Looking for multimedia power without the high-end price tag? Gateway's 7310 series of home computers delivers decent multimedia power with a starting price of less than a grand--and that includes a monitor.

The 7310S, Gateway's latest system in the series, starts with a 2.8GHz Pentium 4 520J processor. For more power, you can step up to the 3.0GHz P4 530J for $25. You can take the system all the way up to the 3.8GHz 570J, but that will more than double the price, adding on $795.

Memory begins at a low 256MB. With today's operating systems and memory-hogging applications, most users will be better off with 512MB for another $49. If you need even more RAM, you can step it up to a gig for $184.

You'll definitely want a RAM upgrade if you stick with the default integrated graphics, which share up to 128MB of memory with the main system RAM. You can add a graphics board with its own dedicated memory for better 3D gaming performance. The Nvidia GeForce 6200 with 128MB of onboard video memory is $65, while the high-end ATI Radeon X800 Pro with 256MB of video memory is a whopping $580.

Gateway starts the storage out right with an 80GB 7,200 rpm Serial ATA hard drive on the 7310S. If you think your multimedia usage will fill this large drive too soon, you can upgrade to a 160GB drive for only $10 or a 200GB drive for $40.

The starting optical drive is a 16X DVD-ROM drive that will play DVD movies read from CD-ROM. Gateway has some well-priced upgrades, however. You can get a combination DVD-ROM drive and 48X/32X-48X CD-RW drive for $30, or a 16X Double Layer DVD+/-RW drive for $50--a great price for a drive that can write to almost all of the formats currently on the market (including the high-capacity Double Layer DVD-Rs that hold up to 8.5GB on a single disk).

The six-bay silver tower that houses the 7310S offers two front USB 2.0 ports and headphone and microphone jacks to connect high-speed peripherals or audio accessories easily. There is no floppy drive in the system, but you can add an 8-in-1 media card reader for only $10, letting you insert the flash memory cards from digital cameras and PDAs for easy photo and file transfer. If you still rely on floppy disks, $30 buys a combination media reader and floppy drive.

We mentioned above that a monitor is included with the 7310S at the starting price point, and it's not merely a 14- or 15-inch basic CRT. The 17-inch flat CRT that ships with the 7310S is adequate for most users' needs. If you want more room to view, $30 will get you the 19-inch VX930 CRT. If an LCD is more your style, you can get a 15-inch FPD1530 flat-panel display for $80 over baseline. Remove the monitor from your purchase entirely, and you'll save $80 on the purchase price.

Like the default graphics, audio is integrated on the 7310S, though discerning users can upgrade--$50 gets you the SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card. Unlike many other vendors, Gateway includes speakers with many of their systems, including this one. It's a basic two-speaker set, so if you want a subwoofer, you can upgrade to the 2.1 GMAX speakers for $29.

Microsoft's Works Suite 2005, which includes Microsoft Word and Encarta, is included with the 7310S system. For users that need more Office applications, you can upgrade to the Basic Edition 2003 of Microsoft Office for $90 and get Excel and Outlook. Microsoft Windows XP Home edition is the default operating system, although you can upgrade to the Professional version for $80.

The mouse that ships with the 7310S isn't optical, but you can change that for only $5 extra. The keyboard offers a variety of multimedia controls and shortcuts, and Gateway offers a wireless keyboard and mouse for $40 over baseline, letting you cut the cords and compute from a distance.

With both a modem and an integrated network interface, you can hook up your 7310S to a dial-up or broadband ISP or make it part of a home or small office network.

Gateway offers only a one-year limited warranty on the 7310S. Make it three years for $140, or you add on-site coverage to your year for $100. Three years of on-site coverage will run $190 over baseline.

Gateway's 7300 line of home systems is great for users who want the potential of high-end multimedia performance in a pick-and-choose format. With the right upgrades at very cost-effective prices, you can configure your Gateway 7310S to meet your multimedia needs.

Pros: Monitor included, nicely priced upgrades
Cons: One-year limited warranty

Warranty
1-year limited