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Scooterboy · Sep 19, 2003, 11:28 PM

New Mac? I bought Refurbished! This will be my first desktop Mac since the iMac 450 DV I used a couple of years ago. I was searching on Ebay, but the Apple Store Online Refurbished eMac at $649 was too good to pass up. I've never considered buying refurbished before. Some used iMac G3's on eBay are fetching nearly this much, without the refurb's 1 year warranty and AppleCare option. I hope I made the right choice and the condition of this computer will be fine. Now I only have to wait the 5 or so business days for the free shipping.

BrunoBruin · Sep 20, 2003, 08:07 AM

Every time you use your eMac, you will thank yourself for not buying a G3. Apart from the fact that iMac prices on eBay are absurdly high, the eMac will run modern apps and OS X better thanks to its G4, it has a big spacious display, and it has a graphics card that supports Quartz Extreme.

Buying refurb from Apple, you really can't go wrong. You've got a one-year warranty, and as you say, you can add AppleCare.

slider · Sep 20, 2003, 08:54 AM

Yeah, I noticed that the used eMacs are very high on ebay. I was really surprised to see that, even what some 1st gen. iMacs were fetching.

Scooterboy · Sep 21, 2003, 04:47 PM

How tough are these eMacs? I wanted something that can stand up to as much abuse as the old iMac G3.

rcitrin · Sep 21, 2003, 05:23 PM

Me too!!

I opted for the $599 one though, the only difference that I could see is the modem. It should be here on thursday, I am very excited!!

You know, I had $2200 all ready to pick up one of those new 15" Powerbook jobbies, but realized; there is really nothing that I can do on it that can't be done on an emac.

I used to work for Apple, and would do all manner of high end things, but these days I am getting a doctorate in history, and find myself using little more than e-mail, and the web.

Enjoy your eMac, they really are lovely, simple, elegant machines.

PHoynak · Sep 22, 2003, 12:11 AM

For $599 it cannot be beat. I hope to get my kids one so they can stay off of mine! My wife does not see the "need" for another computer (I have 4). Hopefully I will convince her someday soon so I can toss my kids PC I gave them to ruin.

Luca Rescigno · Sep 22, 2003, 12:40 AM

I got an eMac just last week for $960 from the Apple Store for Education. That includes the tilt/swivel stand AND sales tax. Pretty sweet deal, I think. It's the 1 GHz Combo version.

This thing looks very sturdy. I'm sure it'll take a beating without complaint. Not that I will actually do anything other than baby this thing! It's much cooler looking in person than in the pictures. The only flimsy part on the whole machine is the optical drive door, which always feels like it's about ready to fall off whenever I touch it. The screen has a thick layer of glass protection on it, the case is held together by large brushed steel screws, and the tilt/swivel stand is very smooth and sturdy. Also, the speaker grilles came pre-installed, I didn't have to put them in myself. Not that it matters, I never use the built-in speakers anyway.

The display is very nice and surprisingly usable at 1280x960 even though the refresh is only 72 Hz. 1152x854 @ 80 Hz or 1024x768 @ 89 Hz might be better for those of you who are more bothered by low refresh rates than me. But I love the huge increase in screen area over my 12" iBook. It's cool to open a 1024x768 image and see it take up only about 70% of the screen!

Scooterboy · Sep 22, 2003, 12:38 PM

The Apple Store said I'd recieve my eMac within 2-5 business days after the first business day of my order. I ordered on Saturday, so I figured some time mid-week, maybe Friday at the latest.

So here I am at the house at noon on Monday and a Forward Air van stops in front of the house (I'm in Minneapolis, MN). My eMac has arrived, via Apple Store free shipping, only 48 hours from order! This is too cool! I'll unpack it later this afternoon, and set it up.

This eMac is intended to go into my business for public use, but it sure is tempting to keep it at the house!

rcitrin · Sep 22, 2003, 01:06 PM

Congratulations!!!

I ordered mine on Thursday, and have yet to receive it. Fedex shows that I should get it on thursday. Let us know how you enjoy your baby; although these may not be new systems, the wonder of opening a new mac is truly age-less.

By the way, could you let me know what keyboard you get with yours, whether the newer 'small' one or the typical Apple extended...

Enjoy!!

Scooterboy · Sep 22, 2003, 05:29 PM

It's the Apple extended keyboard, with the USB ports in the back and centered. Full sized, full featured, very nice. Apple Pro Mouse (single button I prefer, not for me but for the computer newbies that will be using it. This computer looks brand new. The eMac looks so much nicer in person. It's crystal white like the 2000-2002 iBooks.

I'm just now setting it up, running Software Updates, setting up user accounts, etc. I know it's not state of the art or anything but what a computer for the price! The design is austere but elegant. The flat CRT screen is beautiful. Oh, and it's heavy and looks like it's built tough as nails. It's for business, but I'm going to try out Jedi Knight 2 on it, just to test out the graphics card, he he.

rcitrin · Sep 23, 2003, 06:40 AM

Great!

I am glad that you like it, I am still waiting for mine.

Let me know how Jedi Knight runs on it...don't forget-plenty of RAM!!

R.

Scooterboy · Sep 23, 2003, 05:22 PM

Jedi Knight II runs great! I didn't know what I was missing. I played online dual with everything but the resolution maxed. Res was at 1024x768 and then 1152x864. Everything was clear, bright, lighting and shadows were amazing (I've only played the game before on my iBook), and movement was smooth until I bumped up the resolution. It was only a little jerky then, but this could be due also to the paltry 128 MB RAM that the eMac shipped with.

I picked up an Airport Extreme Card for it last night at the Apple Store, and a Kensington cable lock. I'll be ordering 512 MB RAM this week, and then the eMac will be ready for the public.

rcitrin · Sep 23, 2003, 09:15 PM

Great to hear about the game!!

So, your's is the one with airport extreme, I was wondering why the modem was worth $50 extra. Mine, I think, only has the old airport, and the Geforce 2 mx--this means that Jedi Knight will not run so well...

Scooterboy · Sep 24, 2003, 01:51 AM

I'm running JK II dedicated server on it tonight. It's "Duel_Ceremonial", not pure server. Login and let me know how it performs.

Games are all done on Friday, when I install the eMac in the business, unless I run JKII dedicated server at night when no one is using the LAN .

rcitrin · Sep 24, 2003, 06:45 AM

I would have, but unlike you, my free shipping seems to be indeed taking the entire 5 days; I don't have it yet.

Fedex says that I should have it tomorrow, let me know after that if you feel like taking a break.

R.