kens@hplsla.HP.COM (Ken Snyder) (09/29/89)
Listed below are 2 systems from GATEWAY 2000 that I am considering buying in the next week or so. Comparing them to other mail order companies, (Zeos, Northgate, Dell, Dataworld etc.) this system undercuts the others by $500->$3000. I've asked every question that I can think of and the answers were the right ones. They use high quality name brand peripherals and full speed parts. Their service seems to be the same as everyone elses'. I'd like to hear from anyone who owns a system or anyone who can think of something else to ask. At these prices, I can get a 25 MHz system cheaper than the other brands 20 MHz system. Oh yes, the company is 4.5 years old, does about $7M business a year. The only other concern is that none of their systems has ever been reviewed (by their own admission) in a magazine. What's the catch? Sounds too good to be true to me... Thanks for the questions/experience, Ken --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gateway 2000 system notes 20 MHz basic system Micronics motherboard w/ Chips & Technologies chipset (20MHz parts) 1 Meg RAM - 80nsec DIPs (256k) all on memory board 1.2M 5.25" floppy AND 1.44M 3.5" floppy 40Mbyte 28ms hard disc RLL controller, Seagate drive 16 bit VGA w/ 256k video mem (800x600 res) (ATI - VGA WONDER board) 14" Multisync monitor (TATUNG) (800 x 600 res) 1 parallel port, 2 serial ports 101 key keyboard (Keytronics) 1 x 32 bit slot (memory), 5 x 16 bit slots, 2 x 8 bit slots 82385 cache controller (0 wait states w/ cache) Phoenix Bios 1.10.10 with choice of either MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 Standard full size AT desktop footprint, 5 bays, 3 w/ fp access Bus speed - 8 / 11MHz selectable 30 day moneyback guarantee, 1 yr 24 hr part shipment service - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > $2,395 Options: 150M 16.5ms Miniscribe (3180E) w/ Western Digital 1007 ESDI ctrlr + 700 250k Video memory (gives 1024 x 768 res @ 16 colors) + 50 NEC Multisync 3D monitor (gives 1024 x 768 res) + 100 4 Meg memory upgrade (80ns 1Meg dips) + 400 64k Cache memory upgrade (35ns static column ram) + 250 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TOTAL $3,895 25 MHz system with same configuration - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > $4,645
eaugustu@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Eric P. Augustus) (10/01/89)
In article <5190047@hplsla.HP.COM> kens@hplsla.HP.COM (Ken Snyder) writes: >Listed below are 2 systems from GATEWAY 2000 that I am considering buying >in the next week or so. Comparing them to other mail order companies, >(Zeos, Northgate, Dell, Dataworld etc.) this system undercuts the others >by $500->$3000. I've asked every question that I can think of and the >answers were the right ones. They use high quality name brand peripherals >and full speed parts. Their service seems to be the same as everyone >elses'. I'd like to hear from anyone who owns a system or anyone who >can think of something else to ask. At these prices, I can get a 25 MHz >system cheaper than the other brands 20 MHz system. Oh yes, the company >is 4.5 years old, does about $7M business a year. The only other concern >is that none of their systems has ever been reviewed (by their own >admission) in a magazine. What's the catch? >Sounds too good to be true to me... > >Thanks for the questions/experience, > >Ken I bought the Gateway 2000 386/20 back in Mar 89 and have had absolutely no problems with it. Since then I have called their technical people with alot of questions and have gotten pretty good help. I like the fact that their tech support line is an 800 number, which most places do not have. Even one of their technicians gave me his home phone number in case I had a problem that couldn't wait until their business hours to get corrected. Now that's what I call dedication. I don't think you'll go wrong with them. As I've said I'm pretty happy with my system. I also like the fact that I can get the 4 Meg memory upgrade at the current price at anytime, which is cheaper than anywhere else. I also have a neighbor who bought the same 386/20 from them and he's pretty happy with his also. Hope this helps. eaugustu@blackbird.afit.mil -- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ | 1Lt Eric Augustus (GUS) | "The time you enjoy wasting is not | | eaugustu@blackbird.afit.mil | wasted time." - Bertrand Russell | \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/