As far as I know,all eMachines computers have only PCI slots.
hi, ive had 2 emachines and have had no problem with either.
my newest has windows media 2005, pci express slot which i used with a ati x700, you can get an emachine as powerful as any computer. just read the specs. and pick your need. if gaming and video are important. get a loaded pc. if your new at the computer game and cant add memory or a graphics card to tweek the computer, pick a strong one from the start. it only cost a little more to get a good one. talk to a computer rep at a computer store. if your ordering online talk to a friend thats experienced with computers and can advise based on need. its like buying a car. you will be much happier with a loaded one.....tweeker
We have been using Emachines anywhere from 4yrs to 1 yr. All of them have gone without any repair. On two we, as book packagers for self published authors, do a lot of Photoshop and DTP work. I’ve added more RAM but will probably take them up some more to 1gig. I have recommended them to my friends and they seem to also like them.
John Grossman
Back Channel Press.
I fix computers for a living & have seen too many eMachines with bad motherboards lately. One had blown capacitors, the other two had overheated nForce chips on the board. Do yourself a favor & buy a better brand.
I,ve had my e Machine since 2002 and I,m running it hard from the start and as we speak I,m still running hard and never had a break down. I am a clean freak and make sure everything is always ready and scan and registry clean etc.etc. I,d get one again and I,m 40 and I do all my banking and whatever else I need to do! get it!!!!!!!
One poster above claims he fixes PCs for a living and has seen a rash of bad motherboards. Maybe he has, but I had both a new Dell and a new HP with bad motherboards. I've had five Gateways and only one power supply go south on me - and that was after three years of running full time.
I've had really incredible luck with these low end machines and can't understand why anyone would pay HP or Dell's additional $200-$400 for no additional frills. Tiger Direct often has refurbished eMachines at very good prices.
Speaking as someone who used to put together PC's as a hobby, I have to say that I have had only good experiences with my 2 EMachines over the past 6 years or so. I retired my first one, not because of problems but because it had become obsolete and I'll probably do the same thing with my current (second) one.
It's a low cost, general purpose machine but my only reservation is - would it be powerful enough for your pre-teen who may have gaming aspirations?
Mo
and it rocks in my pci express slot. its turned my e machine into a gaming monster. the motherboard, shich suprisingly is a strongly rated MSI board, can expand to 4 mgs of ram. very pleased with gameplay on the e machine. i upgraded the 300 watt stock psu to a 500 watt, and ive got a great machine.
I have owned 3 different e-machines and after about 14 months, the mother board fried on every one of them.
seems that if you have 3 bad ones in a row you need to look for the root cause. something in your environment or methods could be the cause.
I had a similar problem of blowing out motherboards. I build my PCs out of junk parts and attributed it to plane old, old age. After purchasing a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) I have not lost one PC. Older homes or grid problems often cause electrical power fluctuations which is hard on a mother board.
We have had good luck with eMachines for years. My daughter has just upgraded from an eMachines desktop that she got in 2000 to a Gateway (same company) laptop. My wife and daughter both have eMachines laptops. Like others have recommended, I'd step up to the next tier model at http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5280737
The bigger monitor and hard drive are probably worth the additional expense.
I've owned an eMachines computer for 3 years, and it has performed like a champion. The maker claims to use standard components. Like others have said, it becomes a better machine with up-grading, especially more memory and cards that match your own uses.
I spent the last 7 years running a support dept for a software company. Part of that position had me running all over the country setting up systems for users. The first location that I encountered e-machines was a small 7 terminal location. Out of the 7 in the box e-machines I replaced 3 NIC's right "out of the box!" This kind of expierence went on everywhere I encountered e-machines to the point where as a company we made the decision that we would not support them. Users that choose to use e-machines were on their own. Now keep in mind this has been many years since my exposure to e-machines and could have changed. I however would be VERY leary to use one.
Speaking from personal (and others') experience, they're a decent computer for the money, but they have problematic power supplies. I've had 2 go bad in 3 years. Just watch out for that.
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