New eMachines line of desktop PCs debuts

[Julio Franco]

IRVINE, Calif., April 12, 2007 – During a time of year when consumers’ finances are top-of-mind, Gateway is now offering its new line of eMachines desktop PCs and LCDs at tremendous values.

The new line of eMachines desktop PCs and displays is available beginning this weekend at leading retailers.

“We have a great value proposition for anyone who needs a PC or display, whether they just had to write a large check to the IRS or are receiving a tax refund,” said Glenn Jystad, Gateway’s manager of consumer desktops. “Our new PC line delivers in-demand technology such as DVD burners and large hard drives at incredibly affordable prices. The new PCs can even help consumers get ready for next year’s tax season by giving them a better way to manage their personal and home finances. Plus, the new LCD displays are crisp and vibrant, while their widescreen design gives our customers more room to access information and applications.”

Equipped with powerful processors, ample memory and Microsoft® Windows Vista™, the new eMachines PC line is ready to deliver a powerful and efficient computing experience for consumers, students and small businesses. The line comes with the software that makes it ready to use out of the box to create documents, search online and keep in touch via email.

It’s easy to connect peripherals like displays, printers and routers as well as electronic devices like digital cameras and MP3 players to the new eMachines models, which each feature six USB ports. Two models in the new PC line feature a leading-edge 15-in-1 Digital Media reader, which accepts virtually all of the most popular media cards and flash memory used in consumer electronics devices like digital cameras and digital video cameras.

After work and productivity tasks are complete, the PCs deliver enhanced features for entertainment and fun. They each come with a Multi-format Double-layer DVD+/-R/RW drive for burning and playing back MP3 music, video, photos and other content on CD and DVD. Each PC comes with Cyberlink® Power2Go™ as well as with Microsoft ® Digital Image Starter Edition 2006 (with 60-day Digital Image Standard 2006 Trial).

DirectX 9.0 compatible graphics in the new eMachines PC line makes them ready for popular games. Each PC is pre-installed with 10 demo games and one hour of game play powered by WildTangent®. Enhancing gaming and movie viewing, the PCs have 6-Channel (5.1) High Definition audio and amplified speakers for striking sound.

The new eMachines PCs come with Microsoft® Works 8.5, a 60-day trial of Microsoft® Office® 2007 Home Student Edition, Microsoft® Money 2006 and Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7. The systems are equipped with Adobe® Reader, a six month membership of AOL 9.0,(2) Google Toolbar, Google Desktop Search, RealNetworks RealPlayer®, Quicktime® and a 30-day trial of Napster 3.0.(3)

The new line of eMachines displays includes two widescreen LCDs, available in a 19-inch model for $209.99 and in a 17-inch model for $179.99, both after a $50 mail-in rebate.(3) The eMachines widescreen LCDs provide high resolutions, bright color and clarity as well as the widescreen design that makes them ideal for use with multiple applications or Microsoft Windows Vista. In addition, a 17-inch flat-screen CRT is also available for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate.(3)

The new eMachines PCs for the spring quarter of 2007 include:

eMachines T3612 Desktop PC Configuration:
• Intel® Celeron® D 360 Processor (3.46GHz, 512KB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB)
• 512MB DDR2 Memory Expandable to 2GB
• 120GB 7200RPM Hard Drive(4)
• Multi-format, Dual-layer DVD+/-R/RW Drive
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic(5)
• Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price starting at $349.99 after a mail-in or instant rebate up to $50.(1)

eMachines T5088 Desktop PC Configuration:
• Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 641 (3.20GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
• 512MB DDR2 Memory Expandable to 2GB
• 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive(4)
• Multi-format, Dual-layer DVD+/-R/RW Drive
• 15-in-1 Digital Media Reader
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic(5)
• Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price starting at $399.99 after a mail-in or instant rebate up to $50.(1)

eMachines T5226 Desktop PC Configuration:
• Intel® Pentium® D 925 Processor (two cores, each running at 3.00GHz, two 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
• 1024MB DDR2 Memory Expandable to 2GB
• 250GB SATA II 7200RPM Hard Drive(4)
• Multi-format, Dual-layer DVD+/-R/RW Drive
• 15-in-1 Digital Media Reader
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium(5)
• Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price starting at $499.99 after a mail-in or instant rebate up to $50.(1)

World-Class Software, Service and Support
Protecting the customer’s data and investment, the new eMachines PCs are pre-installed with eMachines Internet Security Bundle. This includes a 90-day trial of McAfee Internet Security Suite™ (Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam, Anti-Spyware, Firewall and Parental Control).(6) A pro-active service tool called BigFix® is included on all eMachines systems.(7) With the customer’s permission, BigFix identifies and sends messages offering updates to enhance the performance or capabilities of the PC.

The company’s extensive online support center helps customers maximize their PC investment; it gives them easy access to customer support representatives and information on important issues such as warranties, technical issues and upgrading. The eMachines line of PCs comes with a standard one-year limited warranty.(8) For more information on eMachines products, customers can visit www.emachines.com.

 

[SNGX1275]

Likely still not any good without a new power supply.

 

[beef_jerky4104]

Likely still not any good without a new power supply.

Haha. My school buys eMachines and we've had three go out on us. Sometimes my friends who also know about computers shove penicls in the power supply fan. Yet those PCs never die for some reason.

 

[captaincranky]

As Always, I'm a Bit Confused......

