The Tragic End of eMachines: The $1 Billion PC Giant That Ruled Cheap Tech, Then Destroyed Itself
58K views · Aug 13, 2026 · Education
Comments · 134
@LogicalIndian-ry1mu · 1 month ago
eMachines deserves immense credit for fulfilling millions of dreams and for bringing personal computers within the reach of the lower-middle and middle classes. You’ll find countless people whose very first PC was an eMachines. For many of them, that affordable machine was the starting point of a journey that eventually led to careers in IT and technology.
56
@noelht1 · 1 month ago
I had completely forgotten about emachines, but they were everywhere
42
@poodlescone9700 · 1 month ago
They used the cell phone sales model. It was ingenius.
13
@123ElectricMonkey · 1 month ago
My first computer purchase was an E-Machines “E monster” 1GB Processor in 1999 was FAST
18
@j.b.6855 · 1 month ago
I remember my first eMachine. I still have it in this house. A computer with a Pentium 3 in it at 1.2 GHz. It was a fantastic computer and the price was below everything and it's range. It lasted for many years before it was replaced. But by that time I was building computers out of components. For people who couldn't build a computer eMachines was fantastic. It let them get good Hardware at a good price.
11
@caeserromero3013 · 1 month ago
As soon as I watched the bit about the 'rebate' (if you paid the monthly subscription) my very first thought was "That sounds like how mobile phone contracts work," You get the phone free or subsidised, as long as you sign up to a subscription that ends up costing more than the cost of the phone.
4
@LordPrometheous · 1 month ago
I worked at Circuit City from 2000 to 2002 and they sold those inside the store. I was an installer , so I worked in the road shop doing remote starts, stereos and amps, speakers, alarms, etc. One of my coworkers did talk about eMachines and he liked his. I was never a fan of pre-built computers and I could never bring myself to buy something on the low end because I like playing games too much. I imagined those computers to be better suited for people who only use the PC for light activities like internet access, email, maybe listening to music.
2
@gerrymichaud3851 · 1 month ago
I remember the manufacture rebates. I never used them. For me it was to much of a hassle to deal with.
6
@berndkemmereit8252 · 1 month ago
I bought one in 2003 or so, the silver model with Flatscreen it was very cheap. It did well, it played Civilization and I was happy....
6
@EricKnight-r1f · 1 month ago
Brings back memories, that was a heck of a deal. You were paying the same price for dialup, but this way you got a free computer. Remember when cell phone companies always gave you a free phone with a contract.
13
@christopherkahn6522 · 1 month ago (edited)
Although this story goes back and forth way too often, it ends brilliantly. I won't spoil it but the clue is subsidy.
2
@promer4690 · 1 month ago
I was able to catch them in early 2000s. Amazing
2
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