The eMac has been one of the
most affordable Macs in history. While the Mac mini is considerably cheaper, those who
don't have a spare USB mouse and keyboard and monitor sitting
around can end up with quite a costly computer.
For those of us who still want an all-in-one Mac or already have
an eMac they don't quite yet want to part with, this little white
wonder is perfect.
While they are both equally hard to open, the eMac can be
upgraded for less than the Mac mini, which uses 2.5" laptop hard
drives as opposed to the more common 3.5" hard drives.
The question remains: How can one upgrade the eMac?
Memory
Always the easiest way to make any Mac faster and more capable
is by adding memory. The current eMac only comes with a measly 256
MB of PC2700 333 MHz DDR SDRAM. This is enough to run a few
applications at a time without a problem or slowdown.
I recommend at least 512 MB, and adding anything over another
512 MB will further improve the experience. 768 MB or even more
will improve startup time, application launching, and overall
speed.
Installing memory is
very easy. All you need to do is unscrew the user access door at
the bottom of the computer and insert the stick of RAM. (I'd
provide pictures of my recent memory upgrade had I not recently
dropped my Canon SD10.)
There are only two slots for memory in the eMac, and the stock
256 MB module occupies one. Two 512 MB sticks used place to achieve
one gig. The stock stick can still get some pretty good money on
eBay if you remove it.
Current memory prices, according to ramseeker, are US$34-55 for 256 MB,
US$66-99 for 512 MB, and US$132-235 for 1 GB modules (the current
eMac supports 1 GB modules; earlier eMacs only support 512 MB and
smaller modules).
Hard Drive
Depending on the model you bought, your eMac has either a 40 GB
or 80 GB 5400 rpm hard drive. Most people who do any sort of movie
editing or have large music collections need more than this.
Most hard drives on the market today spin at 7200 rpm and have
an 8 MB cache. A drive such as this inside your computer can
significantly increase performance
Installing a hard drive in an eMac isn't easy. Dan Knight has
talked about taking pictures of
the hard drive install in his second eMac. If I ever get around to
getting my camera fixed and finally installing my (currently
external) 250 GB drive in the eMac, I'll take pictures.
In the meantime, the Apple Take Apart guide for first generation
eMacs and for second and third generation eMacs are very
helpful.
Current prices are about 50 cents per gigabyte, if you can find
a decent deal. And, of course, the bigger the drive the better.
Dual Monitors
Dual monitors on an eMac? Is this possible? Yes! Using a common
Apple VGA display adapter, which can be had for under US$10 on
eBay or
$19 from
The Apple Store - be sure to pick the right
one for your model - and the Screen Spanning
Doctor you can stretch your screen to the VGA monitor of your
choice (second- and third-generation eMacs only - not compatible
with original eMac).
The adapter plugs into the port used for screen mirroring on the
eMac, but with this invaluable - and free - little program, you can
use a second monitors with screen spanning on the eMac.
In the end, it's important to remember that there's a certain
aspect of danger when performing do-it-yourself upgrades. Always
remember to take care, especially when working around the CRT
inside the computer. It's important to keep yourself and your
computer safe.
As far as more information goes, the Apple
eMac Upgrade Guide is a great resource for information and
pictures showing how to upgrade your eMac. Now get out there and
make the most of your low-end Mac. 
