Labs

For a while it looked like the eMac was in danger. Apart from the screen, the Mac mini seemed to cover similar ground, and the world wondered whether Apple would update or finally can the low-cost, all-in-one Mac. Fortunately, it opted for the former, and we now have a faster, cheaper line-up for school and home users.

There are two eMacs in the range, both with a 1.42GHz G4 processor and a 17in screen, 16in of which can be seen within the bezel. We have often found the eMac's screen to be slightly dark, making it poorly suited to intensive graphics work, while the base spec more or less rules out all but the most basic video and audio editing jobs.

That's where the similarities end, though. The range is defined by its drive - either Combo or SuperDrive - with the former model sporting a measly 256MB of RAM and the latter a more sensible 512MB. If you're tempted by the cheaper Combo model, we'd recommend upgrading the memory before you hand over any cash. The maximum for each is 1GB of PC2700 RAM.

We have no such concerns over the size of the hard drive, as even the lower-end model has a healthy 80GB. This may start to feel tight in a few years, but should be enough for all but the most demanding users, particularly as it's unlikely you'd be wanting to manipulate large

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Photoshop files with this Mac. If you have a large iTunes library and you see it growing fairly quickly, though, the SuperDrive model has a far more roomy 160GB option.

Neither eMac has AirPort or Bluetooth as standard, and the latter isn't user upgradable, so should be specified at the time of purchase. If you decide to eschew both, you can still connect to the Internet using the internal 56K modem or the built-in wired Ethernet port.

Graphics are handled by an ATI Radeon 9600 with 64MB of dedicated DDR SDRAM. The same card, albeit with twice the memory, is used in the iMac G5. This is a significant step up from the Mac mini, which sports only half the eMac's graphics memory on a Radeon 9200, so the eMac will be significantly better for gaming.

It ships with iLife 05, but only a 30-day trial of iWork, which strikes us as mean. If you don't already have office software, you'll be downgrading to AppleWorks at the end of your first month.

So should you buy an eMac over a Mac mini? If you're a first-time Mac buyer, that rather depends on where you're coming from, as we're inclined to toe Apple's corporate line and recommend that switchers, who'd probably have a keyboard, monitor and mouse, opt for the mini. If this is your first computer, though, the eMac offers everything you could want in a self-contained package.

But then so does the iBook, which sports similar specs, and which we see as the eMac's natural competition. Granted, you'll pay a slight premium for portability, but the iBook is far more compact and easier to hide. The low-end iBook with Combo drive is just £20 more expensive than the SuperDrive eMac, but a step up to even the most modest iMac would put an extra £320 on your bottom line.

If you're going to buy one then the time is right now. Apple is unlikely to upgrade the eMac to a G5 chip in the near future, if at all.