Gateway NV59C09u

Gateway NV59C09u is a laptop that's slightly thinner and lighter than the nearly identically configured NV5933u we reviewed recently, but to be honest it won't register to most people who aren't studying laptop lineups with a magnifying glass. A matte silver finish with a wavy lined pattern across the outer lid and inner keyboard deck is a little nicer looking than the older Gateway NV design, but by a small degree.

One design change in Gateway NV59C09u is a flatter lid hinge, making a leaner look at the back edge than the bulkier tube shaped hinge design of other NV laptops. The look inside is nice and clean : shiny black plastic around the inset glossy screen and keyboard, and a small mirrored strip above the keyboard that houses a narrow power button. The keyboard and touchpad have been redesigned on Gateway NV59C09u, to mixed results : the wide, flat keyboard is still technically flat versus raised, but the spaces between keys have been widened to create a bit of a raised key effect, even though the gaps are recessed.

It makes the keys slightly more comfortable, but the chances of crumbs and gunk falling down between keys seem like an annoying inevitability. We do appreciate the dedicated volume keys above the adjoining number pad, a move we wish more laptops would include. There's also an interesting "social media" key that looks like little smiling people, which brings up Gateway's software app for glomming Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites together. This isn't anything that programs like Digsby don't already do, but it's nice to see it so effortlessly integrated.

The touchpad is delineated only by thin raised lines on the keyboard deck otherwise, it's basically an extension of the rest of the palmrest surface. We like a more recessed, dedicated touchpad zone, but it worked fine all the same, with a decent surface area comparable to other NV models. The button bar is flush and a rocker bar (we prefer two discrete buttons), but it's a step better than the overdesigned, annoying thin mirrored strip on the lower end Gateway NV models.

Oddly, however, the new design looks cheaper. The LED-backlit 15.6 inch glossy display on the Gateway NV59C09u has a 16:9 aspect ratio and a native resolution of 1.366x768, which is standard for most laptops up to 15 inches. At this size, we've seen higher-res displays the lower resolution is a bit of a disconnect with the included Blu-ray drive and for the not bargain basement cost of $799, we were a little surprised the resolution didn't get bumped up to at least 1.600x900.

Blu-ray discs looked good, but not distinctly better than a good DVD player experience. To really show off your discs, you'll probably want to go through the HDMI out port. Above the screen, a high-def Webcam offers video conferencing and picture taking capabilities, with a maximum resolution of 1.280x1,024. This is one of the few upgrades from Gateway NV59C09u, which could record VGA quality video only. We appreciate the spec bump, and the quality is better than average for laptop Webcams.

Skype software is preinstalled along with a large collection of other programs we're not sure we need Gateway to load on for us. The integrated speakers located above the keyboard and under thin black mesh grilles that too easily trapped small dust particles have better than average volume and bass for movie watching, but are really no better than other NV laptop speakers we've tried. They're good enough and certainly loud enough for video watching, music, and Web chat, but they're not knockouts sonically.

Gateway NV5807u

Gateway NV5807u is not an eye sore, as the glossy plastics and the subtle patterns within the bluish cover are current with what's out there. Both the HP Pavilion dv6t (1030us) and Toshiba Satellite L505D-S6947 employ similar design techniques in which colorful plastics are infused with artwork a process known as in mold decoration. In my opinion, though, this design is a step backward for the company. The automotive inspired looks of current Gateway laptops like the MD7801u and TC7804u are swankier and more distinguishable among the wide range of seemingly similar products.

A small metallic piece on Gateway NV5807u's cover is about the only thing the helps the company differentiate itself from other products, which isn't much. Laptop designs, these days, are trending towards thinness and aluminum metals. Take the Acer Aspire 3935, for example. At 5.8 pounds, Gateway NV5807u is almost a pound lighter than the MD7801u (6.7 lbs). One of the keys for Gateway was to make it as light as the Dell Inspiron 1545 (5.8 lbs) and HP dv6t (6 lbs), which it accomplishes.

The 15.6 inch LED widescreen is part of the 16 by 9 movement, in which laptop screens are being designed to be like their home theater counterparts. At $600, though, a 1.366 by 768 resolution is as high as it will go. At least the 1545 and the dv6t lets you play around with the resolution, albeit at a higher price. A full size keyboard is what you would expect to find on a 15 inch laptop, but give Gateway credit for squeezing in a numeric keypad as well. The dv6 and the L505D have one as well, but not the 1545.

Although the touchpad is big and roomy, a long, thin hard plastic piece makes up the mouse buttons unusual, at first, but it didn't take me too long to adjust to the rocking motion that triggers the left or right mouse button. The features to price ratio falls in Gateway NV5807u's favor. Though it isn't a huge deal, its four USB ports are more than the three found in the Toshiba L505D, HP dv6t, and Dell 1545.

Only Gateway NV5807u and the dv6t have HDMI Out ports. The NV5807u doesn't have a storage expansion port like E-SATA, as found in the dv6t and the L505D. Not that you'll need it, though: Its 320GB hard drive has more than enough storage space for the average user. Every other feature the dual layer DVD burner, Ethernet port, a 1.3 Megapixel Webcam, and multi card reader are standard budget system features.