eMachines EZ1601-01
Manufacturer: eMachines Inc. Part number: EZ160101
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- If you must buy a Nettop, the eMachines EZ1601-01's large screen and category-competitive components make a decent argument for its value among other systems like it. One look at a true budget desktop, or even a Netbook, and the appeal of this system diminishes quickly.
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CNET editors' review
eMachines EZ1601-01 price range: $392.72 - $409.99
- Reviewed by: Rich Brown
- Reviewed on: 08/17/2009
- Released on: 08/13/2009
The good: Large screen for its price; strong features among Nettops.
The bad: Typically terrible Nettop performance; Netbooks offer portability and the same (bad) performance for the same price; weak audio and suspect online video processing kills any appeal as a dedicated movie PC.
The bottom line: If you must buy a Nettop, the eMachines EZ1601-01's large screen and category-competitive components make a decent argument for its value among other systems like it. One look at a true budget desktop, or even a Netbook, and the appeal of this system diminishes quickly.
Declaring the eMachines EZ1601-01 the best all-in-one Nettop we've seen is kind of like saying swine flu is our favorite vaccination-resistant virus. We haven't been shy about our distaste for this entire Nettop product category, and while eMachines has wrapped this system around an uncommonly large display for its $399 price, we still find that either a Netbook or a true budget desktop is a better way to spend your computing dollar. eMachines and other purveyors of Nettops want you to believe these PCs are appropriate, as nigh-disposable second or third computers. We agree, but only if you truly value short-term dollar savings over long-term usefulness.
The eMachines EZ1601-01 is a fairly unobtrusive, compact all-in-one system. Its glossy all-black exterior is easy-enough on the eyes, and at only 19 inches wide by 13 inches tall, you should have little trouble finding a place for it. Both the mouse and keyboard are wired peripherals, and a moderately sized power brick may need hiding, but at least the 802.11 b/g wireless networking will spare you from having to run a network cable through your kitchen.
The EZ1601-01 has quite a bit in common with the Asus Eee Top ET1602, its primary Nettop competitor, but we're going to focus first on the differences between the two. The Asus system shipped earlier this year for $599, but its price has settled to about $499. The eMachines is $100 less than even the Asus' discounted price, coming in at $399.
You don't get a touch screen with the eMachines as with the Asus, although we're not too upset about the loss. We can see the appeal of touch-based input in a kitchen where you might want a PC to serve up recipes and digital media kiosk-style, or elsewhere as a kind of family organizer. Generally, though, touch offers relatively few benefits, mostly because of a lack of decent touch programs. We'll happily sacrifice touch for a lower price, a larger screen, or--as with this eMachines--both.
The eMachines EZ1601-01 boasts a much larger screen than the Asus system, to the tune of an 18.5-inch wide-screen display versus the Asus' 15.6-inch LCD. Despite the size difference, each display actually has the same 1,366x768-pixel resolution. That means the eMachines won't show any more information than the Asus, but it will appear larger, making text easier to read, for example. If you have poor eyesight, or you anticipate reading the screen from a distance, the eMachines larger display makes sense.
Finally, the EZ1601-01 has a DVD player, while the Asus all-in-one has no optical drive. In theory, we can see using this system as a small-scale home entertainment PC. We found the DVD video quality met our expectations, although online video from Hulu.com, even the standard definition content, was choppy and grainy at times. The larger issue is the audio output. It's far too soft even at the maximum volume setting, to the point where dialogue could be inaudible. The weak audio effectively ruins the movie watching experience, hurting one of this system's possible selling points.
| eMachines EZ1601-01 | Asus Eee Top ET1602 | |
| Price | $399 | $499 |
| CPU | 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 | 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 |
| Memory | 1GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM | 1GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM |
| Graphics | 128MB (shared) Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip | 128MB (shared) Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip |
| Hard drives | 160GB, 5,400rpm | 160GB, 5,400rpm |
| Optical drive | dual-layer DVD | NA |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n wireless |
| Display size | 18.5-inches | 15.6-inches |
| Operating system | Windows XP Home SP3 | Windows XP Home SP3 |
The similarities between the eMachines and the Asus systems come under their respective hoods. The two have the same core components, as well as the same tiny 160GB hard drive. Given the Asus' higher price tag, even discounting touch input, eMachines clearly has the better deal when you sum up its components, its large screen, and its optical drive. Of course, you can also buy a standard desktop for the same price that's twice as fast. You can also save up an extra $100 for a system that's almost 10 times as fast. Our benchmarks tell the whole story.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
| Rendering multiple CPUs | Rendering single CPU |
Our tests illustrate our biggest disconnect with the Nettop category. Next to traditional $399 and $499 desktops, as well as a $599 all-in-one from Averatec with a full-fledged desktop CPU, the Atom-based eMachines and Asus Nettops look just plain pathetic in trying to perform actual computing work. We agree that not everyone needs a fast computer. However, we'd submit that a Netbook, like HP's $499 Mini 5101 or Asus' $375 Eee PC 1005HA, offers a better deal with identical (if not faster) performance than a Nettop, as well as portability for the same price.
