Apple eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive)

by Apple

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 21 x 21 x 22.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 63.4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009LIG6
• Item model number: M8951LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,401 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 6, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

series of desktop computers meshes well with situations where space is at a premium and the user is not necessarily a computing expert. It is therefore a particularly good fit in the elementary or high school classroom. In fact, Apple has designed the system with this purpose in mind. Heading the eMac roster is the eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A, a sensibly designed yet capable unit that's ready for the unique conditions of a multi-user educational environment.

Driven by a fast 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 256 MB of SDRAM (expandable to one full GB), and an ATI Radeon 7500 graphics chipset with 32 MB of dedicated DDR SDRAM memory, the eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A easily handles most any standard computer application. Surprisingly, Apple has managed to equip the system with a generous 17-inch flat CRT display screen while adhering to the space-efficient exterior dimensions of its popular 15-inch-CRT-based iMac. For the typically small confines of a student's desk, few PCs can match the eMac's combination of power and convenience.

The eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A features a variety of data handling options, including a large 80 GB hard drive for file and data storage, a DVD-R/CD-RW combination "SuperDrive" through which the user may burn audio and archival CDs and write one time to DVD, and a pair of high-speed FireWire 400 ports and five traditional USB 1.1 ports for data links with peripheral devices such as scanners and digital cameras.

E-communication facilities include a standard 56K modem, a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet port and an 802.11 wireless connection (with the addition of Apple's AirPort Extreme card). Prospective buyers should note that the eMac supports the operation of Mac OS 9 in Classic mode and integrates with most existing printers and scanners. Bundled software includes Mac OS X, World Book 2003, Quicken 2003 Deluxe, and a broad range of powerful multimedia utilities.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the Macintosh line of computers, July 11, 2003

By 

Guy B. Serle "Mac Afficiado" (Alexandria, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

Here is a computer that truly empowers the user to be part of the digital revolution. The best part? Someone else did all the hard work. Apple, in one fell swoop, gives you the power to create your own CDs, DVDs, manage MP3s, make movies, and more. They also give you the software to do all these things free! The iLife package (iMovie 3, iTunes 4, iPhoto 3, and if you get the DVD burner iDVD) is an amazing software suite that is as easy to use as only Apple could make it. To be fair, all of these things are possible on a PC as well, but not out of the box and not without some fairly intense software/hardware juggling. For an operating system, Apple gives you the latest version of OS X (10.2.6), the Unix based, darn near crash proof OS that Microsoft can only still dream about. For office productivity, you get AppleWorks (Admittedly, Microsoft Office X is much better, so take advantage of the deep discount for it when you buy this machine. It too is an amazing product <doubly so for coming from Microsoft> with many features not available for the PC version). You also get 30 days free of Earthlink's online service. There are some trade-offs for this machine. Apple does not supply enough RAM for it. Get a minimum of another 256 megs (though 512 more would be better) and as of yet, there are no upgrade paths available. Some enterprising company will eventually come up with something (they always do!). If movies are one of the reasons you buy this machine, another piece of hardware may be needed. If you have a digital camcorder with iLink/firewire, then you're good to go! If you have an older camcorder or lots of footage on VHS, you may need (again depending on your digital camcorder as some allow analog pass though)an analog to digital converter. Sony makes a good one as does Dazzle. I personally use the Dazzle DV bridge and have been very happy with it. Also spend a little more at the altar of Apple and download QuickTime Pro for ... It's a great companion piece to iMovie. For iMovie tricks, get the excellent book by Erica Sadun called iMovie 2 Solutions (Her new book, "iMovie solutions 3" is now out as well) also available at Amazon. I would recommend the eMac over the near feature for feature identical iMac for a couple of reasons. Number one with a bullet is that the eMac is roughly 200-400 dollars cheaper. Also, MacWorld recently tested the two machines side by side and the eMac was slightly faster in most functions even though they both use the same processor. Both machines take up about the same amount of desk space, so don't think the iMac is going to help you there. Unless you absolutely must have an LCD monitor and a computer that looks more like a desklamp, take the cash savings and choose the eMac. If more power is needed, choose the dual G4 tower or wait a while and grab one of the drool worthy G5 towers when they come out. Be prepared to spend a lot more than this all-in-one eMac solution though.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Power, Beauty and Quality, August 4, 2003

By 

zugzwang - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apple eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

The first Macintosh that I bought was the Mac SE. I have continued to buy the all-in-one type of macs ever since.

My last mac was a Power Mac 5400/180 which I updated with a Sonnet G3 card, a FireWire card, etc. After reaching the limits of that box (it wouldn't operate broadband cable properly) I decided to bite the bullet and move into the OS X world. Am I glad I did!

When Apple announced the upgraded eMacs with 1 GHz G4 chip, I waited on and considered the G5 but decided those were too pricey, so I ordered an eMac from Amazon.

The eMac is truly a work of art to behold. Setup was pure simplicity. The eMac, coupled with OS X 10.2.6 exudes a feeling of power and elegance. The 21st century Aqua appearance and graphics processed through Quartz Extreme and the ATI Radeon 7500 video card are fast and make the dated OS 9 desktop look cartoonish in comparison. The large 17 inch, flat screen is a vast improvement from my old powermac and I don't regret not getting an iMac with the LCD panel.

I've been running the computer for over a month and while several programs have crashed during that time, I have yet to experience a single system crash. OS X truly is a rock-solid operating system. Freezes are a thing of the past, thank goodness. The fact that most of my old OS 9 programs worked just fine (and faster!) in Classic mode meant I didn't have to shell out a lot of money right away on software upgrades. Certain older games didn't seem to be as compatible, though that is no big loss.

iTunes 4.0.1 gives me access to the Apple Music Store and I have already bought many tracks to play on my iPod at a reasonable price. Watching DVDs through the SuperDrive is a joy because of the beautiful high-resolution screen and wonderful sound, especially when listening through headphones. The iDVD application has simple and straightforward controls.

Surfing the internet is no longer the world-wide-wait. Coupled with broadband cable running at 2.5 mbit/sec and the Safari browser, using the internet is a pleasure. Moving from page to page is practically instantaneous. I found Microsoft IE to be buggy under OS X. Safari 1.0, while not yet fully featured, is a promising browser - it's snappier, has great features, and the smooth, beautifully rendered page display is easy on the eyes.

Some enhancements I would request from Apple are: a 120GB hard drive, USB 2.0 ports, one more FireWire port, and make the SuperDrive able to read 3-inch CD media.

I could go on and on singing the praises of this eMac. Apple has truly outdone itself with a fine piece of technology that has been meticulously crafted in every detail. I am quite pleased with this purchase.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic for it's age..., March 15, 2007

By 

W. Schneider - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple eMac Desktop 17" M8951LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

I've had this computer -- that I'm typing on right now -- since October of 2003, which makes this computer almost 3 and a half years old!! It is still able to perform all the functions I require of it and more. I've been able to do everything from simple MS Word processing and chatting to playing Unreal 2004 online without any noticeable slowdown. The only recommendation I have for owners of this computer that wish to keep up is to upgrade the RAM to 1 GB of SDRAM. If you enjoy every aspect of computing -- gaming, web design, composing (garage band is amazing on the eMac), making movies, and such -- then the RAM upgrade is a must. The CRT is quite good, but it's not an LCD. Don't expect super-dooper HD quality video and pictures.

Enjoy this value computer.