ Aug 14th 2008 1:52PM]

FAIL.

Oh, and it's, as in it is. it+is = it's, not its.

[kyle allen @ Aug 14th 2008 1:52PM]

i like how you attempted to make it relivent. BUT FAILED!!!!

[Dan Halen @ Aug 14th 2008 2:11PM]

I like how you attempted to spell.

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 14th 2008 2:19PM]

Ok, Mr. Spelling-Bee. You spelled Van Halen wrong.

[Dan Halen @ Aug 14th 2008 2:50PM]

That would be, "Okay, Mr. Spelling Bee."

O.K. and OK are also acceptable.

[Ste4mpunk @ Aug 14th 2008 3:03PM]

I guess somebody doesnt watch Squidbillies

[xValentine @ Aug 14th 2008 9:49PM]

Spelling Nazis

[CraigJ @ Aug 14th 2008 1:51PM]

Doesn't look that bad to me, although I think a very dark brown would go better with the orange/copper than black.

Don't like the glossy palm rest area though.

[Jonathan @ Aug 14th 2008 2:16PM]

Glossy is good.

It'll become glossy anyways with all the chip grease and wear so might as well nip it in the bud and make it uniform.

[xcrunk @ Aug 14th 2008 3:10PM]

It's got an F and an X. FX.

That means it's FUCKING EXTREME!!!!

Yeah!

[kyle allen @ Aug 14th 2008 1:51PM]

that is probly the best lookin laptop ive ever seen

[Ciatrick Leodis McKelvin @ Aug 14th 2008 1:58PM]

That laptop is not very aesthicly pleasing to my eyes. Yuck.

[kjb434 @ Aug 14th 2008 2:00PM]

Can someone just buy Gateway? Every time I read that name I get the horrible images of large white boxes with cow spots landing on me.

[Kamokazi @ Aug 14th 2008 2:10PM]

http://liquidnitrogen.us/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/img_0694.jpg

Now try to sleep tonight.

[kjb434 @ Aug 14th 2008 2:19PM]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!

Thanks a lot. Nightmares will ensue! LOL

[Zadillo @ Aug 14th 2008 2:27PM]

Someone like Acer, who did acquire Gateway already?

[kjb434 @ Aug 14th 2008 2:32PM]

I mean buy and absorb.....so the brand goes away!

In their beginning, they were good because they were good competition to Dell who pretty much running away with the online and mail order consumer PC market.

Acer just purchased it as an asset to expand market share and their footprint.

[Kamokazi @ Aug 14th 2008 2:57PM]

Actually in the beginning, Gateway was *the* consumer PC brand. Dell was the underdog who was coming up from behind because they were getting good customer service scores (Yeah, you read that correctly...hard to believe now, eh?).

[Gman @ Aug 14th 2008 2:02PM]

I have a Gateway P-6860 (the predecessor), which has the same tremendous value that this new model has. For budget gamers wanting a laptop, this is the clear choice. The video card is top-notch, which is the key component for gamers and cannot be replaced. Other laptops with a video card of this quality cost $2000+. While the other components are not as high-end, practically else is upgradeable later--CPU, Hard Drive, Memory, even the LCD panel (though the 7811 has a nicer screen). The styling leaves a little bit to be desired (too glossy), but it's a small caveat in my mind.

In the past I would never have endorsed Gateway, but I have to give credit where it's due on this one.

[Paul Dullford @ Aug 14th 2008 5:10PM]

How long does it take to fall apart? I have a Dell (big mistake), and the screen bezel started to crack open after less than a year. The battery sensors ran amok. We had to fight Dell's support for months before we got a replacement battery.
I don't know. If the support and initial quality were fine, I'd get one. Plus, probably a more apt name than "gaming laptop" is "gaming portable" because the heat on those laptops is likely too far up to have those on laps.

[HAZE @ Aug 14th 2008 2:06PM]

"... a subwoofer would have helped." What are you going to do, strap it to your back? It's a LAPTOP. It's meant to be mobile.

[Kamokazi @ Aug 14th 2008 2:23PM]

Many larger, high-end gaming/multimedia laptops have a speaker on the bottom designed to handle low frequencies. A subwoofer does not necessarily mean a box with a giant speaker that sucks lots of power.

[Mark @ Aug 14th 2008 2:08PM]

I must be the only one who likes the look of this laptop... The black with the orange trim is one of my favorite color schemes, if I was looking to buy a laptop, this is probably what I would get.

[waterwagen @ Aug 14th 2008 2:25PM]

I think it's decent looking too. Not the most beautiful I've seen (Vaio anyone?), but I think it looks pretty good.

[adm @ Aug 14th 2008 2:19PM]

I sw one of these in bestbuy...and theirs had the bsd

[teej @ Aug 14th 2008 2:42PM]

did you have to pay for the bsd...or was it free? ?:-O

[Knives_Out @ Aug 14th 2008 2:30PM]

I wish computer manufacturers like Gateway would realize that most gamers who are going to purchase this aren't 14 yr olds. You don't have to design it like an Xbox.

I love the specs on this and the DDR3, speedy hard drive, and great graphics card would make this a top of the line productivity laptop for many multimedia applications. It's a shame that I'd be laughed at if I brought this into work.

[rv @ Aug 14th 2008 2:40PM]

Too pricey for me. And the 15 inch leaves a lot to be desired. Im starting to think I will never find the laptop of my dreams :(

[saintchuck @ Aug 14th 2008 4:19PM]

Can't find. Anyone have a link?

[BrownFisherMan @ Aug 14th 2008 6:57PM]

BestBuy is the only place i see it in, right now.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8892825&type=product&id=1211587727985&ref=09&loc=01&srccode=cii_5766179&cpncode=07-68239417-2

[xValentine @ Aug 14th 2008 9:54PM]

With that price tag, I don't see myself complaining even if the processor will bottleneck the laptop's performance.

[becu55 @ Aug 14th 2008 11:03PM]

I just got this computer today, it is astounding. Crysis all settings high no aa or af on 1280 x 720 smooth as silk. Updating all the drivers for the Ultimate upgrade was a pain tho, make sure you make a recovery disc of all your drivers before upgrading if you are doing a clean install. The clean install gets rid of the bloatware, so I suggest you go for it.

[DudeManDude @ Aug 15th 2008 12:54AM]

awesome! This is the computer I've been watching to buy. I'm glad you posted with your experience. I think after the review posted above and comments I've seen I will purchase this computer this weekend.

If I'm not mistaken I've read that the processor can be upgraded without too much difficulty, so that's an option to boost performance a bit more.

[DN @ Aug 22nd 2008 11:11PM]

We just had to take this unit back... Got a Sony VAIO instead... The unit would lock up at different times and never consistently. Lastly, the unit would never finalize the DVD when burning... Maybe ours was the exception, but I think not since the display at the store was locked up too.... Looked too much at the specs and not the obvious.

[Ghostmachine @ Sep 19th 2008 2:58PM]

I like the look of it. I have the 15 inch model, and I routinely get asked "Is that a Dell?" to which I respond "No it's a Gateway". After that, it's all "Wow that's a nice laptop, how much was it?" $900 bucks on sale :) Works great. The heat is a bit of an issue even though this one has lower-end components than the 17 inch. I have an ATI 2600 Mobility card and a 1.86Ghz processor, and although it runs a bit hot, I don't feel it as I just hang the left edge a bit off my lap when I have it there. No problems as of yet. I have to say though, I am in college and I use this machine for work there as well (IT department) and although it looks "Less professional" than the rest of the departments' HP business class notebooks I find it works great for anything that they can do with theirs, so no complaints.