eMachines T3612 PC Desktop
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- Form Factor: Desktop
- Processor: Intel Celeron D
- Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home
- Installed Memory: 512 MB (DDR2 SDRAM)
- HDD Size: 120 GB
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Good bare-bones machine.
Pros
Great features for the money, seems to run well, quiet, expandable.
Cons
Sluggish performance (consistent with specs), banal appearance, no memory card reader.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A good value for an entry-level machine and basic functions, but likely not suited to intense gaming or high-end graphics/video manipulation due to its somewhat sluggish performance.
I bought this machine at Best Buy for $269.99 for my 5-year-old to play games, to replace an old WinME AMD-K6-2 350 MHz clunker that finally stopped working. I had only modest expectations for such an entry-level machine, especially since eMachines (owned by Gateway) has a mixed reputation. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. I have Vista Business at work, but this Vista Basic machine has a simpler interface that I found easier to navigate. I inactivated some software (McAfee, BigFix) using msconfig, and had no trouble installing a LinkSys WMP54GS wireless PCI card into the only free PCI slot. The other PCI slot had a modem card in it, which for most people with Broadband would not be missed, and into which a FireWire card could be installed. There is even a PCI-express slot available to upgrade the graphics card.
I installed Sophos Anti-Virus to replace McAfee. The DVD drive (a burner, in fact) was a little noisy, like a small fan, on at least one disc. During routine things the machine is whisper quiet. There are several USB2.0 slots on the back and two on the front, and unbelievably a parallel port and old serial port on the back, as well as Ethernet. The keyboard and mouse are PS/2. I am using an old Sylvania F93 19" monitor connected to the VGA port in the back, and this works well. When in low-power standby mode, the front case has a blinking blue LED that might be annoying to some (but which a full shutdown or a piece of electrical tape could solve easily).
The only other piece of software I installed thus far is the original Tomb Raider 2, which runs (surprisingly!) with no difficulties. Many routine manipulations seem a bit sluggish, probably reflecting the needs of the OS as much as limitations in the machine's motherboard, processor and chipset. I have not tested the DVD/CD writing software yet.
Overall, I am amazed at this machine's features for a scant $270. As a second machine, or for a casual user, it is hard to imagine how to get a better deal. At BestBuy a 'package' of the computer with a 17" monitor was selling for $300 total. I would not expect this machine to do too well with intense gaming or graphics/video manipulation, at least not without a slick graphics card upgrade.
I installed Sophos Anti-Virus to replace McAfee. The DVD drive (a burner, in fact) was a little noisy, like a small fan, on at least one disc. During routine things the machine is whisper quiet. There are several USB2.0 slots on the back and two on the front, and unbelievably a parallel port and old serial port on the back, as well as Ethernet. The keyboard and mouse are PS/2. I am using an old Sylvania F93 19" monitor connected to the VGA port in the back, and this works well. When in low-power standby mode, the front case has a blinking blue LED that might be annoying to some (but which a full shutdown or a piece of electrical tape could solve easily).
The only other piece of software I installed thus far is the original Tomb Raider 2, which runs (surprisingly!) with no difficulties. Many routine manipulations seem a bit sluggish, probably reflecting the needs of the OS as much as limitations in the machine's motherboard, processor and chipset. I have not tested the DVD/CD writing software yet.
Overall, I am amazed at this machine's features for a scant $270. As a second machine, or for a casual user, it is hard to imagine how to get a better deal. At BestBuy a 'package' of the computer with a 17" monitor was selling for $300 total. I would not expect this machine to do too well with intense gaming or graphics/video manipulation, at least not without a slick graphics card upgrade.
