Gateway LT2118u Netbook Review
Last summer we took a look at the NV series from Gateway. We found them to be affordable, quality laptops, albeit a bit bulky. This time around, we're taking a look at the LT2118u netbook from Gateway which was announced earlier this year at CES. Featuring Intel's Pinetrail processors, how does the LT2118u stack up against its competition?
Starting off with the basics, the LT2118u comes with the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 10.1" LED backlit screen, integrated Intel graphics, a card reader, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, and b/g/n wireless capabilities. No built-in 3G support, but weighing in at a nimble 2.76 pounds, I'll let it slip. Plus, let's be honest, nine times out of ten you can find a WiFi hotspot not too far away.
When purchasing netbooks, many people worry about the keyboard size. Now, I don't think I have small hands, and the keyboard on the LT2118u is perfect. The key response is excellent, and I would take the keyboard/trackpad layout on the LT2118u over the layout on its larger cousin, the NV series, any day. Complimenting the extremely well thought out keyboard is the equally well designed trackpad. Featuring multi-touch capability out of the box, the trackpad on the LT2118u is extremely useful. Two-finger scrolling and page navigation on the trackpad is one of my favorite features on my MacBook Pro. Having those same capabilities in a netbook is fantastic. While the gestures are not quite as responsive as on a Mac, they still work and are a good addition to the LT2118u's set of features.
The LT2118u comes with 3 USB ports, a VGA-out, 10/100 Fast Ethernet, microphone/headphone jacks (separate), and a Kensington lock slot. Obviously, there's no DVD drive, but you can purchase a standalone drive if you wish. The LT2118u does not come with a backup disk in the box, so if you want to be able to reinstall Windows down the road, you'll have to get an external burner or backup to a hard drive.
Included software-wise is a 60-day trial of both Norton AntiVirus and Microsoft Office Student and Home 2007. Office runs perfectly smoothly, making the netbook an excellent choice for students looking for a small laptop to take notes on, or professionals looking to edit presentations on the move. In addition, you receive a full copy of Microsoft Works; not my favorite productivity suite, but a nice gesture.
All this software runs on Windows 7 Starter Edition. For those of you who don't know your versions of Windows, this is the least feature-rich edition. There's a three non-system program limitation, so if you want to run more than three applications at once, you're a bit out of luck. In addition, you can't customize Windows at all. And I mean not at all. You can't even change the desktop background. This didn't bother me too much, but it does seem to be a silly limitation. For a netbook, Windows 7 Starter Edition should be enough, and if not, you can always upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium.
However, making up for any shortcomings of the LT2118u, the battery life is the netbook's true highpoint. Gateway claims it can last up to ten hours thanks to the Pinetrail processor's low power consumption. Even on WiFi, this claim does not seem exaggerated at all. You can literally go for days without charging the LT2118u and it will keep on going. This means its perfect for throwing in a backpack and taking with you anywhere. The fact that it's under three pounds doesn't hurt either.
In our benchmarks, the LT2118u scored roughly the same as its primary competitors (namely the EeePC). Graphics really crippled the scores, but I doubt you'll be using the LT2118u for many graphics intensive applications. As a note, playing HD video on the netbook doesn't work well, so if you're looking for a more graphically powerful netbook, this shouldn't be your first choice.
Ultimately, the LT2118u proves to be an excellent candidate for anyone who's looking for a new netbook. It's great battery life tied with its unsurpassed portability make the LT2118u a great option. Plus, at $349.99, it's not the most expensive netbook on the market either.
Pros
- Excellent battery life (up to 10 hours)
- Portable (2.76 lbs)
- Powerful (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N450 Processor, 1 GB RAM)
Cons
- Windows 7 Starter Edition
- No reinstall disk included
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