Gateway 15.6-inch Ultra Slim Notebook: Big screen on a budget
PCWorld|October 2021
Getting a 15.6-inch display at this price is nice, but there are trade-offs.
JARED NEWMAN
Gateway 15.6-inch Ultra Slim Notebook: Big screen on a budget

The Gateway 15.6-inch Ultra Slim Notebook is a classic budget PC. At $399 from Walmart (go. pcworld.com/w399), the price is hard to beat, especially considering its solid performance, decent storage space, and roomy screen size.

The trade-offs come from all the things that don’t show up on a spec sheet. The display is harshly lit, with subpar viewing angles. The trackpad is abrasive. The plastic enclosure is creaky and wobbly, and battery life is woefully brief.

None of these compromises are new to the budget price range. Basic productivity is the realistic expectation here, and this laptop does have some strong points. If you’re undeterred by the downsides, and you really can’t spend more, Gateway’s 15.6-inch Ultra Slim Notebook might fit your bill.

TECH SPECS

Our Gateway 15.6-inch Ultra Slim Notebook review unit includes the following features:

Display: 15.6-inch 1920x1080 IPS matte display

CPU: Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor

Memory: 8GB DDR4 RAM

Storage: 256GB SSD(W800SH)

Webcam: 720p

Biometrics: Fingerprint scanner

Left side: HDMI, USB-C, USB-A 3.0, barrel charger

Right side: USB-A 3.0, headphone jack, MicroSD slot (up to 512 GB)

Dimensions: 14.75 x 9.5 x 0.77 inches

Weight: 4.2 pounds (4.7 with power adapter)

This story is from the October 2021 edition of PCWorld.

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This story is from the October 2021 edition of PCWorld.

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