Gateway to Bring Quad-Core to Retail

Saying it was the first major manufacturer to do so, Gateway announced Tuesday that it will offer at retail a quad-core system through both select online and brick-and-mortar retailers. The Gateway FX line includes Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processors, 512MB ATI Radeon X1950 Crossfire video cards, Ethernet connectivity, and either 500 or 1000GB of hard drive storage. Retail prices start at $2,099.99.

Gateway said it had seen "tremendous" demand for its quad-core line through phone orders and its own web site. However, it acknowledged many consumers prefer to purchase computers through local retailers, and said its decision had much to do with the buying habits of the consumer. The systems will be available at select Best Buy, Micro Center, and J&R locations and websites, as well as the online stores of Circuit City and CompUSA.