by David Batterson
Rating 94
Even in this booming economy, most businesses still need to run lean and mean. The Gateway E-1400 is a practical, networkable office workstation that offers suitable performance at a low price point. The E-1400 500c that we reviewed is powered by a more-than-adequate 500MHz Celeron chip with 64MB of SDRAM, which offers greater performance than older generations of enterprise machines.
Any worker trapped in a cozy cubicle will love one of these machines for their desktop. The E-1400 is positively petite with its space-saving chassis design measuring only 3.5-inches wide by 14-inches deep, or 12-inches high in the tower configuration. The E-1400 was very easy to install and get running. The setup sheet that comes with the E-1400 contains simple instructions and excellent illustrations that show color-coded ports. For servicing the innards, there’s no need for a Swiss Army knife. The machine is designed with an easy-to-slide-off case with accessible bays.
With its integrated Intel Ethernet card, the E-1400 is ready for network use. It features Intel LANDesk Client Manager 6 software, a versatile solution for managing inter-networked client PC systems. The program makes it easy for system administrators to track system activity, troubleshoot the network, and automatically resolve problems. It also lets network gurus manage systems remotely via the Web. The included Norton Anti-Virus Software keeps data protected from attacks.
The EV500 15-inch monitor, included with the unit, is sharp, with easy to adjust settings. We found using the E-1400 very comfortable. The only notable design flaw we noticed was the slightly-smaller-than-usual Enter key.
The system comes with a three-year limited warranty on parts and labor, with on-site service and limited technical support for hardware and software as long as you own the system.
In a nutshell, the E-1400 is a compact and well-equipped workstation with enhanced network management and service features. And, it all comes at a very affordable price, definitely a PC buyers dream.
