A few years back, we had a Gateway 2000 486 computer.  It was an excellent machine, built like a tank.  Customer support was superb and we never had a complaint about the computer or Gateway.  But things have changed.

Because of our previous experience with Gateway, we elected to equip our new shop with a Gateway machine, even though we could have purchased similar equipment for about half the cost (through trade connections).  So we acquired a Gateway GP6-400, a PII 400 mHz machine, along with their EV700 17 inch SVGA monitor.  It was represented to be a commercial machine for business applications.

The GP6-400 is consumer grade junk.  The keyboard is pitiful even by consumer electronics standards, woefully inadequate for business use.  The original modem was so cheaply made, it  lacked even dial tone detection (Gateway finally furnished a 3-COM replacement modem, but the service technician claimed he was not supposed to do so).  The sound card lacks the ability to support software tone controls.  Worst of all the EV700 monitor is not sharp enough for some business applications (we have a cheap CTX monitor with identical specs that is vastly superior to the EV700).  The one review of the EV700 monitor we found on the web states that the "focus seemed a bit off".

The issue is simple: the GP6-400 / EV700 combination is not fit for business use.  Gateway has been unresponsive to our complaints; letters do not even rate a written response.  It is our intention to pursue this matter to resolution, which resolution may well require litigation.

If you have had a similar experience with a Gateway business computer, we would like to hear from you.

December 12, 1999

Check out this Gateway complaint site: