eMachines dual core (T4400) laptop $298 @ WalMart 2/28

[Meghan54]

It is extremely hard to compare mobile platforms. There are so many different configurations and options that it's hard to figure out just how much better one notebook is compared to another.

Geez...if you're confused about laptop configurations and how to compare them, I guess desktop configurations must be simply overwhelming for you.

 

[Meghan54]

ditto... mine is ddr3...

Yeah.....I think they simply made a mistake on WM's page in the specs for the machine. I do know on the eMachine spec page for this laptop, it shows this laptop can come with either DDR2 or DDR3 RAM.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Geez...if you're confused about laptop configurations and how to compare them, I guess desktop configurations must be simply overwhelming for you.

Desktops are easy. There are a thousand reviews for every piece of hardware and how well they work with different chipsets and video cards. It's much harder to find benchmarks of "July 2009 Mobile Processor, 4th grade combined with May 2009 Integrated graphics, 1st grade." Being that almost nobody offers a "build your own" notebook and a lot of manufacturers use proprietary parts, it gets tough.

 

[rsolomon]

Two places, both terribly hard to do, but can be done.

Sorry, I hadn't opened mine up yet (as the posting above my response to you indicated) so I was (as I stated) going off the online specs. I hadn't seen any online specs showing DDR3. I ran CPU-Z on mine as soon as I did open it and was going to reply to my own posting saying mine came with DDR3 as well - but you beat me to it I got Samsung both at the slower speed (I've since seen some folks say 1 fast/1 slow DIMM in theirs).

Richard

 

[Meghan54]

Yeah, I got two sticks of Hynix....I'm not impressed, but it works. And for $300....darn good deal provided you're willing to settle for what it is.

 

[qliveur]

Picked up one of these this morning before work. Still not sure whether I'll keep it. Do you think it's a worthwhile replacement for my current (old) Walmart Black Friday HP laptop?

1.6ghz Sempron 2800+
768MB RAM
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
40GB 4200RPM hard drive
Windows XP

I'd keep it. It's a huge upgrade over what you've got, and it's dirt cheap to boot. You're lucky to have snagged one.

 

[superHARD]

I picked one up today at WM, they had about 20 left at 10 this AM...wow this thing is FAST! Web pages and programs just open! I am very glad I got one

 

[Gunslinger08]

Anyone know of a way to install just Windows 7, without all of the junk? Does Microsoft offer an ISO somewhere?

 

[cubeless]

Anyone know of a way to install just Windows 7, without all of the junk? Does Microsoft offer an ISO somewhere?

you don't need to reinstall... just uninstall the things you don't want... and no, you can't get just get a disk from ms, but if someone has a oem copy of 7homepro you could try using it and put in the number on the botom of the pc... but it's probably not worth it... there's really not much crap on this pc and it all uninstalls fine... i got rid of everything but the basic pieces and installed office ultimate and chrome and the thing is great...

 

[russw]

you don't need to reinstall... just uninstall the things you don't want... and no, you can't get just get a disk from ms,

Did you use the Uninstall in Control Panel or use DeCrapifier?

There are iso's of win7 available for dl, use google, but of course you need to you need to activate with your own license. Isn't there also someplace in Win7 where you can upgrade to Pro or Ultimate that maintains your original options, programs, and such?

 

[Gunslinger08]

you don't need to reinstall... just uninstall the things you don't want... and no, you can't get just get a disk from ms, but if someone has a oem copy of 7homepro you could try using it and put in the number on the botom of the pc... but it's probably not worth it... there's really not much crap on this pc and it all uninstalls fine... i got rid of everything but the basic pieces and installed office ultimate and chrome and the thing is great...

Did that. I just always feel best with a completely fresh install that I did myself.

A couple of general performance questions:
1. Is it possible to tell the laptop how much memory to dedicate to the Intel GMA? Or does it figure it out on its own? Saw the disabled option in the BIOS.
2. Would a 7200 rpm drive make a big difference?
3. Would swapping the memory for faster stuff (ex. 1066) make a difference? Not sure what the chipset can handle on the FSB.

 

[funboy6942]

can you get rid of win 7 and run xp on this instead?

 

[qliveur]

^If there are XP drivers for it, then sure.

