eMachines launches two new desktops, puts your pennies into play

Look, eMachines is just here to help. The low-cost PC maker has introduced a few new desktop models, destined to sit beside your paper plates, can of beans, and tin of generic instant coffee. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. The new budget models come in two flavors, the T3646 and T5254, both featuring AMD CPUs (2.2GHz Sempron LE-1250 versus the 2.1GHz dual core Athlon BE-2350), an NVIDIA 6100 graphics chipset, 1GB or 2GB of RAM, a 160GB or 320GB hard drive, DVD+R/RW SuperMulti drive, a handful of ports, a mouse, and really nasty looking cases. Available right now, $299.99 and $399.99, respectively.

[John Stracke @ Apr 17th 2008 10:33AM]

Enh. The cases are *dull*, but I wouldn't call them nasty. Personally, I don't wind up looking at my computer cases that often anyway; I look at the *screen*.

[tom @ Apr 17th 2008 10:40AM]

For 300 bucks, what can you ask for? On the other hand, Sempron?, come on! Dell gives Pentium Dual Core around the same ball park price, isn't that a better bargain?

[dzhiurgis @ Apr 17th 2008 4:46PM]

Eek, a Penis!

[g3n3tix @ Apr 19th 2008 2:30PM]

Yes but the screen is sold separately.

[dcny @ Apr 17th 2008 10:41AM]

not bad considering the price, i've seen much worst cases

[Greg @ Apr 17th 2008 10:54AM]

Those cases look like the old Compaq/HP cases from pre-2000.

[Andrew @ Apr 17th 2008 11:03AM]

Who cares what it looks like? My desktop tower sits under the desk out the way, so I only see it when I put in a CD. Truth is, most people don't need a lot of power, and with 320GB and a DVD burner, this would satisfy most families needs - plenty of room for photos, music, home movies and work files. I've had the same e-machines desktop for about 6 years, with no failures or problems with the hardware of any kind - I think they're a great way to go for people on a tight budget.

[Kizorblade @ Apr 17th 2008 11:13AM]

"Display sold separately"

Can't they have that on the bottom left hand corner or something? It's almost as if they're saying it's a good thing

[Dave @ Apr 17th 2008 11:17AM]

It is a good thing if you already own an adequate display.

[pyxopotamus @ Apr 17th 2008 11:24AM]

eMachines are pieces of shit, speaking from years of experience on multiple machines and monitors because my parents refuse to spend a few hundred extra dollars for anything better. Every time we go home my boyfriend's got to fix their latest computer.

[v3xx @ Apr 17th 2008 12:10PM]

lol @ "a few hundred extra dollars"

you must be richer than most of us.

btw, if your boyfriend has enough intelligence to fix a computer, building one is half a notch higher on the intelligence scale. buy some decent parts and it'll cost equal or less.

[Drew @ Apr 17th 2008 12:51PM]

After pretty extensive experience with (other peoples') eMachines, I would never use another and would never recommend that anybody buy one.

[umm....hello??? @ Apr 17th 2008 7:56PM]

really?? I bought my parents an emachines from 2001 and upgraded the RAM to 1GB and it works beautifully and still kicking strong for them to check email, play FreeCell, download and print pix from their digital cameras, surf the web, and write up an occasional document.

maybe your parents are just morons.

[Adrian Williams @ Apr 17th 2008 11:03PM]

My only beef with e-machines is that their PSU always goes out

[Marty @ Apr 17th 2008 11:40AM]

My eMachine works fine for me, and has for the last 3 or 4 years.
I don't do PC games, nor do I do any complicated work such as CAD or anything. For Media Center + net and basic junk, it's been a great workhorse. I'd say after all these years, the only thing that's starting to show age is the sound and video cards.

Ultimately, everyone knows that 90% of problems are with the user and not the machine.

In the future I'm going to need something for graphic design... but that's what a Mac is for. LMAO. And the pennies I saved from my eMachine can go towards that Mac.

I also like how, "for few hundred extra" dollars I could have bought a Gateway instead of my eMachine with the EXACT SAME CONFIGURATION. (hmmm... maybe because eMachines IS Gateway...)

[kevjohn @ Apr 17th 2008 11:43AM]

I'm tired of you tech elitists bitching about cheap, err... inexpensive gear. I've been very happy with the $400 eMachines pc I bought a couple years back.
I'll be glad to buy some quad core beast with a $700 video card as soon as I can afford it. Hey, if I give you my boss's phone number maybe you can call him and bitch-n-moan until he gives me a much deserved raise. Until then, eMachines FTMFW!

[Brian @ Apr 17th 2008 2:15PM]

"eMachines FTMFW!"

Nice!

[kevin @ Apr 17th 2008 12:00PM]

My parents bought an eMachines computer (T5048) for $250 about a year and a half ago, and there hasn't been a single problem with it so far. It came with XPMC installed on it, and I ordered the Vista upgrade for them when it was available - but they haven't installed it, since there's no need to.

But for $250, it's got all the power you need to handle your basic internet tasks, plus my mom uses Photoshop all the time without problems. Knock 'em if you want, but I think they got a terrific deal.

[Randall @ Apr 17th 2008 12:02PM]

I have a 2 year old HP that is way homelier than that. I would call it an average case.

