Gateway 15.6"
Gateway 15.6"
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GENERAL USE: Good—7.0/10
GAMING/AI: Fair—6.0/10
ENG/DESIGN: Fair—6.2/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Fair—6.7/10
CONTENT CREATION: Good—7.0/10
PORTABILITY: Good—7.3/10
BATTERY: Good—7.6/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Fair—6.1/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Fair—6.9/10
SIZE: 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" laptop is within the lower midrange price bracket, offering decent performance and features for its cost. It has ample storage and a solid amount of RAM, suited for general use and multitasking. Powered by an Intel i5 processor with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, it can handle everyday tasks and light photo editing, but may not be the best choice for intensive gaming or heavy 3D rendering. This laptop is equipped with a 15.6-inch IPS display, which generally means good viewing angles and color reproduction, but it's not touchscreen. The portability is reasonable due to its under-five-pound weight and under-one-inch thickness. Battery life specifics aren't provided, but typically midrange laptops have enough power to last through most of a work or school day. Connectivity options include USB-C and HDMI ports, and it also comes with a number pad on the keyboard, which can be useful for data entry. Note that its build quality and heat management might be on the lower side, meaning it may get hotter under heavy use, and the materials may not feel as premium. It runs on Windows 10 Home, and was released in August 2021, making it a relatively recent model with up-to-date software support. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Good general use performance
- Ample storage space
- Has number pad, useful for data entry
- Lightweight for portability
Cons
- Average screen color coverage
- Limited high-speed port variety
- Build quality is rated poor
- Underwhelming engineering performance
Ratings by Category
Battery Life:4.2
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Portability:4.1
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
General Use:4.0
The Gateway 15.6" laptop is appreciated for general use primarily because it comes equipped with a capable main processor and ample RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and efficiency in routine tasks, accompanied by a quality IPS display for clear visuals. It also has a balance of decent battery life and good portability, making it a practical choice for everyday computing needs without being tethered to a power source.
Content Creation:4.0
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Operating Noise:4.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Software Development:3.8
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Engineering & Design:3.2
The Gateway 15.6" laptop is serviceable for engineering and design due to its capable processor and sufficient RAM, which are critical for running complex applications and multitasking. However, the average GPU and screen quality may limit the performance and visual fidelity necessary for high-end design tasks and detailed engineering simulations.
General Use Screen Quality:3.2
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Gaming & AI:3.0
As the Gateway 15.6" laptop has a GPU that falls into the fair category, it delivers adequate graphics performance for gaming and 3D applications, yet it may not run the most demanding games smoothly on high settings. Its screen refresh rate can provide a decent experience for casual gaming and 3D work, but more serious gamers or professionals might find it lacking compared to screens with higher refresh rates.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $497 | ||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | ||
Weight | 4.8 lbs | ||
Width | 14.75" | ||
Depth | 9.5" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | ||
Graphics | Iris Xe G7 | ||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | ||
RAM | 16 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 8 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | ||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 5.1/10 | ||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | No | ||
Number Pad | Yes | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 2 | ||
USB-C ports | 1 | ||
USB-C Charging | No | ||
Display Outputs | 1 | ||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | ||
Shopping
Gateway 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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