Gateway LT20 Netbook Review
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review - 5.75/7
This is a generic review of the Gateway LT20 series of netbooks. There are about 8-10 different models under this particular series, and the differences range from the speed and capacity of the HDD, RAM speed, the number of cells and power of the battery, and the processor. Also the higher end 2041 and 2044 models have Bluetooth 2.0.
What I’m going to focus on is the basic specs with an indication of what upgrades are available and price indications where I can. Check out the Gateway site for a more in-depth comparision between models. Down to it. If the LT20 looks somewhat familiar, it’s because the chassis is a remodelled Acer Aspire AOD250. Don’t let this get in the way though, because it truly is a sweet looking machine. The LT20 has a nice glossy exterior and we quite like the small silver strip of branding across the lid. There’s slightly more space between the board and the monitor when in use, but it’s a welcome design innovation. The machine is solidly built with understated bling – the webcam ring and hinges have an attractive shiny finish.
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review – Top Features
- Good Price Range & Choice – The Gateway LT20 series starts at about $295 on amazon for models that are still being manufactured. The base model has the N270 Processor , 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD and a 3-cell battery that lasts 3 hours. Move up in price only $40-$50 and this is upgraded to a N280, a 250GB HDD, 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Starter.
- Stylish Body – We really like the looks on the LT20 series, and are sold on the glossy exterior and two colour choices – Cherry Red and NightSky Black. The build quality can’t be faulted and the end result is a classy netbook design.
- Snappy performance – Since the features of all netbooks are mostly the same, it all depends on how much the manufacturer is able to get out of the same specs. Gateway does a decent job with its LT20 series which performs slightly above average over all parameters. Video playback is particularly smooth.
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review – Drawbacks and things to keep in mind
- Small Touchpad – The size of the touchpad is 2.0 inches x1.4 inches. Quite small when you look at some of the competition. (Toshiba NB205 – 3.1 inches x 1.6 inches) The single mouse button provides solid tactile feedback, but takes a bit of getting used to.
- Battery juts out – This always bothers people. We like symmetry and when we see a small part jutting out of a netbook, there’s an instant “ughh” going through our head.
- Heat – After about an hour of usage, we felt the underside of the chassis become quite hot. It was definitely in the 105 farenheit plus range.
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review -Ratings
- Price and Value for money – 1.0 Star. There’s a fair amount of range within the series, and as I mentioned earlier you can choose your OS, HDD, RAM, Processor and battery life – all at reasonable prices.
- Speed and Performance – 0.75 Star. For the basic N270 and N280 Processors, with the Intel IGMA 950 the LT20 performs admirably especially on a parameter where a lot of netbooks have issues – video playback.
- Screen – 0.75 Star. The 1024×600 resolution screen gives off a good amount of color and brightness and makes for a decent watch even when you play around with the viewing angles.
- Keyboard, Touchpad, Useability – 0.5 Star. The keyboard is a bit small at 89% size, but the keys are comfortable and easy to type on. The touchpad is too small.
- Portability and Battery Life – 0.75 Star. The 3-cell model weighs in at 2.65lbs and the 6-cell LT20 weighs 2.95lbs. The battery life on both are over average for their respective classes. The 6-cell (5800 mAh) lasts about 8 hours. This one’s available in the higher models.
- Looks and Design – 1.0 Star. We are completely sold on the looks and design of the LT20 and award full points.
- Connectivity and Extensibility – 1.0 Star. – All ports that you’d normally expect, with Bluetooth option available. Also the WiFi certification starts with the base model and it has a good signal speed.
This gives the Gateway LT20 an overall rating of 5.75 out of 7 Stars.
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review – Our Recommendation
The range of options is good, the design is awesome and we find the prices quite agreeable. The only real annoyance is the small touchpad but if you get yourself a mouse, you’re good to go. This is a good netbook at an affordable price.
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review – What have buyers on Amazon said?
Pros:
- “Display – excellent”
- “Easy setup out of the box. Found the wireless connection and was hooked up in about 5 min. Used battery for about 2 hours after full charge and still says over 4 hours left. Keyboard is easy to use as well. ”
Cons:
No cons that I could find on amazon.
The Gateway LT20 is available on amazon from $296. This is the base model. For the Windows 7 starter and longer battery (plus some other upgrades), prices are at about $340.
Gateway LT20 Netbook Review – Technical Specifications
- OS: Windows XP (SP3) or Windows 7 Starter
- CPU: Intel Atom N270/N280 1.6GHz processor
- RAM: 1GB RAM (1GB extendable)
- Storage Space: 160GB/250GB SATA HDD
- Screen: 10.1 inch WSVGA High Brightness LED-backlit display with 1200×600 res, Integrated IGMA 950
- Connectivity: 3 USB ports, Ethernet jack, Headphone & microphone slot, 5-in-1 card reader, 802.11b/g WLAN
- Battery: 3/6 cell Li-Ion battery
- Weight: 2.65/2.95 lbs
Filed under: Gateway Netbook Review
[...] Read our review of the Gateway LT20 series here. [...]
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The Gateway LT2016u available at Verizon Wireless gets so hot that it will not boot after a few hours of use. It has happened a few times now. None of my other notebooks have this problem. Plus Verizon Wireless provides no support after 30 days so it would have to be sent to Texas for repairs even with the extra warranty plan. Needless to say, I’m returning it.
Hi Annette
Even popular models like the Asus 1005HA and Acer AOD250 have a few customers complaining of defective models. Truth of the matter is on a large assembly line, there’s bound some duds. And you got one, which sucks but is just bad luck. Return it, get your cash back and go shopping again!
[...] The Gateway LT2030u is a solidly built, goodlooking netbook thats available at a throwaway price – $268.48. Read review. [...]