Not Bad Low End Computer...
Written: Jul 04 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, runs great
Cons: Tech support is horrible, not much expansion capabilities
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| jeffs320's Full Review: eMachines etower 400i PC Desktop |
A year ago I was running my 486 66 MHz which I had overclocked to about 99 MHz (really smokin!), and I decided it was time to upgrade. Since I had little to no money, I figured I would have to wait. Then I saw the EMachines with the $400 rebate from Compuserve. I figured "What the hey, I gotta pay for internet access anyway, I may as well get a rebate on the computer!" So including a 15" monitor I paid $150 for the computer.
Now, keeping the price paid in mind, I can't complain about the system at all. I purchased an additional 128 MB SDRAM, a new video card with 32 MB VRAM, a CDRW drive, and the normal scanner/printer stuff, and now the system runs pretty good. The Celeron 400 MHz processor COULD be faster, but I can't complain about that--it's a pretty solid little machine and I have no complaints.
The only thing I DON'T like about the unit is the fact that the expansion slots are almost non-existant. Since there is no AGP slot for the Video Card, I had to buy a PCI VC, and between that and the modem, that took all my PCI Slots! There are two EISA slots, but I challenge you to find anything other than a NIC card that goes into an EISA slot anymore! There are only 2 slots for RAM, so after putting in my 128 MB chip, I will have to take out the 32 MB chip if I want to add any more memory to the system.
But that is all just me, I am kind of anal about my computers! :-)
I have never had to all tech support about this computer, but I did call them for a friend of mine who owns the 500i. His DVDROM drive went bad, and it was making a clicking noise. I work tech support myself, and I know that if someone tells me a DVDROM drive is clicking, it is bad and I send them a new drive. This moron I spoke with had me doing an FDisk /mbr in Windows (3 times in a row I might add)...and for the record for those of you who don't know, this has absolutely nothing to do with the DVDROM drive--that has to do with the hard drive. Then he told me to download drivers from some web site. What does any of this have to do with a DVDROM drive clicking? Your guess is as good as mine!
I had my friend call back the next day (since we caught the end of the work day--they are not 24 hours), and they told him just to take the computer back to the store he purchased it from 6 months ago. Now, the good news is that he got an upgraded computer, but that is an ignorant way to do business when all they had to do was send him a drive and I could have installed it.
BUT, discounting the tech support and the limited expansion capabilities, the 400i is a tight little computer, and I have had no problems with it or with any of the hardware or software I have added to it. The only other thing I need it a larger Hard Drive, and I am set for now!!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jeffs320
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Jeff
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Reviews written: 266
Trusted by: 38 members
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