When I first started writing about technology in the late 1990s, Gateway 2000 was one of the computer companies that tried to do things differently, with its bovine design filling the pages of computer magazines (aka inked dead tree). “No matter how closely you look, the quality radiates from it”, is one of the slogans.
Fast forward to 2023, and Gateway 2000 is now an Acer brand exclusive to Walmart, the world’s largest supermarket chain.
Gateway is probably one of the most underrated computer brands out there, and the GWCC71416-BK, a sleek 2-in-1 convertible laptop selling for $499 (was $699) (opens in new tab)is perhaps the best example of the kind of amazing value for money that Walmart can get from its suppliers.
Gateway 14.1 inch 2-in-1 Elite: A quick look
Three things make this laptop stand out for a freelancer: a Core i7 CPU, a stylus, and a $499 price tag (with an optional $79, 3-year product protection warranty from Allstate). From a distance it looks like one of these expensive looking Lenovo Yoga laptops, but at a fraction of the price.
The stylus is especially useful in conjunction with mind mapping software as part of one brainstorm session with a client or as an electronic sidekick with a note taking app like it A note.
Aside from the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU (with an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card), there’s 8GB of non-expandable DDR4 RAM and a 256GB SSD (probably a PCIe NVMe Gen 3).
The display is a 14.1-inch touchscreen full HD IPS with a fairly large bezel to help hold the device – a good choice considering the device weighs around 1.5kg/3.4lbs.
We’re not sure what Wi-Fi card came with the Elite, but given the presence of Bluetooth 5.1, we’d say the GWCC71416-BK uses an Intel AX201 NGW that offers Wi-Fi 6, with Wi-Fi 6E And Wi-Fi 7 being the faster wireless iterations. Audio is provided by THX technology and there are two stereo speakers which should provide ample sound.
Walmart also didn’t disclose the battery capacity of this laptop, but states that it can last up to 10 hours, which is believable considering the low power consumption of the Core i7. In fact, it’s likely that the screen will be the system’s biggest power hog; which brings us to another important point. We don’t know how bright the screen is, although we expect it to be at least 300 nits.
While the keyboard is backlit, there’s no fingerprint reader and the 2-megapixel front camera lacks a privacy shutter, two key features to make it a good business laptop. That said, the GWCC71416-BK has plenty of expansion options: two USB ports, a microSD card slot and a headphone jack. There are no Ethernet or HDMI ports, so you’ll need one docking station if you want additional connections.
