Almost 5 Stars for Gateway’s M680XL Laptop

What weighs a healthy 8.4 pounds, sits happily on your lap, and has a bright face? If you think it’s a newborn, you’re on the wrong website. Gateway has just introduced a “heavy-weight” contender, the M680XL to its laptop line, that’s well worth the once-over.

The M680 enters the ring with a desktop like keyboard, complete with a separate number pad; hardy batteries, with the option of upgrading to a 12-cell lithium-ion that won’t disappoint; and a 17-inch screen offering excellent graphics performance and plenty of high-resolution viewing room.

Sometimes, less is more; but Earthweb.com gave this “mini-monster” M680 XL a near-five-star review, citing only the lack of Bluetooth and the slightly awkward keyboard layout, making it less mobile than smaller laptops. Also, Earthweb’s reviewers believed Media Center configuration would have been a good fit, but that’s not a Gateway option on this model.

The Gateway M680 is essentially a laptop in a desktop’s clothing. Though it won’t be your handy, constant companion, you’ll be pleased with the price and the processor – Intel’s fastest Pentium M – which, along with ATI’s highly-rated 128MB Mobility Radeon X700 graphics controller, will lend plenty of speed for all your 3-D or DVD viewing pleasure.