The local PC market is becoming more cutthroat by the day -- with Taiwanese brand Blue reportedly pulling out of the country recently --but that has not deterred new-kid-on-the-block Gateway from aggressively introducing new product models in the country.

Gateway, now owned by Acer Corp., has pushed deeper in the local market with its recent launch of new laptop computer models, netbooks, and slim desktop unit at a high-end club in Ortigas, Pasig City.

The laptop models are led by the Gateway EC3801i and the Gateway ID series, namely the ID5804i and the ID5805i. The netbooks, meanwhile, are bannered by LT2000 and LT3100 series. The slim desktop, on one hand, is represented by the Gateway SX2800.

The ultra-thin Gateway EC3801i has beautiful aesthetics as well as computing muscle. It is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor (1.4G, 3M, 800FSB) with the Mobile Intel GS45 Express chipset, a 2GB DDR3 memory, a 320GB SATA hard drive and 13.3-inch high-definition Ultrabright LED-backlit TFT LCD.

Among its features include a Wake-on-LAN ready and dual-band quad-mode 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N wifi certified network connection and optimized second generation Dolby Sound Room audio enhancement

Meanwhile, the stylish Gateway ID5804i comes in midnight blue, and the ID5805i in nightsky black. Particularly noteworthy is its revolutionary tail-fin shape. It also has blue-and-silver and black-and-silver interiors and chrome-plated accent.

Included in its features are the Gateway MyBackup key, Gateway PowerSave key, and the touchpad lock for its multi-gesture touchpad which, incidentally, works 3 ways (circular scrolling, pinch-action zoom and page flip) for a more fun and hip computing endeavor.

Aside from great design, Gateway’s LT2000 (LT2002i and LT2003i) and LT3100 (LT3102i and LT3103i) series of netbooks promise longer battery life.

The units are run by an Intel Atom N280 processor with the Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset. It has 1GB DDR2 (upgradeable to 2GB) memory and 160GB SATA hard drive, with 10.1-inch SD high-brightness TFT LCD screen.

Additional features include built-in Bluetooth, built-in Web camera, multi-in-1 card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, and a multi-gesture touch pad. Coming in at Cherry Red and NightSky Black colors, the LT2002i and LT2003i will surely stand out at any cafe, restaurant, or coffee shop.

On the other hand, the LT3102i and LT3103i, which are slightly bigger than their LT2000 series siblings in terms of actual size and features, have a little bit more to offer.

Though carrying a different processor (AMD Athlon 64 L110) and chipset (AMD M690E) and 2GB DDR2 memory, both these exceptional machines can certainly carry on any task.

As graphics display capability is powered by an ATI Radeon X1270 with up to 1024MB of HyperMemory (384MB of dedicated memory) for more vivid display images and videos seen through the 11.6-inch high-definition Gateway Ultrabright TFT LCD screen.

Lastly, the Gateway SX2800 epitomizes the company’s next-generation desktop computer model with its minimalist design.

Despite the small form factor (SFF) body structure, the Gateway SX2800 packs power with Intel Pentium Dual-core E5200 processor that works hand-in-hand with the Intel G43 Express Chipset+ICH10 with Intel Remote Wake technology. Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system.