Juilo, you list "Intel Media Accelerator 950", who's making these boards? I ask this because you list 2GB as max memory. Even my 2 year old T-5026 (915GAG Intel board with 915 GMA) takes 4GB. The 2GB limit sounds a little light with a dual core processor and Vista.

 

[raybay]

Power supplies have not been a problem for 18 months. It has been a long time since any eMachines had defective or underpowered power supplies. We are watching and testing everything they put out. We have not been able to fault the power supplies. Mother boards are a different story.
They come with a one year warranty, but now we are seeing these models with an optional second year warranty the customer has to pay for.
The boards still appear to be made by TriGem in Korea under license from one of three manufacturers.
Hopefully, these will have the technical support sense of Gateway, now they are under the Gateway thumb. But parts availability is still a problem, and replacement motherboards still range between $160 and $210.
The Wal-Mart eMachines are the same units with a W instead of a T, and other numbers for the models.
Their "BigFix" system came from Gateway.

 

[captaincranky]

Okay Then.....

Haha. My school buys eMachines and we've had three go out on us. Sometimes my friends who also know about computers shove penicls in the power supply fan. Yet those PCs never die for some reason.

Just out of curiosity, why would someone who "knows about computers", shove a pencil in the power supply fan?

 

[Tedster]

First, I'm a little angry that my tax dollars are being used to buy really crappy computers.

Second, I am even more angry that your so-called "punk" friends are vandalizing the computers.

They should be expelled, given a stiff fine, along with 6 weeks of hard labor.

 

[captaincranky]

Hmmm...

Second, I am even more angry that your so-called "punk" friends are vandalizing the computers.

Only "so-called", that's actually quite charitable.

 

[LinkedKube]

I'm not even sure what to say about emachines, weren't they bought out by HP or vise versa, I think I said enough, lol

 

[raybay]

EMachines, the third largest computer company in the world, was bought out by Gateway in 2004... not HP... but as of now, they have not been able to infuse eMachines with the famous Gateway tech support or reliability.

 

[MetalX]

Sorry, I'm getting confused. Do you mean that Gateway has great tech support or terrible tech support?

And on another note... WHY DON'T THESE PCs HAVE CORE 2s?!?

 

[nickslick74]

And on another note... WHY DON'T THESE PCs HAVE CORE 2s?!?

Simple, they are too expensive. Intel would sell large batches of the D series much cheaper than they would sell the c2d series.

 

[raybay]

No tech support is perfect, of course, but we have been very impressed by Gateway tech support over the past 17 years... And still the people I talk to there speak clear, precise english, and seem to know their business very well. They go out of their way to be helpful. Their download site is excellent, and all their drivers and updates for the latest windows are kept up to date.
The flaw with Gateway tech support is that they sometimes farm out the parts department to other businesses when the warranty expires.

 

[captaincranky]

Well Sort Of, But More Machiavellian

Simple, they are too expensive. Intel would sell large batches of the D series much cheaper than they would sell the c2d series.

Gateway probably bought Emachines for two or three primary reasons;

1. To eliminate the competition
2. To provide an entry level machine for first time buyers
3. (Here's the big trick) To provide themselves with a machine to sell off of and step up their customers to the Gateway branded machines, (higher price, higher profit).

If they offered C2Ds in the Emachines line, they wouldn't have a reason to sell off of them!

As to tech support, " treacherous may be an anagram for techs".
T x E x CH xxxx S. < see!

 

[raybay]

Gateway bought eMachines because it was a good buy as the third largest computer company in the world... much larger than Gateway which was in trouble from the fraudulent buy out of the people who nearly ruined the Gateway company. eMachines broadly expanded their customer base, but they were unaware of the fraud within eMachines and the enormous technical failures...
Whether Gateway recovers from its cashflow problems and funding debacles or not, it remains the third largest company and the greatest innovator of computers for the student and family.
The technical progress Gateway has already made, and will be soon announced are amazing and wonderful.
Gateway will likely be out of their mess this year if the economy remains fairly good. Their innovation in the pas 18 months has been superb. Their weakness remains marketing, where they still have a lot of *****s employed.
There is nothing wrong with the quality of the Gateway desktop, laptop, monitor, or audio innovations.

 

[SNGX1275]

Another benefit is eMachines are sold in Wal-Mart, and Gateway wants a piece of that action.

 

[captaincranky]

Raybay & SNGX1275.......

Both of those observations come under the heading eliminating the competition.
And Walmart certainly is one place to go to get an entry level machine.

 

[LinkedKube]

I and my family have owned numerous GateWay computers, most of them do in fact suck, the entry level pcs are what most people are buying today, In order to get a decent machine you'll wind up paying 600usd at this date. Also, I thought emachines were made out of refirbished pc parts(correct me if I'm wrong.)

 

[captaincranky]

No.......

Just merely substandard. They're not actually refurbished until the substandard parts break and are replaced with new substandard parts. I think they have to tell you that an item is refurbished. I suppose that could be down rated to "supposed" to tell you. Or sometimes consider telling you. That's probably too harsh.

 

[LinkedKube]

Just merely substandard. They're not actually refurbished until the substandard parts break and are replaced with new substandard parts. I think they have to tell you that an item is refurbished. I suppose that could be down rated to "supposed" to tell you. Or sometimes consider telling you. That's probably too harsh.

LOL that's great to know.