CNET editors' review
CNET Editors' ChoiceJan 05- Reviewed on: 01/12/2005
- Updated on: 12/28/2009
- Released on: 09/30/2004
Gateway's newly redesigned, high-end 7200XL desktop combines the latest technology with an array of high-end components. The first system we've seen that incorporates Intel's BTX (Balanced Technology Extended), the 7200XL ushers in a new era of quieter computing and a more logically laid out interior. It also represents for Gateway a return to selling configurable PCs directly from its Web site, and the company certainly didn't skimp on the components. The 7200XL's high-end 3.6GHz Intel Pentium 4 560 processor, ATI's Radeon X800 XT graphics card, and a 19-inch LCD monitor place this PC firmly in the upper echelon of performance systems. Even better, it costs only $2,625, a full $1,000 less than similarly configured competitor PCs. We recommend you take advantage of this bargain.As processors and graphics cards continually run faster and hotter, they require larger and more expensive heat sinks, multiple cooling fans, and in some cases, special liquid-cooling elements to prevent overheating. Ever-advancing components will eventually surpass the ability of current system design to keep the parts cool and the PC quiet. Enter BTX (Balanced Technology Extended), which was originated by Intel and is showcased here in Gateway's new 7200XL desktop. As the 7200XL shows, the BTX form factor offers improvement over the legacy ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) layout.
The first change that you'll notice: you access the BTX motherboard from the right side of the case, as opposed to the left with ATX systems. When you look inside, you'll see a new board layout designed to maximize cooling efficiency. A plastic shroud extends over the processor from a 120mm fan on the front of the box. This shroud channels cool air directly across the CPU, over the memory (which now sits directly behind the CPU), and the graphics card, then out the rear of the system, with help from another 120mm fan on the back panel. The large fans and the directed air pathway not only make for better cooling, they also allow quieter operation because you no longer need a fan seated directly on the processor itself. Further, the 120mm fans move the same volume of air as standard 80mm fans common in ATX systems while spinning more slowly and quietly. In fact, this PC is straight-up quiet. If not for the drive operation lights, it's sometimes hard to tell that it's actually on.
Another advantage of the new design is that, because of the new position of the x16 PCI Express (PCIe) video card slot, graphics cards with massive, oversize heat sinks, such as the one here, will not encroach upon the adjacent standard PCI expansion slot. The Gateway 7200XL has four PCI slots total, with two unoccupied.
On the outside, the Gateway 7200XL doesn't appear that revolutionary. Its familiar black-and-silver case looks roughly the same size as Gateway's ATX-based 710XL Performance box, the major outward change only a large vent for the intake fan on the bottom portion. A pair of FireWire ports sits on the lower half of the front panel, and underneath the dual layer/dual format DVD burner and a DVD/CD-RW combo drive resides an 8-in-1 media-card reader and a single USB 2.0 port.
Around back, you'll find six additional USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet jack, and five jacks for connecting to the integrated High Definition Audio solution. You'll also see the latch for the easy-to-open, tool-free side panel. Inside, the wire layout is somewhat cluttered, but aside from that, it looks about as organized as you'd hope. The 3.5-inch hard drive bays sit perpendicular to the case for easy removal, always a bonus, and with two of the three free, you have plenty of room for added storage. You get less space for front-panel drives, as both of the 5.25-inch bays are occupied, although one of the two 3.5-inch front-accessible bays is available.
With the 7200XL, Gateway makes its triumphant return to selling customizable PCs from its Web site. This unit came to us with a high-end configuration that makes it suited for just about anything you'd like to do with it.
The 3.6GHz Intel Pentium 4 560; 1GB of DDR (400MHz) memory; and a 250GB, 7,200rpm Western Digital SATA hard drive form a powerful foundation that gives you plenty of pop and storage space. For games and movies, the pairing of the 256MB ATI Radeon X800 XT PCI Express graphics card and Gateway's 19-inch FPD1940 LCD monitor proved a winning combination. The 3D card is one of the most powerful around for gaming, and the brightly lit LCD incorporates Fujitsu's MVA (Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment) technology for expanding the viewing angle, which helps the screen look great from any angle in its native 1,280x1,024 resolution. It supports both VGA (15-pin) and digital video connections, and its monitor's stylish base and small footprint make it ideal for users with limited desktop real estate. You can also purchase an optional wall-mounting kit to further optimize your work space.
We also liked the pairing of a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS sound card and Gateway's 5.1 GMAX 5100 speaker system, which provided a rich blend of mid/high tones delivered through the five satellite speakers and wall-shaking bass, thanks to an oversize subwoofer.
The 7200XL ships with a decent multimedia keyboard, but we think this system is worthy of an optical mouse rather than the supplied ball mouse. Other than Windows XP Home Edition, the bundled software is limited to Microsoft Works Suite 2005 and trial versions of Norton AntiVirus (90-days), Napster 2.0 (with a 150-song sampler), and AOL (six-month Internet access).
We don't expect BTX to lend any real performance benefit to existing hardware, instead it will enable parts manufacturers to keep ramping up clock speeds. That said, the Gateway 7200XL performs about as well as you'd expect for a PC with a high-end configuration. In terms of application performance, we compared the Gateway 7200XL with a handful of slightly more powerful PCs, and it placed exactly where we thought it would. Its application performance scores were the lowest overall, but a 204 is nothing to be ashamed of, and it makes sense, given that this system has slower memory compared to that of its nearest competitor, the MPC ClientPro 565. As we expected, the Gateway 7200XL can tackle any task you throw at it, and it represents a great deal, considering some of these comparison systems cost $1,000 more.(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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BAPCo SysMark 2004 rating | |
SysMark 2004 Internet-content-creation rating | |
SysMark 2004 office-productivity rating |
To measure application performance, CNET Labs uses BAPCo's SysMark 2004, an industry-standard benchmark. Using off-the-shelf applications, SysMark measures a desktop's performance using office-productivity applications (such as Microsoft Office and McAfee VirusScan) and Internet-content-creation applications (such as Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver).
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Unreal Tournament 2003 Flyby-Antalus 1,600x1,200 4xAA 8xAF | |
Unreal Tournament 2003 Flyby-Antalus 1,024x768 |
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