As it's both a budget desktop and an all-in-one, we don't expect much from the EZ1601-01 in the way of an upgrade path or general connectivity. eMachines provides no obvious means to access the case internals, so making memory, hard drive, or more ambitious upgrades is left to the truly dedicated. The external connection options offer only the basic, with only five USB 2.0 ports, an SD Card reader, and a pair of analog audio jacks. There's no Webcam on the EZ1601-01, and the only extra touch is a pair of buttons for controlling screen brightness.
| eMachines EZ1601-01 | Average watts per hour | ||
| Off | 0.24 | ||
| Sleep | 0.73 | ||
| Idle | 11.21 | ||
| Load | 33.01 | ||
| Raw (annual kWh) | 50.3043 | ||
| Energy Star compliant | Yes | ||
| Annual energy cost | $5.71 | ||
While we hope we've made it clear that we hold Nettops in low regard, we are at least glad to see their power consumption is in keeping with their low performance. The eMachines EZ1601-01 has the lowest annual power cost of any PC we've tested so far, which is impressive considering it comes with a built-in display.
Finally, if you're still intent on purchasing a Nettop and the eMachines feature and value advantages over the Asus system haven't already swayed you, perhaps its customer service will. The two vendors share a one-year parts and labor warranty, but unlike Asus, eMachines offers 24-7 toll-free tech support, and has an easy-to-navigate support Web site with useful features.
Find out more about how we test desktop systems.
System configurations:
Asus Eee Top ET1602
Windows XP Home SP3; 1.6Ghz Intel Atom N270; 1GB DDR2 SDRAM; 32MB (shared) Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip; 80GB, 5,400rpm Seagate hard drive
Averatec D1113 All-in-One
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (32-bit); 1.5GHz AMD Athlon X2 3250e; 2GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 512MB ATI Radeon HD 3200; 250GB 5,400 rpm Samsung hard drive
eMachines ET1810-03
32-bit Windows Vista Home Premium; 2.2GHz Intel Pentium Core 2 Duo E2210; 3GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 256MB (shared) Nvidia nForce 620i integrated graphics chip; 320GB, 7,200rpm hard drive
Windows XP Home Edition SP3; 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270; 1GB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 128MB (shared) Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip; 160GB 5,400 rpm Western Digital hard drive; Gateway SX2800-01
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.3GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200; 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 32MB (shared) Intel GMA X4500 integrated graphics chip; 640GB 7,200rpm hard drive
User reviews
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Easy to setup and "fast"
by eugenevdmeer on October 3, 2009
Pros: It works straight out of the box, easy to setup and XP Home doesn't take too many resources. Even AutoCAD runs well on it!
No noice of fans or disks, very nice!!Cons: It is difficult but not impossible to add 1Gb of extra RAM, just need to figure out how to open the machine.
No dount the disk space is limited but I have added 2Gb mem. stick and will replace this one with a bigger one.Summary: This machine is working well for me. I haven't reached the limits of it but no doubt will do so because of the 1Gb only RAM. Setting up was ...
Summary: This machine is working well for me. I haven't reached the limits of it but no doubt will do so because of the 1Gb only RAM. Setting up was a typical ACER affair, took a bit of time and sadly you get a lot of nonsense software. I removed all of this and instead of the wired keyboard and mouse I use a Logitech wireless mouse and keyboard, works really well!
I will put it through its paces with AutoCAD LT2009, and will see where the limits are. As I stated in the "cons" section, some extra RAM would be usefull and I am looking into opening up the machine, not yet there but will get there. Maybe someone has succeded already...:-)?
For the OS, I am happy with the XP home edition, a bit of a change from Vista but it works well and feels responsive. I am not going to experiment with Vista or Windows 7.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: eMachines Inc.
