Gateway Solo

Last updated
Solo
Gateway 2000 Solo logo.svg
Gateway Solo 2200.JPG
Solo 2200
Developer
ManufacturerSanyo (early models)
Type Laptop
Release dateSeptember 1995 (1995-09)
Lifespan1995–2003
DiscontinuedDecember 2002 (2002-12)
CPU

The Solo was a line of laptop computers sold by Gateway, Inc. (originally Gateway 2000), from 1995 to 2003. All models in the range were equipped with Intel x86 processors and came preinstalled with the Windows operating system.

Contents

History

Solo 2150 Gateway Solo 2150.jpg
Solo 2150

Gateway unveiled the Solo line of laptops on August 15, 1995, shortly before Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system became generally available for sale on August 24, 1995. [1] Initial entries in the Solo line-up were manufactured on an OEM basis by the Japanese company Sanyo. [2] The Solo was the first laptop to have a Windows key and a Menu key, which respectively activate the Start menu and context menus on Windows (the Start menu first appeared in Windows 95). [3] Gateway worked closely with Microsoft on development of the Solo to make it fully optimized with Windows 95, which was a nearly top-down redesign of Microsoft's previous Windows 3.1x operating systems. [4] The Solo replaced Gateway's earlier ColorBook and Liberty line of laptops and were the first of the company's laptops to feature Intel's x86-based Pentium processor, for which Windows 95 was optimized during its development. [1] [5]

The Solo was released to retailers and corporate resellers in September 1995. The first two models—the V75 and the S90—came with Pentium processors clocked at 75 MHz and 90 MHz respectively. [6] Both Solos were multimedia-oriented and came with a Sound Blaster–compatible sound chip and removable CD-ROM drives bays as standard; [4] Gateway later made the CD-ROM drives an optional add-on to reduce cost at the entry level. [6] The company marketed the Solo at the cost-conscious businessperson and positioned it as a budget version of the more upscale IBM ThinkPad and Toshiba Satellite lines of laptops. [2]

Later entries in the Solo line featured the Pentium II, Pentium III's, and various P6-based Celerons. [7] [8] [9] [10] The Solo line was retired in December 2002. [11] Gateway sold refurbished units of the Solo line on their website until 2003. [12] [13]

Models

Gateway Solo models
ModelRelease dateProcessorClock
speed
(MHz)
GraphicsLCD
technology
LCD
size
(in.)
LCD
resolution
Stock RAM
(max., in MB)
Storage (HDD)AudioOperating SystemNotes/ref(s).
V75September 1995Intel Pentium 75Color TFT 10.4640×4808 (40)540 MB [3] [2]
S9090800×60016 (40)720 MB [3] [2]
2100June 1996100 or 120 or 133Cirrus Logic GD754811.3810 MB or 1.2 GB [14]
2200January 1997Intel Pentium MMX 120 or 133 or 150 or 166Chips & Technologies 6555412.116 (80)2 GBESS AudioDrive 1878 with built-in stereo speakers and microphone [15] [16] [17]
9100May 1997150 or 166
  • Chips & Technologies 65554
  • Trident Cyber9397
13.348 (164)3 GBYamaha OPL-SA3 with built-in stereo speakers and microphone [18] [19]
2300July 1997150 or 166 or 200 or 233
  • NeoMagic MagicGraph 128ZV (NM2093)
  • NeoMagic MagicGraph 128XD (NM2160/NMG4)
12.132 (192)2 GBYamaha YM715 with built-in stereo speakers and microphone [20] [21] [22] [23]
5100January 1998166 or 200 or 233 or 266Chips & Technologies 6555514.11024×76816 (144)2 GB or 3 GB or 4.2 GBESS AudioDrive 1879 with built-in stereo speakers and microphone [24] [25]
2500May 1998Intel Pentium MMX or
Mobile Pentium II or
Celeron
233 (Pentium MMX)
233 or 266 or 300 or 333 or 366 (Pentium II)
266 or 300 (Celeron)
12.1 (LS)
13.3 (XL)
800×600 (LS)
1024×768 (XL)
64 (288)3 GB or 4.2 GB [26] [27] [28] [29]
5150August 1998Intel Mobile Pentium II 233 or 266 or 300 or 333 or 366NeoMagic MagicMedia 256AV (NM2200)14.11024×76832 (288)2 GB or 4 GB or 6.4 GB [28] [30]
9150April 1999300 or 333 or 36615.11024×768(384)14 GB (up to) [31]
3300May 2000Intel Mobile Pentium III 50012.11024×76864 (128)6 GB or 12 GB [32]
9300August 1999400ATI Rage Mobility-P15.11024×76812810 GB [33]
2150October 1999Intel Celeron or
Mobile Pentium III
400 (Celeron)
450 (Pentium III)
12.1
14.1
800×600
1024×768
326 GB [34] [35] [36]
2550Intel Celeron or
Mobile Pentium II or
Mobile Pentium III
Various
600 or 650 (Pentium III)
15.71280×1024(288)4–18 GB [37] [38]
3350September 2000Intel Celeron or
Pentium III-M
500 (Celeron)
600 (Pentium III)
12.11024×76864 (256)6–20 GB [39] [40]
5300August 2000500–600 (Celeron)
700 (Pentium III)
64 (512)6–20 GB [41] [42]
1150Intel Celeron 500 or 55032 (512)5 GB or 6 GB [43]
9500March 2001Intel Pentium III-M 700–100015.1
15.7 (XL Deluxe)
1280×1024256 (512)6 GB or 10 GB [44] [9]
1200July 2001Intel Celeron 800S3 Savage412.11024×76864 (192)10 GBConexant with built-in stereo speakers [45]
3450Intel Mobile Pentium III 75012.1192 (192)10 GB [45]
9550August 2001933 or 1000 or 113015.71280×1024128 (512)10 GB or 20 GB or 30 GB [46] [47]
1400December 2001Intel Celeron 85014.11024×768128 (512)10 GB [48] [49]
5350December 2001Intel Pentium III-M 733–1000Intel 830MG256 (512)20ESS Allegro-1 (ES1988) with built-in stereo speakers and microphone [48] [50]
1450April 2002Intel Celeron 120014.1
15.1
1024×768 (14.1)
1280×1024 (15.1)
128 (512)20 GB [51]

References

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