The Gateway 15.6" is good for general use, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Gateway 15.6" is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The Gateway 15.6" offers better gaming and 3D capabilities due to a more powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics unit and a stronger CPU compared to the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", which has a less capable Intel UHD Graphics 600 unit and a weaker Celeron processor. Additionally, despite both laptops featuring similar screen refresh rates, the quality of on-screen content is likely to be superior on the Gateway due to better screen technology and a more advanced GPU.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
5.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Gateway 15.6" is only fair for engineering and design, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The Gateway 15.6" is better suited for engineering and design, as it boasts a more powerful Intel i5 processor with integrated Iris Xe graphics and twice the amount of RAM compared to the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", which is equipped with a less capable Intel Celeron N4020 chip and basic UHD Graphics 600. While both laptops have IPS screens with the same resolution, the Gateway's larger screen provides a more conducive workspace for design tasks, although the Packard Bell offers slightly higher portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight.
Content Creation
7.0/10
5.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gateway 15.6" is good for content creation, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.7/10
5.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
The Gateway 15.6" is only fair for software development, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.1/10
5.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Gateway 15.6" has a better screen than the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gateway's larger screen provides better resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, whereas the Packard Bell's smaller screen and lower resolution may be less clear and dimmer, impacting everyday use. For engineering and design, the Gateway offers somewhat decent color accuracy for casual tasks, but both laptops lack the wide color gamuts professionals need for precise color work. In 3D and gaming, neither laptop excels due to their modest refresh rates and screen qualities, but the Gateway's slightly better performance may offer a less limited experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 has 7 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has very good portability, while the Gateway 15.6" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$380
$350
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" costs $350.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.