Gateway FX400XL

Low-cost power system

Graphics performance was lackluster

Low-cost power system with lots of storage and an Audigy 2 ZS sound card will please multimedia buffs.

Dual-core CPU; quiet BTX design; lots of memory and hard drive space; external expansion ports abound.

Little room for internal expansion; DVI equipment with no DVI cable; sloppy cable routing; AMD processors not an option; last-generation graphics card.

The Gateway FX400XL makes an attractive, well-priced PC for mainstream users, but high-end users may be put off by some of its configuration limitations and lack of expansion.