DO NOT buy a Gateway computer

[gs462]

Hopefully someone will read this and not make the same mistake I made, Last July 09, I bought my wife a gateway Laptop for her work and school use. Fast forward 7 month to january of this year, The computer LOCKS up and wont do ANYTHING we take it back to microcenters (where I purchased it) I say it's 7 months old I'd like a new one, He laughs and says thats no Gateways policy, and that they will look at it, 2 days later they call and tell me the motherboard is bad they ordered the part and we should have it back in 4-5 days. Well 6 days later we pick it up bring it home turn it on and SAME EXACT problem, 2 hrs later Back to Micro centers, this time I say LIsten my wife uses this for her work and school she CANNOT do that without her computer can we get a loaner? a new replacement? anything? They inform us Gateways policy is to repair all problems and they NEVER give replacements EVER! no loaner either and if we did get a replacement it would be refurbished at best. The service Mgr. tells us he thinks its a software problem and we probably downloaded something bad. UHHH NO WE DID NOT. He wants to wipe the computer completely clean and reinstall everything, We lost microsoft office which we paid for online + a few other programs, This didnt work either, 2 days later we get a call AGAIN it needs ANOTHER motherboard, BUt you just put one in ( ya that one was bad) WHAT? So we have to wait 1.5 weeks to get ANOTHER motherboard to try. NOW were up to 3.5 weeks without a computer. and she REALLY does use it for work, shes had to write everything down daily, and she sees 4-6 patients a day, So mean time we do some research online and find that Gateway has HORRIBLE reviews and even worse customer service, matter of fact We couldn't find a number to call them ANYWHERE. Sorry for the rant but this is UNBELIEVEABLE! PLEASE don't make the same mistake I did YOU WILL REGRET IT.

P.S. the Attorney general has a page dedicated to JUST gateway computers
__________________

 

[turbopete]

Gateway?

I thought they went the way of the dinosaurs...

 

[GNBRETT]

Didn't know they even made them any longer?

 

[gs462]

Guess I'm the ONLY dumbass that didnt know.

 

[dsa87gn]

I was just looking up info on them the other day, wondering what happened to them.

This is from Wikipedia

As of April 2007 Gateway notebook computers were produced in China and its desktops had "made in Mexico" stickers.

 

[NEVER ENOUGH]

I just turned in a Gateway 2000 PC (pre-gateway) that we bought new in 97.
Never one problem, still worked great until we gave it away. Needless to say it was a bit slow for what we would need it for now though.
Sorry to hear your troubles.

 

[Rodimus_Prime]

I got the gateway 7811 from the FX series gaming its the best computer ive ever used

9 out of 10 times computers lock up due to user error, not due to hardware. Also you stated you purchased software online, if this is the case theres always an activation key thats given to you which is specifically for instances just as a hd reload. Also if this is so important for business you should have a backup computer. Its obvious your not very proficient with computers.

Threads like this annoy me because it ends up being the same misleading uneducated crap like "dont buy this brand, im tired of windows, i dont trust the internet, someone can hack me!"

 

[GNBRETT]

I thought they went the way of the dinosaurs...

They did. Some just like to tell themselves differently.....

 

[Pronto]

If you bought MS Office online then they sent you a key by email to activate the program. All you'll have to do is reinstall Office and retreive your key from your email unless of course you deleted it....

 

[klrv6]

What model was it? Are you sure you didn't buy a refurbished unit? Microcenter, Tiger Direct and others sell the refurbs.

 

[Evans Ward]

I'll second the Gateway being JUNK! My wife spec'd and bought a top line Gateway desktop a couple of yrs ago. Think it was at least a $1500 package. It was in the shop with the Geek Squad (bought at Best Buy) X4 in first year and had to be sent back to the GW corporate shop in KY two of those times. All under warranty first year but this was what was replaced: hard drive, motherboard, and monitor. The fun didn't stop after the first year and I got to know all of the local independent computer repair places well as this hunk a junk made the rounds for needed repair. In the last 2 months, we replaced the memory as one of the ports on the MB went bad. This thing would blue screen o death like you have never seen! This last time was the final straw as it needed a new MB again. I finally said enough is enough and bought a used desktop CPU from them junking the Gateway. Best $300 I ever spent to get rid of it. FWIW, the computer repair shop said the majority of junk computer machines seen for repair jobs are Gateway and e machines.

 

[klrv6]

I'll second the Gateway being JUNK! My wife spec'd and bought a top line Gateway desktop a couple of yrs ago. Think it was at least a $1500 package. It was in the shop with the Geek Squad (bought at Best Buy) X4 in first year and had to be sent back to the GW corporate shop in KY two of those times. All under warranty first year but this was what was replaced: hard drive, motherboard, and monitor. The fun didn't stop after the first year and I got to know all of the local independent computer repair places well as this hunk a junk made the rounds for needed repair. In the last 2 months, we replaced the memory as one of the ports on the MB went bad. This thing would blue screen o death like you have never seen! This last time was the final straw as it needed a new MB again. I finally said enough is enough and bought a used desktop CPU from them junking the Gateway. Best $300 I ever spent to get rid of it. FWIW, the computer repair shop said the majority of junk computer machines seen for repair jobs are Gateway and e machines.

Gateway and emachine are the same company.

I have an Gateway NV52 laptop and have yet to have single issue with it. HP makes a much better home computer and laptop for the money. I have DV6 and DV7 lappys as well as my big HP i7 desktop. The gateway was bought to stick at a customer site and do packet captures, works great. Do some research before dropping any money on any computer. If most reviews are bad, don't buy it.

 

[Evans Ward]

Gateway and emachine are the same company.

Do some research before dropping any money on any computer. If most reviews are bad, don't buy it.

Great advice. I did not do my due diligence there so no one to blame but myself! Hopefully this thread will help others in making their decision whether or not to purchase a GW.

 

[$uckin6]

here ya go

 

[klrv6]

haha

That's a Dell...about the same.

 

[By-Tor]

I remember way back in the day when Gateways used to be good computers built right here in Iowa! I also remember Pogs, but that is a story for another thread.

1 in 3 laptops die in first three years : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

I would never buy a "bargain" computer from a store. Unless I did some research about the model I see.(At one point I was looking at an Asus netbook.)
I like to build all my PC from scratch, with parts from Newegg.

But if you do have to buy a pre-built, like a laptop. This article should shed some light.

 

[klrv6]

I remember way back in the day when Gateways used to be good computers built right here in Iowa! I also remember Pogs, but that is a story for another thread.

1 in 3 laptops die in first three years : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

I would never buy a "bargain" computer from a store. Unless I did some research about the model I see.(At one point I was looking at an Asus netbook.)
I like to build all my PC from scratch, with parts from Newegg.

But if you do have to buy a pre-built, like a laptop. This article should shed some light.

I look at laptops as being disposable devices. NEVER let data sit on them that you don't have backed up.

I used to build my own systems but, anymore I can get a prebuilt machine that does what I need it to for less money...most of the time. I may built a nice AMD box real soon though.

 

[By-Tor]

I used to build my own systems but, anymore I can get a prebuilt machine that does what I need it to for less money...most of the time. I may built a nice AMD box real soon though.

They can be more expensive if you are trying to build a basic system. Unless you are a masochist and love to have to diagnose and replace cheap parts.

But if you want a powerful system, then it's cheaper to build yourself. A 2,000 dollar system from best buy, could be easily build for much cheaper and might even be better.

 

[GSX-PKV]

Get a MacBook Pro... the Turbo Buick of laptops!

 

[Little6pack]

GATEWAY? isn't that an ANTIQUE computer? I saw one in an ANTIQUE store