Specifications

It’s loaded with a 2.1GHz dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and tops it all off with a dedicated graphics card (ATI Radeon HD 3200).

Gateway didn’t skimp out on the screen either – at a base price of $499.99, it sports a 15.6” LED LCD with a resolution of 1366×768, which is superior to the 1280×800 resolution other laptops in its price range and specifications class offer.

Performance

The laptop is a strong performer. General multitasking such as surfing the web, listening to music, and typing up an article didn’t produce a single hiccup. Though I was unable to test its gaming capabilities, its dedicated graphics card supports older generation games.

Battery life isn’t too shabby either. I was able to get about 2 ½ hours of battery life with the screen on full brightness and Windows running in “balanced” mode. Getting even more battery life by messing with power settings and lowering screen brightness is possible.

It has a sturdy and full keyboard (number pad included) that doesn’t sacrifice any of the other major keys. Also, for those who aren’t big fans of Windows Vista, there is no reason to worry. If you buy the laptop now, you’ll get a voucher for a free upgrade to Windows 7.

Bottom Line

Anyone in the market for a laptop should give this one a look. It’s without a doubt one of the best laptops you can get for the money, and you’ll be getting a computer that is solidly built and can cope with just about anything you throw at it.

With it, you’ll be able to browse the web, look at some spreadsheets, write that next great American novel, and then blast away some enemies in a game of BioShock.

This laptop has a 2.0 GHz dual core AMD processor (which can be overclocked to 2.4 GHz with a simple touch of a button), 4 GB of RAM, an NVIDIA Geforce 9600M GT, a 15.4 inch LCD screen and a 250 GB hard drive.

It also comes with the essentials such as built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3 USB ports, and an integrated web cam.

Pluses

The entire package is wrapped up in a beautiful case. It’s composed of brushed aluminum with some red highlights. It looks a lot better than it sounds, and pictures don’t really do it justice.

There’s a touch sensitive area near the screen that activates the integrated web cam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and many other features, and weighs in at 5.6 lbs.

The operating system (OS) included is Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit version. This could be good or bad depending on your experience with this OS. I haven’t run into any problems with Vista, and have actually enjoyed using it more than Windows XP.

Minuses

Another point of possible contention is the keyboard. It will definitely take time to adjust to it. This is because MSI put an entire keyboard on the computer, including a number pad. This led to some of the keys being scrunched together in some areas. It’ll be a bit more difficult for those with large hands, such as myself, but I see it as worthwhile to have that wonderful number pad.

One clear cut negative is the LCD screen. It only has a resolution of 1280×800. For a computer that will be used for gaming, it should be better than this. At least 1440×960 would have been nice.

The built-in speakers aren’t very good either, but I’ve yet to listen to a pair of notebook speakers that I really like. The other negative is about the manufacturer itself. Since it is smaller than most, driver support isn’t as good as it should be, especially 64-bit drivers.

I was looking forward to running Windows Vista 64-bit version on this machine, but couldn’t because of the lack of drivers. It’s pretty annoying, and hopefully MSI will get its act together by the time Windows 7 rolls around.

If you’re looking to get a new computer sometime soon, then you should give the MSI GX630 a look, especially if you’re looking to get the biggest bang out of your buck.

Here are five of some of the best games to bring along on your next trip.

1. God of War: Chains of Olympus

The God of War series was a massive hit on the Playstation 2, and now PSP owners can bring it with them on the road. It explores the main character’s (Kratos) past.

In the game, users will be battling mythical beasts in an effort to push Kratos along on his difficult journey.

This game is undoubtedly the best looking game on the PSP, and the developer was able to get the controls down.

BUY God of War Chains of Olympus

2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

The open world of Grand Theft Auto was shrunk down to fit into the hands of anyone. The best part is that the game doesn’t make many visual sacrifices, despite the change in hardware.

Practice taking out your frustrations on the digital inhabitants of the world after TSA has treated you like crap while passing through security at the airport.

BUY Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories

3. Patapon

The game brings a very unique blend of rhythm-action gameplay and mixes it with real-time strategy, all of it being driven by intense music.

The object of the game is to march your army towards the enemy and take them down. Its simple graphics and addictive gameplay will draw you into its world and keep you hooked for hours.

BUY Patapon

4. LocoRoco

This is one of those games that bridges the gap between the PSP and the Nintendo DS when it comes to quirky innovative games.

The game consists of moving a big blob (or sometimes little blobs) throughout the world by simply rotating the environment. Its music also matches the look of the game, which is nice.

It’s incredibly simple to pick up and play, and loads of fun.

BUY LocoRoco

5. Burnout Legends

Ever want to just drive your car into a cross section and create massive amounts of vehicular damage? If so, then this game will be loads of fun.

The chaotic gameplay from the console version has been brought along masterfully to the PSP, and it’s what makes this game stand out from the rest of the racing games that can be found on the system.

It also offers a lot of replay options because of the multiple gameplay modes.

BUY Burnout Legends

While flying may be the fastest way to get from one point to another, it can still take a long time to arrive at your destination.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

As airlines continue to “extend” their arrival times, here are a few handy items that will make your wait time go by much faster.

Nintendo DS

Price: $129.99 | BUY

The Nintendo DS is a great portable gaming system. Lightweight and affordable, it has a wide variety of game types that appeal to just about any taste.

It comes in a wide array of colors which allows potential owners to pick a system that matches their style.

The system’s batteries go the distance, providing up to 19 hours of continuous play on one charge.

Don’t know what games to bring along? Then check out “Top Five Nintendo DS Games To Pack On Your Trip“.

Also keep in mind that the device is region free, meaning that if you see an awesome game in Europe, it will work on your North American DS.

The only exception to this rule are Chinese games.

Sony PSP

Price: $169.99 | BUY

If you’re looking for a portable gaming system that is a bit more versatile, then the Sony PSP is the perfect option.

It can play games, surf the internet at any wi-fi hotspot, playback videos and music, and display images on a beautiful widescreen display.

The only real inhibitor is the amount of memory provided by the device.

More adventurous owners can maximize the ability of the PSP by doing a little extra searching on the Internet and using home-brewed software known as “sony psp hacks”.

Amazon Kindle

Price: $359.00 | BUY

For those who love to read books but don’t want the hassle of carrying them around, the Amazon Kindle is what you need.

It can store over 200 books, and provides access to thousands of more books online.

The best part is that if you want another book to read, the device can wirelessly connect to the Amazon service to download a new book.

Just one warning: it isn’t backlit, so don’t expect to be doing any reading in the dark.

While it’s a bit pricey, it’s well worth the investment for travelers who want to read something to keep them occupied or are avid readers on the road.

iriver Clix Rhapsody

Price: $149.99 | BUY

While it may seem like blasphemy to recommend an MP3 player that isn’t made by Apple, this is an incredible device that doesn’t get enough attention.

The Clix supports a myriad of file types (MP3, OGG, WMA, MPEG4, WMV 9…the list goes on), has a built in voice recorder and an FM tuner.

It’s also well known for its superb audio quality. It supports two configurations: 4GB or 8GB.

Don’t worry about having to use the Rhapsody music service with it provides. It’s as simple as dragging and dropping your music files onto the device.

Asus Eee PC

Price: $480.99 | BUY

Road warriors who want to get a little work done while in the air will love the Asus Eee PC.

It runs Windows XP, comes with an 80 to 160 GB hard drive, and 1GB of ram.

It’s great for working on spreadsheets or just finishing up that great novel.

The best part is, for a laptop, its price tag is just as small as the device itself. Asus also provides users with up to 20GB of secure online storage so you can store important documents safely while on the road.