Columnist: Lots to Like about Revamped eMac


Out of the iBook 14.1, PowerBook G4/17 and the 1.25GHz eMac, the Adelaide Advertiser's Chris Oaten finds the eMac "made the strongest impression."

Oaten put the eMac through its paces in GarageBand, and piled on 20 tracks before the eMac said "enough". Of course, as Oaten notes, the eMac was only loaded with a basic complement of 256MB RAM, so a little more should improve things.

The Advertiser review notes the eMac's 80GB hard drive and SuperDrive - all for $AUD1,599. Oaten argues it's such good value that one wonders about what's next for the iMac.

One item that Oaten criticises is the 17" CRT on the eMac. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but after the iMac's flat LCD and LCDs on PowerBooks, it's difficult to go back to CRTs.

And, of course, there's the bare-bones no-SuperDrive, no-modem eMac is available for education at $AUD1,299.

Oaten sees the eMac's value not only lying in the hardware, but also OS X and the iLife software bundle. You can also read his review of the iBook G4 and PowerBook G4/17 in the same column.