Gateway Ultra Slim (15.6-inch, 2022)

Cheap for a 15-inch full-Windows laptop ; Lightweight for its size ; Webcam has a privacy slider ; Surprisingly long battery life

Flexy, flimsy body ; Dim, washed-out screen ; No USB-C ports ; Sluggish performance

The low, low price of the Gateway Ultra Slim GWNC21524 might seem too good to pass up for, say, your child's first laptop, but lackluster build quality and a poor screen emphasize its budget roots.

Speedy Ryzen 5 CPU ; Decent display and sound ; Lots of video-outs ; 120Hz display (but paired with a low-end GPU) ; Color-switchable keyboard backlighting is unusual for price

Somewhat skimpy RAM and storage, given surrounding components ; Poor webcam placement ; Flat, uninspiring keyboard ; No biometrics

The $799 Gateway Creator multimedia laptop has no deal-breaking flaws and a quirky component and connectivity mix. We'd like to see double the storage and memory before giving it a second glance, however.

Ample RAM ; Both Type-A and Type-C USB ports ; Bovine-themed box and wallpaper

Uninspiring plastic construction ; Tepid performance ; "Ice Lake" CPU with Intel UHD Graphics, not Iris Plus ; Subpar audio ; Some key-layout compromises

The Gateway name returns in the underpowered Ultra-Slim, a desktop-replacement laptop that needs more pep, more slim, and a better build to compete in 2020.

10th-gen Core Comet Lake-H CPU ; Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU ; Good value at around $1,000

Noisy, incessant fan ; 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD are stingy ; Webcam has mediocre image quality and awkward location

Though we tested using both the Office and Turbo setting, the difference between the two was virtually nonexistent save for the HandBrake and Fire Strike Extreme tests. Even then, the differences were slight and did not affect the GWTN156-3BK’s ranking.