Gateway DX4822-01

Gateway DX4822-01

Although we weren't fans of Gateway's midrange Gateway DX4300-03, the $520 DX4822-01 makes a more convincing argument with budget-minded features like a spacious hard drive and 6GB of memory that offer a decent value for consumers on a budget. If you're shopping for a living room PC, consider the Gateway SX2800-01 that earned our Editors' Choice award for best all-around performance in a compact slim tower design. Still, the Gateway DX4822-01 is still a very capable midtower system for users with light duty needs. The DX4822-01's tower is ostensibly a mirror image of the DX4300-03 with a glossy black simplicity that should integrate easily into a variety of office or home settings. The top of the front panel has a media card reader that protrudes at a slightly upward angle, making it easier to access while the tower is on the floor. You also get two USB ports and a nonslip resting bay up top for external hard drives and other peripherals. The DX4822-01 shares many of the same components as the Asus Essentio CM5570-AP003. In fact, with the exception of the extra storage space you get with the Gateway, they're essentially the same system and compare similarly in the performance scores you see below.