First Look: Gateway ID Series Notebook

It should be no surprise that Gateway is introducing new notebooks the day after Acer’s big unveil since they’re owned by the same company, but they’re showing off its new ID series notebook with two distinct models and some interesting features. We’ve got the deets after the break.

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The two models of the ID series are the ID49, with a 14-inch HD LED-backlit display, and the ID59, with a 15.6-inch HD LED-backlit display. Both screens have a resolution of 1366×768 pixels. They weigh 5.07 and 5.5 pounds respectively, and measure only one-inch thin.

Select models of the ID49 series feature the Optimus graphics technology by NVIDIA, switching intelligently between the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT330M graphics, or the integrated Intel HD graphics depending on the task at hand. This ensures that you’re getting the best battery life or performance, whether you’re diligently working away at a spreadsheet or watching high-definition video.

The series also features a unique aqua-blue touchpad that Gateway says looks like matte glass when not in use, and glows when touched. The trackpad is also, of course, enabled with the multi-gesture functionality we saw on the Acer netbooks and notebooks just a few days ago. Gateway is also embracing a new keyboard design reminiscent of the Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro line. The ID59 series spares enough room for a dedicated numeric keypad. Capacitive touch controls are also integrated above the keyboard for fast access to media transport controls. A HDMI port is built-in to all models as well as Dolby Home Theater v3 audio.

Both models are available with Intel Core i3 and i5 processors, with support for up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, and have a media card reader for reading content off digital cameras and camcorders. Gateway has also integrated a “social networking” button which gives the user immediate access to social networks like YouTube, Flickr and Facebook. The button launches a widget that lets you update them easily. The usual 802.11b/g/n networking is built-in plus a 1.3 megapixel webcam and two digital microphones for video conferencing and streaming.

The new Gateway ID series of notebooks will be available shortly starting at $799.99 for the 15.6-inch ID59 and $679.99 for the 14-inch ID49.