Gateway Launches EC Series Ultraportables

[Charles P. Jefferies]

Gateway Launches EC Series Ultraportables

Gateway has launched its latest notebooks, the EC series ultraportables. The EC series features an 11.6-inch screen and an integrated DVD drive. The notebook weighs in at 3.55 lbs with a six-cell (5600mAh) battery life that is claimed to last up to eight hours. The full specifications include:

• Intel^® Pentium^® ULV Processor SU4100 (1.3GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• 11.6-inch HD Widescreen Ultrabright LED-backlit TFT LCD (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio)
• Mobile Intel^®GS45 Express Chipset
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• 4096MB DDR2 Dual-Channel 667MHz memory upgradeable to 8GB
• 320GB⁽²⁾ 5400RPM SATA hard drive
• Integrated 8X Super-Multi DVD player
• Integrated webcam
• Multi-in-1 digital media card reader
• Intel^® Wi-Fi Link 1000 802.11b/g/Draft-N WiFi CERTIFIED® featuring MIMO technology
• Gigabit Ethernet LAN
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• HDMI port
• Multi-Gesture Touchpad
• Standard 6-cell Li-ion (5600 mAh) Battery
• 3.55 lbs.
• 11.49” (W) x 1.12” to 1.18” (H) x 8.33” (D)

The EC14D notebook with the above specifications will go on sale later this month for $629.99.

[Serg]

Apart from the iDVD, this is non-exciting IMHO...

[notebookhelp]

I wish they had not discontinued the ec1435u which was a much better deal imho -.-

[acaurora]

I have to agree. Lose the optical drive, means more space for a bigger battery and/or Intel SU7xxx or SU9xxx CPU instead...

[Metamorphical]

I think thats awesome. Ultraportables that can double as a portable DVD players are a real endangered species these days, and at less than $1000 its actually pretty fresh.

[mamber-m]

I like the concept. I always wonder why people do not need an optical drive, especially there are really light and thin ones available.

Reminds me of one of my alltime favourite laptops, Dell 700m.

Wish it is closer to 500.

[zmiles]

I bought the Gateway EC14d01h (or US equivalent EC14D07U) which includes the built-in DVD burner. I am extremely happy with the purchase, using it mainly for interne watching DVDst, but also light work. Performs well. From the recent reliability survey from rescuecom that Gateway and Acer are in top third, I am even happier. This netbook was launched in Canada in March and slightly earlier in USA. I was on both the US and Canadian Gateway site today and noticed that the entire EC series has been discontinued.Glad i took the plunge when i did. Just to be safe, I did take out a 2 year warranty from BestBuy, so I have no worries.

[mew1838]

It's kinda expensive imo.