Gateway FX6840-01e

Gateway FX6840-01e

Gateway touts the FX6840-01e ($999.99 list), available at Costco, as a killer gaming desktop with blazing multimedia performance, but that description is only partially correct. Powered by a Core i7 quad-core CPU and lots of RAM, the FX6840-01e breezed through our multimedia and productivity benchmark tests, and in some cases, took top honors. And its cavernous hard drive means you can store all manner of digital multimedia data. Sadly, its 3D gaming prowess leaves much to be desired. Granted, it's not very realistic to expect killer gaming performance at this price level, but trying to play Crysis at 5 frames per second is downright painful. On the outside, the FX6840-01e is identical to the Editors' Choice Gateway FX6831-01 ($1,300 list, ). The case is black with chrome trim and red lighting accents on the top and sides. The piano-black front panel is slotted, making it look as though there are eight drive bay doors, but only the top two are functional. Just below the two upper doors is a panel that slides down to reveal two expansion bays with sleds, allowing you to pop in a couple of SATA drives without having to access the chassis' interior.