Gateway MX7515 (Owned one month)

The office I work at purchases everyones laptop with a $2k Canadian spending limit. Personally when I first went out I wanted to find something with atleast a 2 hour battery life, descent performance, memory, and video card.

I made my choice on a Gateway as it was 64-bit, 1GB memory and a descent x600 video graphics card. Where I do play games and business I wanted the Windows X64 why dunno but hey we all want the latest and greatest. So heres what I run and heres what I do.

Business - Business wise I honestly dont think anyone could have made a better laptop. I take mine everywhere and never once has a drop ruined it. I leave it on nearly all day and night, battery life even with powerplay turned all the way up averages an hour and a half which is pretty good. Again business wise perfect.

Games - Well games are a different story. I wasnt expecting to run Quake 4 in 1280x800 with everything turned up full blast but for a laptop it does its job. Counter Strike: Source, Half Life 2, Day of Defeat: Source works perfect. I actually sit in my officer and play atleast two hours a day. Matrix path of neo worked fun, knights of honor, simcity 4, command and conquer generals, act of war etc. Overall good for a laptop. Heating isnt a huge issue either.

Windows 64 Bit edition - Heres where Im pissed off. A company makes a 64 bit laptop yet half the hardware doesnt have supporting drivers serioualy WTF guys. I just found a possible wireless driver and Im re doing my laptop with x64 as I type this and will give an update if everything works. If not another four hours spent on nothing.

OH currently just run Windows XP Professional w/SP2

 

There is a collection of 64 bit drivers here. http://blackimperial.com/home/?page_id=13
I believe that all that is missing is the 64 bit sound driver.

 

Does anyone know if a lot of people are having problems with their MX7515?
Lol, I'm either getting the DV4000/x700 or the MX7515. I know, I shouldn't even be hesitating in getting the DV4000/x700 but I also like the mx7515, especially the screen and the fast processor. It just seems as if so many Gateway owners are having problems with their laptops in this forum.

GrecoGUY, Congrats to the good buy.

 

Get the dv4000 with the X700. It's an amazing performer; the processor in it is only really marginally slower than the MX7515's, but the GPU is way faster.

 

Personally, I like the MX7515 from what I've seen. But I'm not a gamer.

 

I second (or third, whatever) the MX7515, as long as you can get the service plan, I can not stress that enough. The HP does not have a 64-bit processor, but the MX7515 does (obviously), that proves that the Gateway is more Ready for Windows Vista.

 

My budget is $1370. If I were to get the MX7515 I would go way over my budget(tax+best buys service plan). But I'm still considering it without the service plan but like I said, it is a lot of money. I've researched the heck out of the market since june now and even though I've found some interesting laptops, they have all been sold by online companies and I refuse to buy from them for many reasons. Nice laptops like ASUS Z71V and MSI 1029 are really cool but expensive.
I dunnu, I think the dv4000 is the best bang for the buck( I'm even getting an hp all in one with my laptop ) and HP are reliable.
I'll just install 32 bit Vista when it comes out, I really don't see how it will make such a huge difference, not for me anyway.
On paper the MX7515 is a hot laptop but I can't afford it(with best buys service plan). Thanks for your input guys

 

This series really is an exceptional deal, and has an amazingly powerful processor, and a reasonably decent video card, but earlier models have suffered from a number of problems--cranking hinges, for example.

I really suggest you get the service plan. I too cannot stress that enough.

 

With your budget, I guess you are better off with the HP. Though all notebooks tend to have wear on the hinges over time, the Gateway is among the fastest. I advise that you do not get the Gateway without a service plan.
Happy Shoppings.

 

Wait until you get $300.00 off at the Future Shop. It happened before. Just keep checking their weekly flyers.

 

That's incorrect. HP/Compaq have several series that have AMD64 processors.

The zv6000/R4000 series have Athlon 64 processors. Some zv6000/R4000 notebooks with Sempron processors are even 64-bit capable.

The ze2000z, M2000z, & V2000Z have the Turion 64 processors.

 

I think he was talking about the dv4000.

 

Yes, I was

 

sorry, my mistake.. I misunderstood it.

 

lol, That's quite all right