Nice looking from the rear:

Apple avoids the clear glass look, but both Dell and Gateway are suckers for it. The Dell has a clear lucite base that makes us wonder why the designers didn't go further. The Gateway has a funky clear keyboard arm rest that makes us scratch our heads a bit.

All mice are not created equal. Apple's wired mouse is, of course, not a favorite, but even the Wireless Mighty Mouse doesn't always behave. Dell's mouse is okay, very standard. Gateway's is the best, with a touch pad down the center for scrolling, and a cool one-piece two-tone design.

Keyboards are another accessory that can vary a ton. Dell's is my favorite because of all the stuff it can do. It has a full touchpad for mousing around, has full media controls, so you can ditch the ugly silver remote, and it's better looking than Gateway's, even if it doesn't quite have the otherworldly sleekness of the Apple. (Again why, Apple, do you ship ANYTHING with a cord?)

Here you can see all of the fun stuff on the Dell keyboard:

For the most part, these remotes are standard. In fact, the Gateway's controlled the Dell, and the Dell's controlled the Gateway. I know Apple's statement is that the remote is simple, but let's face it, that's because, compared to Windows Media Center, Front Row is too simple. I went with Goldilocks on this one: Gateway's remote is just right, a nice compact model that matches the rest of the system.

The Dell is the only one with controls on its face. They're triply redundant given the fact that both the remote and the sweet keyboard also give similar controls, but they are cool when they light up. I particularly like the disc-indicator light, which only glows when a disc is inside, and the screen shut-off switch, which does nothing to mess with your system:
More pics:

The Official Gizmodo Awards Chart:

Setup is as easy as a laptop. Connect the power adapter to the main unit, and you're rollin'. The wireless keyboard and seamless "river rock" mouse are pre-paired. The main unit has everything you need and nothing you don't. Its beautiful 19" widescreen LCD has a resolution of 1440x900. Beneath the screen are speakers hidden under the glossy plastic face. They are NXTs, but they sound better than any NXTs I've ever heard.

To the left side is a panel with three USB ports, a FireWire port, a 5-in-1 memory card reader, audio output for speakers and microphone in.
There's a USB camera that sits on top, nestled into a mini USB port. It's got a built-in microphone. (I guess I lied. Gateway could have gone even more minimalist: you really don't need the speaker or mic jacks at all!) The camera makes the box look a tad dorky, but you only need it when you're Skyping, so who cares?
On the right-hand side is a disc slot. The drive is what you'd expect on the premium end, a super multi DVD burner with double-layer capability—not that you'll ever use it to its full extent. Blu-ray and HD DVD read and write are not yet available.
The power brick serves a very cool function as outboard media hub. It's got four USB ports of its own, plus SPDIF and optical audio outputs to connect to an A/V receiver (for up to 7.1 surround sound), plus an IR blaster jack and an Ethernet port. In other words, Gateway has smartly hidden all those ugly but essential wires at your feet, instead of letting them stick out of your computer. The One has but one cable, sticking out of its chrome-plated rear end.
Ethernet is optional. Gateway pulled an Apple and integrated serious Wi-Fi in there. It's got MIMO, 802.11a/b/g and even N Dual Band, if you are so equipped. Good future-proofing. Another example of future proofing is the second SATA II drive slot, right next to the first slot, which houses a 500GB 7200rpm drive. (RAM access is just as easy.)
There's more in the box if you want it, including a analog/digital TV tuner and a USB fax/modem. I skipped them for now, but you never know.

The remote reminds you that this, like every other Vista Home Premium or Ultimate system, is also a Windows Media Center Edition PC. So the tuner might come in handy, though I'd prefer CableCard.

For having a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and an ATI HD 2600XT video processor, it even runs fairly quiet. Gateway says under 30dB. It also uses a third less power than traditional desktops.

The premium Gateway One will be sold at Best Buy exclusively for $1,799. Two other lower-powered editions will be sold at gateway.com for $1,299 and $1,599. All of them will feature all of the pieces I've shown in this demo.

I may have some negative things to say later but for now, I am a true fan. It's the thoughtful design elements make the Gateway One unique, and uniquely enjoyable, and I'll leave you with three examples:
• You use the touch-scroll mouse intuitively, without thinking, even though it's not the typical mouse interaction.
• The Media Center remote's d-pad is all one piece, built for full-tilt thumb action.
• In the rear, a chrome hinge rests on a broad wheel. Not only does this allow you to tilt the seemingly immobile body, but it acts to brace the One in the event it gets jarred.
[Gateway One]

The low-end retail version starts out with a 1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor inside as well as 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive along with Intel X3100 graphics, and that'll cost you $1300. The higher-end retail version bolsters the specs, raising that Core 2 Duo chip to 2GHz, adding an extra gig of RAM to 3GB and bumping up that hard disc to 500GB. In between those two is the $1500 online version, just like a low-end model except with a 400GB hard drive and a better Radeon HD 2600 graphics chipset.

Notice the slot-loading DVD burner on the side there, which we wish would have been a combo Blu-ray/HD DVD burner. Politics and pricing prevented that now, but it might not someday. There's also a quartet of USB ports, gigabit Ethernet and AV ports that feed the external power adapter in an attempt to eliminate some desktop cable clutter.

Even though the design does have an enormous chin, we're liking the way it's apparently bezel-free, making it look somewhat like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey when the monitor is turned off—a flat black expanse. Spooky. [Electronista, via CrunchGear]