Prince McLean
After scrambling to have "leaked" product shots removed from the Internet on Wednesday, Windows PC systems manufacturer Gateway has lifted an embargo on details of its new "One" all-in-one desktop system, which unsurprisingly bears a number of striking resemblances to Apple's just-released aluminum iMacs.
In designing the One, the ailing Windows PC maker from Irvine, Calif. also appear to have built on Apple's minimalist emphasis: where the iMac plugs all cables directly into the back, the One feeds gigabit Ethernet, four USB ports, and AV ports to the external power adapter to take clutter away from the desk. Similarly, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are standard and eliminate the need for a wired mouse or keyboard.
Other Apple-influenced design cues are apparent from the system's slot-loading, side-mounted DVD burner as well as its aluminum-colored enclosure (though likely still plastic) with three USB ports, one FireWire, and audio in/out connectors. On the other hand, Gatway's new design adds a 5-in-1 card reader and is easily opened to replace the hard drive or memory. Buyers can also add a mounting kit to hoist the One against a wall, or a USB TV tuner for watching live programming.
In its official press release Thursday, Gateway said it plans ship the One series in late October with two retail models and a single online-only version. Pricing for the retail line is slated to start at $1,300 for a model that includes a 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive, and Intel X3100 graphics. A high-end model ($1800) will boost the processor speed to 2GHz, memory to 3GB, hard disk space to 500GB, and add a Mobility Radeon HD 2600 dedicated video card.
The online model ($1,500) sits in between the two store models with the same hardware as the base PC save for a 400GB hard drive and Radeon HD 2600 chipset. Like Apple's iMac, each One also sports a 1.3-megapixel webcam hidden in its chassis, Gateway says.
By comparison, Apple's new aluminum iMac line starts at $1200 for a 20-inch model with a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB of memory, 250GB hard drive, 8x double-layer SuperDrive, and ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB memory. For the same $1500 as Gateway's online One model, Apple also offers an iMac with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 320GB hard drive, and ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB memory.
Jumping up to the $1800 price point, Apple buyers get an addition 5-inch of screen real-estate (24-inchs) compared to Gateway's high-end One model, which remains at just 19-inches.
Wesley Hilliard
Marko Zivkovic
Oliver Haslam
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156 Comments
You beat me to it. That is some chin. You could put a whole stack of postits on that!.
Still not to bad looking. Have to check the specs and price but I'm never buying a pc for personal use.
One thing that bugs me about this design is that it looks like a strong breeze will knock it over. Can't see the back very well, but it looks like a picture frame type stand, where a tab swings out to hold it up. Doesn't look very stable to me. Maybe they have a heavy weight at the bottom to lower the center of gravity tho. This same thing bothers me about the new iMacs, but when I test them in the store, they don't seem to be prone to falling over. And then the staff chase me out for trying to knock over the merchandise...
You beat me to it. That is some chin. You could put a whole stack of postits on that!.
Still not to bad looking. Have to check the specs and price but I'm never buying a pc for personal use.
Forget the chin.... does the little thing-y in the back look like a little thing-y? (In the first photo).
THe iMac might have a chin but that thing has a "Jay Leno" chin.
Certainly better than their previous offerings but not as price competitive as Apple.
Apple has faster speeds and bigger screens.