Entered CNET Catalog: 08/27/2004
SKU: 0764296108962
Manufacturer: eMachines
Manufacturer description
Are you ready for pure excitement? The T2958 is a unique fusion of power, performance and style, and was built to satisfy even the most die-hard PC enthusiast. You'll be able to create spreadsheets and reports, e-mail, watch your favorite DVDs, burn CDs, play PC games and much more. Plus, the T2958 is value-priced, so you'll pay less money for a whole lot more fun. The excitement starts now - with the T2958.Product summary
The good: 512MB of memory provides base for acceptable performance; dual optical drives; eight-in-one media-card reader.
The bad: Lack of an AGP slot puts a lid on future upgrades; slow, 5,400rpm hard drive; bundled mouse isn't optical; system isn't customizable until after purchase; stripped-down software bundle will leave you looking for more.
The bottom line: We wouldn't suggest spending less than $500 for a PC. If you can spend a little bit more, you'll find that the eMachines T2958 provides just enough for basic computing demands.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 09/15/2004
eMachines desktops all feature the same stylish black case and silver front panel. Indeed, the only noticeable difference in appearance between the T2824 and the T2958 is the latter's second optical drive. Instead of a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive, the T2958 comes equipped with a 48X CD-RW drive and a separate 16X DVD-ROM drive, which allows you to perform direct disc-to-disc burning, saving you the extra step of moving the data to be copied to your hard drive first. Like all of the new T-series models, the T2958 has no floppy drive, a sacrifice we'd gladly make for the eight-in-one media-card reader. A sliding cover at the bottom of the front panel hides a microphone jack and a headphones jack within easy reach.
The back of the T2958 has the standard keyboard, mouse, parallel, serial, 10/100 Ethernet, and sound connectors, plus four more USB 2.0 ports. A modem card installed in one of the three PCI slots leaves two available for expansion. The lack of an AGP slot, however, means that you'll need to rely on the barely adequate Intel Extreme Graphics chip for graphics processing.
The case has three cooling fans: one on the power supply, one on the back of the case, and one on the 2.66GHz Celeron D 330 processor. Two of the three internal 3.5-inch drive bays are open, while the third houses an 80GB hard drive. For the budget class, the hard drive provides above-average capacity, but its 5,400rpm rotational speed lags behind that of standard 7,200rpm drives.
A slightly faster processor is always welcome, but what really separates the T2958 and the T2824 in terms of performance is the amount of memory each has. The low-end T2824 is really hampered by its meager 256MB of memory, whereas the T2958 hums along comfortably with its 512MB allotment. With a 32 percent edge in application performance, however, the T2958 trounces the T2824 in day-to-day use. Of course, 3D performance is abysmal for both systems because they rely on an integrated graphics chip that's more than two years old.
The eMachines T2958's typical keyboard has speaker volume, mute, and Internet keys, and it's accompanied by a straightforward ball mouse with a scrollwheel. The monitor is not included in the base unit price, but we were provided with a $109 (after $100 mail-in rebate) 17-inch flat-screen CRT display. The monitor delivered adequate image quality at a resolution of 1,024x768, but the image quality diminished noticeably at higher settings.
The unremarkable software bundle gives you Microsoft Works (but not Microsoft Word) and Microsoft Money, plus CyberLink (so you can watch movies), and a utility called BigFix that helps you manage software patches and system updates.
Printed documentation is skimpy and does not cover this particular configuration in detailed specifics. A knowledgeable user won't need it, but it should help novices get the cables connected correctly. The included recovery CD provides directions on how to use it to restore your system. eMachines has a helpful Web site with downloads for this specific model, along with useful reference information. In addition to a one-year parts-and-labor warranty, support includes access to help through a toll call (6 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT daily), e-mail, and online chat.
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Unreal Tournament 2003 Flyby-Antalus 1,024x768 |
System configurations
Dell Dimension 2400
Windows XP Home; 2.66GHz Intel P4; Intel 845G chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; 64MB (shared memory) integrated Intel 845G; Seagate ST3120026A 120GB 7,200rpm
eMachines T2824
Windows XP Home; 2.53GHz Intel Celeron D 325; Intel 845G chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; 64MB (shared memory) integrated Intel 845G; Seagate ST34001SA 40GB 5,400rpm
eMachines T2958
Windows XP Home; 2.66GHz Intel Celeron D 330; Intel 845G chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; 64MB (shared memory) integrated Intel 845G; WDC WD800EB-11JEFO 80GB 5,400rpm
eMachines T3092
Windows XP Home; 2.17GHz AMD Athlon XP 3000+; Nvidia Nforce-2 chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; 64MB (shared memory) integrated GeForce4 MX; Hitachi HDS722516VLAT20 160GB 7,200rpm
Systemax Ascent 64
Windows XP Home; 2.0GHz AMD Athlon 64 3000+; Via K8T800 chipset; 256MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; 64MB ATI Radeon 7000; Samsung SP1203N 120GB 7,200rpm
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5out of 5 user reviews
Fine system
Pros: easy to upgrade, rugged
Cons: limited upgrade in memory
Over the past two years I have been able to upgrade as needed. I have installed a DVD record-able and IEEE 1394 card and several other devices and all installed without a hitch.
For how much I use the system for handling large photo files I am very pleased.
This is how computers should be made, easy to use and rugged.
out of 5 user reviews
Designed for people with small pockets
Pros: Great price, good amount of RAM, acceptable Hard Drive size (slightly slow RPM) good for non-geeks,& people who want a basic computer
Cons: Slow RPM on Hard drive, not much space to expand, awful speakers, poor quality DVD, and CDRW drives.
out of 5 user reviews
Amazingly Adequate
Pros: Price Two optical drives multimedia bank Complete system for $450 after rebates.
Cons: None. I bought it for the basics and that's what it does very, very well.
out of 5 user reviews
Quality Stinks-2 units, neither worked
Pros: Lots of features and good price.
Cons: Quality is horrendous. The DVD nor the CD player worked on the first unit so I exchanged it. The replacement unit didn't even boot up. I gotmy money back.
out of 5 user reviews
For home/office use. Needs better speakers
Pros: Easy setup. Adequate speed for home/office use.
Cons: Needs better speakers.
