Hey everyone, I'm new here and I'm thinking of converting to a mac. I've been ... browsing the e macs and I really can't decide on one. I really want one that's upgradable to 2g's of ram and I want one that has 2.0 usb ports. I just had a few questions about the computer itself if i get an emac that has 1.1 usb ports can I upgrade them to 2.0? Is it easy to upgrade the hard drive and ram?
I hope I'll get in quick before the detractors have their say ;D. I
love eMacs, but I do so with open eyes. They have their issues, the most notable of which is the capacitor failure. To combat that I'd urge you to look for the last model of eMac, the 1.42 GHz one. They did not have the capacitor problem. They're out there, just keep looking.
To get USB2, you'll need the April 2004 or later model. No, you cannot upgrade USB1 to USB2 on an earlier eMac.
You can go to a 500, even a 750 Gb (you want more???) hard drive inside an eMac. Maximum RAM is 2 Gb in the USB2 eMacs, even though Apple says 1 Gb.
Next: for all the possibilities of upgrading an eMac, and all their specs, look at any one of these links (in order of preference): 1) Lowend Mac
Low End Mac: The Mac Experience, 2) EveryMac
Mac Specs, Prices, Answers, & More @ EveryMac.com - Established 1996. Then download Mactracker
Mactracker - a mine of information about every Mac ever made.
Easy? No-one I know of has ever described working on an eMac as "easy". Replacing RAM, or a battery, is simple, but beyond that you'll need guidance and manuals. There's a lot of stuff crammed inside an eMac. If I can help you with resources, PM me.