I agree that a fresh install is best. If 7 is like Vista, and I'm pretty sure that it is, then any installation disk will do, including upgrade disks. You could borrow one, for instance. Before installing, use this utility (the beta that supports Windows 7) and follow this guide. I just did it with Vista on a Toshiba laptop and it worked great. It's not a crack or any form of piracy. It uses the internal product key that the original installation used, which is different from the one printed on the sticker.

 

[Tristicus]

Really wish I had checked up on these now. Awesome deal apparently.

 

[JTsyo]

Picked one up today at Walmart in Rockaway, NJ. It was the last one they had out but the guy said there was more in the back. I'll give it a whirl tomorrow and see what needs to be done about the bloatware. Thanks for the heads up OP.

 

[Meghan54]

Did that. I just always feel best with a completely fresh install that I did myself.

A couple of general performance questions:
1. Is it possible to tell the laptop how much memory to dedicate to the Intel GMA? Or does it figure it out on its own? Saw the disabled option in the BIOS.
2. Would a 7200 rpm drive make a big difference?
3. Would swapping the memory for faster stuff (ex. 1066) make a difference? Not sure what the chipset can handle on the FSB.

1. No, seems to be a base dedicated 64MB which can dynamically adjust up to like 1.3GB as needed..all controlled by the driver, and isn't adjustable.

2. That'd be a good bet. Thinking about that myself.

3. The memory in it is DDR3-8500, which is 1066. Don't think putting in anything faster is going to do a thing for it as the BUS speed is locked.

Did you use the Uninstall in Control Panel or use DeCrapifier?

Don't know about anyone else, but there was so little junk on it, I just used uninstall via the control panel. Had almost all the crap off within 10 minutes.

can you get rid of win 7 and run xp on this instead?

There seem to be Win XP drivers for everything on eMachine's website, but not really sure. Didn't investigate it thoroughly due to everything in the house is now on Win 7....but there's a Win XP section in the drivers for this laptop.


To update the above: went to eMachine's site again and there does indeed seem to be a full complement of Win XP drivers for this laptop, 32-bit and 64-bit.

Go to this page:

http://www.emachines.com/support/drivers.html


Then, choose Notebook in first box, E series in the second box, 725 in the third. In the window that then opens, the drivers default to Vista 32, but you can pick from XP, Vista, or Win 7 drivers, all versions.

 

[balloonshark]

For those wanting to remove Norton Internet Security (either now or later), see here for the Norton Removal Tool. http://service1.symantec.com/suppor...5033108162039?OpenDocument&seg=hm&lg=en&ct=us

 

[midwestfisherman]

fuck dude use PM's, others think about it...

Someone piss in your cheerios?!

 

[alkemyst]

Someone piss in your cheerios?!

no not at all...however; there is a reason we have a PM system.

 

[superHARD]

no not at all...however; there is a reason we have a PM system.

Is yours busted?

The 2 posts I count from you, have not been on topic...

 

[alkemyst]

Is yours busted?

The 2 posts I count from you, have not been on topic...

Nice name change...still superLIMP though. you go girl.

On topic: It's a great deal for a laptop...eMachines have come a long way and many offer great value.

No they don't overclock, no they don't have Pikachu etched in lexan with neato blue fans, and no they don't have top end components.

For their price they are great values for those that can't quite afford a Dell/HP/etc.

 

[Blazer]

the only crapware/trialware on the one i picked up was Norton internet security, wild tangent and Office 2007, before Nrt was even able to configure i used the control panel to uninstall and then norton removal tool, uninstall the rest and use crap cleaner, also removed the startup items not needed, really quick laptop for little money.

 

[onza]

I should go buy one now... dam lol

EDIT- When is the price good till???? I see a TON in stock in my area.

 

[cubeless]

Did that. I just always feel best with a completely fresh install that I did myself.

A couple of general performance questions:
1. Is it possible to tell the laptop how much memory to dedicate to the Intel GMA? Or does it figure it out on its own? Saw the disabled option in the BIOS.
2. Would a 7200 rpm drive make a big difference?
3. Would swapping the memory for faster stuff (ex. 1066) make a difference? Not sure what the chipset can handle on the FSB.

what are you going to use this for? folding? it'll probably melt...

if you want a substantially faster machine, buy a different box... a 7200 drive will probably make the battery life worse, and different memory won't make any noticeable difference in this thing's goal in life...

just checked... this thing won't do more than 400 on the memory...

 

[rickon66]

It looks like Newegg has this same laptop under the Acer name as a "hot" buy for only $399.99. Specs out the same and looks identical as far as I can tell from the pics.