[Renato @ Apr 17th 2008 12:03PM]

Apple...can you make a $299.99 Mini?
NO!
:)

[RichardBronosky @ Apr 17th 2008 12:57PM]

Compact components cost more. The only time I've ever seen a more compact unit (from any manufacturer) cost less was with the 12" PowerBook. Apple really broke the trend then, when everyone else's compact notebook came at a premium. I was working for Apple in business sales back then. I used to sell the fool out of those machines to business people who had never used an Apple. The comparable IBM was almost twice as much and everyone loved the slot loading DVD.

If Apple weren't so arrogant about not making the Home and End key do what people expect, I think I would have had a 98% satisfaction rating. Instead I had a 99.999% complaint rate from new switchers. Other than that most people had not a bad thing to say.

[Renato @ Apr 17th 2008 1:05PM]

Or maybe not a Mini, but just a damn inexpensive Apple OS X computer...is that too much to ask? Why do people have to resort to osx86?

[Bill @ Apr 17th 2008 12:10PM]

I bought an eMachines T3114 (AMD Sempron 3100+) in January of '06 for $200 to run a couple of Windows programs (cough, Garmin, cough) that weren't available for my PPC Mac. It wasn't fast running XP, but it was usable. A few months ago I put Ubuntu on it, and running Ubuntu, it's really pretty darn quick. I hardly ever have to wait on anything (except when I need to boot it back to Windows). And it's been dead reliable.

My point? The machines announced above will make great Linux machines for most users for very little money. And they'll probably be adequate for average users running Windows.

[RichardBronosky @ Apr 17th 2008 1:15PM]

I sure wish these things were available without windows. I asked them directly about it using "Chat with Upgrade Sales" http://www.emachines.com/corporate/contacts.html (If you use this to comment about Linux, please be polite!) It went like this:

Keith_GWPS056 joined the incident.
Keith_GWPS056 says:
Thank you for contacting Upgrade Sales. My name and badge number are Keith_GWPS056. What upgrades were you thinking about today?
RichardBronosky says:
I saw the new product press release today...
RichardBronosky says:
Can emachines be purchased without an OS?
Keith_GWPS056 says:
No Richard all system's are preinstalled with OS.
Keith_GWPS056 says:
You might be interested with Gateway notebook/desktop?
RichardBronosky says:
Is there a non-microsoft OS option?
Keith_GWPS056 says:
Nope there is none Richrad.
Keith_GWPS056 says:
Richard..
RichardBronosky says:
Thanks anyway. I see that you are doing everything possible to stay competitive in the marketplace. Keep up the good work. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before some form of free OS becomes an option. I'll be back when it is.
Keith_GWPS056 says:
I understand that you need some time to decide. You can use the following link to contact us again, when you are ready. https://support.gateway.com/support/copilot/chat_sales.shtml?id=33113783
Keith_GWPS056 says:
Please save the session log for your records by clicking on the "View Live Log" button and then "Save Log To Disk", which is at the top right of View Live Log window. You can refer to this log for your order information.
Keith_GWPS056 says:
I would appreciate it if you could share your comments about our chat session. A survey form will appear after we close this chat session.
Keith_GWPS056 says:
It was a pleasure helping you today. My name and badge number are Keith_GWPS056. Have a great day and contact us again if you have more upgrade questions.
RichardBronosky says:
I will certainly share.

(Should I have clarified that I'd be sharing on Engadget?)

[jccalhoun @ Apr 17th 2008 1:59PM]

I had an original emachine way back in 2000 and never had any problem with it.
emachine is now owned by Gateway who is (or at least will be) owned by Acer. So if emachines are crap then so are those brands because they probalby have the same parts.

[qrius @ Apr 17th 2008 2:19PM]

I had an emachines a few years back. I just plopped in a 2nd hard drive, a agp8x video card, and I was happy. It still runs fine, after I gave it to my parents. Not every PC user plays video games. Just the basic web, email, office stuff.

[John @ Apr 17th 2008 2:22PM]

I think some people would bitch and moan if this was free in a box of cereal.

[YoMomma @ Apr 17th 2008 5:10PM]

i think eMachines are good for web surfing, emailing and photo viewing.
There is nothing wrong with the case, i think its better than GreenPC's or whatever is called case.

[Yuri @ Apr 17th 2008 5:10PM]

I don't get why I see so many people bitching about these computers.

A. They're cheap. Therefore, you get what you pay for
B. They're cheaper then building a desktop
C. They're not made to look pretty, they're made to be affordable.

While I like computers with a bit more power, I bought my mother a W2925, for $400 about 6 years ago. Now did it just die, and 6 years I think was a damn long time for a budget computer.

I got my friend a T4107 I think? for his birthday. $100. It works great, and they're not bad.

The point is, they're not supposed to be super-amazing-fast-awesome-bragging rights computers, they're supposed to be basic, every day, internet only computers. They get the job done for a GOOD price.

If you have an extra few hundred dollars lying around, go ahead and buy a nicer desktop, but I really like eMachines.

Their notebooks suck though, if the PSU goes out on the notebook, they can potentially fry the entire mobo. So while I absolutely love their desktops, I do not encourage purchasing their notebooks.

[brian @ Apr 17th 2008 5:36PM]

"...destined to sit beside your paper plates, can of beans, and tin of generic instant coffee." These guys give me some of the biggest laughs of the day. Who knew technology could be so funny?

[Laughing Man @ Apr 18th 2008 10:46AM]

eMachine is cool in my book. I called their customer support (because I will ask questions that real computer users will know, but customer support never does) and while I was on hold they played the battle music from Final Fantasy 7. I shit you not.

Two thumbs up in my book.