- Part number: EZ160101
- Description: The technological marvel of the eMachines EZ series all-in-one desktop includes an Intel Atom processor and a gorgeous 18.5" LCD. The EZ series, which boasts a stylish, space-saving design, fuels your creativity and productivity with its rich graphics performance and digital media features. With the EZ all-in-one, everything you need to create, organize, transfer and share your photos, videos, music and files is all in one place. Easy!
General
- Type Personal computer
- Product Form Factor All-in-one
- Built-in Devices Keyboard, LED panel
- Width 19.1 in
- Depth 2.2 in
- Height 15 in
- Weight 9 lbs
- Desktop type Budget desktop system, All-in-one desktop system, Monitor included
Processor
- Type Intel Atom N270 / 1.6 GHz
- Installed Qty 1
- Max processors supported 1
Cache Memory
- Type L2 cache
- Installed Size 512 KB
Mainboard
- Chipset type Intel 945GSE Express
RAM
- Installed Size 1 GB
- Technology DDR2 SDRAM
- Configuration Features 1 x 1 GB
Storage Controller
- Type Serial ATA - Integrated
Storage
- Hard Drive 1 x 160 GB - Standard - Serial ATA-150
- Hard Drive (2nd) None
- Hard Drive (3rd) None
Optical Storage
- Type DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
- CD / DVD read speed 48x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- CD / DVD write speed 48x (CD) / 8x (DVD) / 12x (DVD-RAM) / 8x (DVD Double layer)
Optical Storage (2nd)
- Type None
Storage Removable
- Type None
Monitor
- Monitor Type LCD display - TFT active matrix
- Diagonal Size 18.5 in
- Max Resolution 1366 x 768
- Widescreen Display Yes
- Response Time 5 ms
- Image Brightness 250 cd/m2
- Image Contrast Ratio 1000:1
Graphics Controller
- Type Integrated
- Graphics Processor / Vendor Intel GMA 950 Dynamic Video Memory Technology 3.0
Audio Output
- Type Sound card - Integrated
- Sound card name Intel High-Defintion Audio
- Audio output compliant standards High Definition Audio
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right / left channel
Keyboard
- Keyboard interface PS/2
Input Device
- Type Mouse, Keyboard
Mouse
- Mouse technology Optical
- Mouse interface PS/2
Telecom
- Modem None
Audio Input
- Type None
Networking
- Networking Network adapter
- Wireless LAN Supported Yes
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet
- Compliant Standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) 1 ( 0 ) x Processor, 1 ( 0 ) x Memory
- Interfaces 5 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A ( 2 front, 3 rear ), 1 x Keyboard - Generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style), 1 x Mouse - Generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style), 2 x Microphone - Input - Mini-phone 3.5 mm, 2 x Audio - Line-out/headphones - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45
Printer
- Type None
Miscellaneous
- Features 802.11b/g Wireless LAN
Power
- Power device type Power supply
Operating System / Software
- OS Provided Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- Software Adobe Reader, Google Desktop, Google Toolbar, Adobe Flash Player, CyberLink Power2Go, Microsoft Works 9.0, Norton Internet Security 2009 (60 days subscription), Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (60 days trial)
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
Card Reader
- Card reader Card reader
- Supported flash memory cards Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, Memory Stick Pro
Accessories
- Logitech G19 (33485079)175.67 - 199.99
- Saitek Cyborg Keyboard keyboard (33073269)59.84 - 81.54
- Logitech Cordless Desktop EX 100 (31205065)55.00
- General Electric Wireless Office Keyboard keyboard , mouse (31294542)42.99
- OCZ Alchemy Series Elixir II Keyboard - keyboard (33625258)12.00 - 22.18
- Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks (32481206)22.95 - 29.99
- Logitech Performance Mouse MX (33769469)79.95 - 99.99
- Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse (32554802)39.99 - 73.99
- Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 - mouse (32062182)49.00 - 84.99
- Razer Orochi (33783495)67.99 - 85.25
- HP Deskjet D1560 - printer - color - ink-jet (33019326)189.99
- HP Color LaserJet CP1215 (32902714)189.99 - 299.00
- HP LaserJet P2035n (33376043)208.00 - 299.00
- HP LaserJet P1006 (32733805)92.42 - 200.94
- Epson Artisan 50 - printer - color - ink-jet (33680067)99.95 - 135.00
Manufacturer info
- eMachines Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse eMachines Inc. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.emachines.com
- Address:
14350 Myford Road, Irvine, CA 92606 - Phone: 1-801-401-1419
- Email: techsupport@emachinesinc.com









