Gateway has introduced a highly integrated, all-in-one LCD PC designed for space-constrained areas. Designated the Profile XL, the PC appears to consist only of a keyboard and an LCD monitor. The display housing actually contains a 400 MHz processor behind the glass. The floppy disk drive and the 6.4 GB hard drive are very compact components usually sold for notebook PCs. They are vertically mounted in the display housing on the left and right sides, respectively. The centerpiece of the Profile XL is a 15-inch LCD monitor. The direct price of the system is $2,199.
The major drawback we see is the need to replace both PC and monitor at the same time when either fails and cannot be economically repaired, or requirements change. Monitors and PCs are usually replaced at different times, rather than at the same time. Nevertheless, the Profile XL is an excellent solution if lack of space is a compelling problem.
[Contact: Gateway, (800) 846-4208; www.gateway.com].
