I'm thinking of buying this, what do you think?
 

Can't build my own so I must buy.

These are the specs.

eMachines Desktop
Model: T2865

AMD Athlon? XP processor 2800+ with QuantiSpeed? architecture* and 333MHz frontside bus
*Operates at 2.25GHz

512MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM for multitasking power, expandable to 2.0GB
512KB L2 cache memory

160.0GB hard drive

nVidia GeForce4 MX graphics card with 64MB DDR video memory

Integrated 10/100 Ethernet interface; V.92 high-speed fax modem

DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 48x max. speed CD-ROM drive

sounds good, seems like it exceeds expectations in every category except for RAM, which is cheaply improved.

If you don't mind buying an eMachine (cheap name), then go for it.

Looks good, but I'd consider a videocard upgrade. The only thing that's not decent on that PC is the graphics. If you don't care about games, then it's fine...but if ya wanna play games I'd consider upgrading that. Everything else looks fine!

-Lasereth

Last I heard about eMachines, which was a few years ago, they soldered their components into the computer, thus making them un-upgradeable.
How much would you be paying for that computer, because I bet you could make a computer just about as good for cheaper, or a little bit more, and you'd learn more about a computer that way.

Fallon's got a point. E-Machines are synonomous with crap. The specs look good, but see what you can get for the same price from a different manufacturer. Everyone that I know that has ever had an e-machine has had problems. And for some reason they seem to run slower than they should, probably something in the parts they use. Or take that spec list to a place that builds pc's and see what they quote you. Smaller shops tend to use better parts for little or no extra. Plus then you'll know how much upgradabilty you have.

The other manufacturer would be Dell.
A big step up in quality but really not that much more in price, if you get just exactly what you need.

/me looks at his 4 year old Emachines 366i2 that is still serving files on his LAN.


I've only added stuff-I've never actually replaced a faulty part on the thing and it all still works. I was able to upgrade anything I wanted to to the max for the time.

I have used several emachines and had very few problems with them, they have been great machines, you CAN upgrade them. More upgradeable than lot of other computers that i have ran into. As a matter of fact the last 4 pc i have purchased that were store bought were emachines, the oldest one being a 600ix and it is still in use on my lan today. They have always had good techsupport with i have had to call htem too, more than i can say for compaq and HP and i used to be a compaq reseller.....

If it meets you needs, and it would mine, go for it. They are a decent computer company, and don't let ppl tell you they aren't.... I know alot of ppl that are very plesed with theirs and had no problems..............

I think you two may be the exception to the rule. I had a friend who worked at Best Buy for a while. According to him, they had eMachines being returned left and right. I have always avoided those things like the plague.

If you are planning on getting a new computer, I would say to build one yourself if you can. That way, you know exactly what parts are in it.

If you can't do that, get something from Dell. I really don't like package computers, but if I had to buy one, it would probably be a Dell.

Or, take the advice of others, and buy the eMachine. I don't really know anything.

Well, he didn't ask about the reputation of emachines, he asked about the specs. I personally would get a Dell instead, but that's his choice. I gave him my opinion on the specs. And when I say "upgrade," I don't mean buying a new videocard for it, I mean buying an emachine that simply has a better videocard.

Those that say they aren't upgradeable because they have on-board video, sound etc.: there are jumpers on the motherboard that allow you to bypass the soldered components and install an upgrade. It's annoying to have on-board crappy video, but you can bypass it.

He said he didn't know how to build a PC. That's why I didn't recommend building one. It's really complicated if you've never did it before. If he wants to buy a store-PC, there's not a whole lot of difference in quality (except for Compaq, ha ha). Dell has some badass deals every now and then, but the rest of the companies (HP, Gateway, etc.) have just about the same thing.

-Lasereth

your joking right

a g4

dude i would kill for a g4

i have a g2 and its awsome

i can play every game on the market

You may be able to run the games, but there's no way that the newer ones are playable. Games like Battlefield 1942, Unreal Tournament 2k3, Max Payne 1 and 2, Halo, Call of Duty, etc. simply won't run good enough to play on a GeForce 2. Most of those won't run very well on a GeForce 4 MX440, either. That's why I suggested an upgrade.

Don't kill for a GeForce 4; you can get a TI4200 for $80! That's probably 5-10 times more powerful than a GeForce 2. GeForce 2's are simply outdated now. You can't play newer games with it and expect any type of performance.

-Lasereth

where can u get a t14200 for 80$? i have only seen them for 140...

i most centenialy can and do play bf 1942 online full multi player

i think your underestimenting the power of the geoforce cards

Someone I know just bought this one well not exactly he got the downgraded one with 120 gb hdd. I actually think he posted something about buying another videocard here

You must have one hell of a computer that's doing everything the videocard can't as well as have all of the settings on the lowest. I don't see how a GeForce 2 can run Battlefield playable. That's just hard to believe. I do know how powerful GeForce cards are; take a look at the GeForce 4 TI 4200 compared to the FX 5600 and Radeon 9600.

I'm simply saying that compared to the rest of his system, a GeForce 4 MX440 would be bottlenecking it badly. Dragon, that GeForce 2 you have isn't that much worse than a GeForce 4 MX440. It's simply a waste of a videocard for a system as good as the one that Brewmaniac wants. The GeForce 2 would do better on an older system than a newer one because of the bottlenecking issues.

Out of curiousity, which GeForce 2 do you have? It must be the Ultra to be running Battlefield like that.

Pricewatch lists a few companies that are selling them for $80 (one under $80), but NewEgg has one for $90.

-Lasereth

its a

g force 2 mx 400 64 mb 64 bit sdr

256-bit engine / agp bus


and to be fair my computer cant do much more theni am asking it to right now

one thing to keep in mind is that the g series has full transform and lighting

E-machines aren't bad...if you just want a straight internet or typing box....lol Whats the price on that puter? Maybe I could sell you somethign homemade for around the same price?

Hey all, thanks for all your thoughts. I'm going to bite the bullet and go for this. I don't have a video card issue as I don't play any high tech games. Hopefully I will be happy, I'll let you know.

Don't get a DELL. If you don't want to build your PC and would like to configure a good one try:
http://www.abscomputers.com/index.html

or
http://www.ibuypower.com/mall/lobby.htm

Sorry about what I said earlier, I was just relaying what I have heard from my friend who used to work at Best Buy. If it suits your needs, then go for it, but try to learn more about the internal workings of it so you realize, unlike my mother, that if you tap it, generally you won't break it =p.

I have always seen problems with e-macines stuff. of course it is due to helping firneds fix thiers, so that may be why. although it seems like the newer ones are haveing lots more problems than the older ones. I would suggest someone else instead of emachines. but that is due to me only seeing its problems. one thing is that the resotre disc does not allow a repair of XP only format/install.

Only thing I don't particuarly like is the video card. If you're into gaming, and wanna play the bigger games, particularly the upcoming doom 3 / hl2 sometime early/mid next year then the video card is a doozy.

I would suggest building your own computer. Its not that hard at all, jsut get a friend that knows computers and you will learn a lot yourself too.

Only problems I have had with e-machines are:
1: Cheap power supplies, and in a proprietery case, so you have to buy thier power supplies which cost more than a new case and better power supply (about $65 for just the e-machine 150 watt power supply)

2: Software drivers: they can be hard to find for the intergrated ethernet and sound card.

I bought an emachine, 450 bucks for a great machine w/ monitor, no problems thus far! I say go for it!