Gateways Media Center XL is representative of a system new to this genre. While performance is above average, more fit and polish would have made this system more intuitive to consumers new to the Media Center idea. The fact that there are two separate programs for writing both CD-R and DVD-R media as well as two separate DVD player programs means that there will just be that much more confusion to the end user. The design of the Gateway Media Center XL matches the rest of Gateways desktop computer line and other than the remote control; there is nothing that distinguishes the Media Center XL from the rest. Those who decide to purchase the Media Center XL should be more than happy, but make sure to do some research first as there may be features on other brand Media Center PCs which you may find more attractive.