- 09/15: Price amended, Memory capacity added
What is it? This one deal stands out as the Gateway GWTC51427-BK is the cheapest Core i5 laptop I could find that’s new (as opposed to refurbished) and recent (sporting a CPU launched after 2020). It is sold by the world’s biggest online retailer (Amazon) and what makes it special - other than its unbelievable price tag - is the presence of a fingerprint reader and touchscreen, two features unheard on sub-$400 laptops but common on business laptops.
What makes it special? Like many great deals, it is the combination of unique features that make it worthy. In this case, a fingerprint scanner, a 12th generation Core i5, a capacious SSD and a 14.1-inch full HD IPS touchscreen display, all for less than $378.99, a 32% discount off its original price of $550.
What else should we know? The Core i5-1235U inside the GWTC51427-BK is a powerful CPU which is about 20% faster than the 11th gen Intel Core i7-1195G7, the speed champion from the previous generation, according to popular benchmark, Passmark. It has 8GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and you can add in another SSD. There’s plenty of ports and slots (eight in all) including a dedicated power connector - which I prefer. As for battery life, it reached more than 11 hours on PC Mag’s battery test - more than Gateway’s own 10 hour estimate - and under seven hours for Notebookcheck. The webcam is a 2-megapixel model with a camera shutter.
Any cons? Its 8GB memory is not upgradable as it is soldered. You can’t add to it, which is a shame but understandable given the thin-and-light nature of the laptop. It also uses a slower SATA rather than PCIe SSD, a minor disappointment. Business users may also flinch at the lack of a backlit keyboard and and IR camera.
What have others said about it? PCMag and Notebookcheck reviewed the laptop last year, with the first giving it 60% and the second one, 78%. Bear in mind that this was at the original price. PCMag said it was heavy, had a dull screen and a sub-par touchpad while Notebookcheck claimed it was noisy, that they keyboard keys felt cheap and was larger than expected. The publication stated that the laptop “is ideal for budget-conscious users who want to maximize CPU performance and can utilize its dual storage solution and integrated ports”. Even PCMag had to acknowledge that this 14-inch Gateway laptop offers “good performance, battery life, and connectivity for a low price, making it a decent overall bargain”. I concur.
What about after sales? The item is eligible for return, refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt as per Amazon’s T&C. More than one seller are offering the GWTC51427-BK at this price which means that there’s enough stock going around. It is worth checking the 4-year protection to cover your purchase beyond the 12-month warrant. Provided by Asurion, it includes drops, spills and cracked screens and even includes expert tech help. At just under $93, it is a no-brainer.
Anything else? Personally I would have loved to have a screen that flips 360 degrees (like Lenovo’s legendary Yoga range) so that you could use the laptop as a pseudo-tablet. Now for the fun bit; a reviewer suggested that it is also overclockable but you need to tinker with the BIOS.
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