Dell and Gateway are great computer makers for the typical home user, but that user has two basic needs; convenience and productivity. Dell tends to focus on business and productivity, while gateway leans toward ease of use and comfort. This becomes clear with Gateway offering a large roomy 17-inch screen as opposed to Dell's 15-inch screen.

Dell has one of the best custom build to order systems in the industry, the benefit is that you can get exactly what you want without paying for things you may not need. The Dell E1505 comes standard with a 100GB hard drive (120GB optional) while the Gateway NX860XL offers only an 80GB. The Dell is definately for the user want power at a good price, you can even choose from one of three processors when designing your notebook. Gateway's laptops come smartly bundled with the programs and features you'll need and want. Students and tech oriented people might lean toward the Dell products for these reasons and people who want a good everyday solution to computing would do well to check out the Gateway selection of products.