The year 2000 sat at the hinge between the original PC era and the modern computing world. USB had just become universal, broadband internet was reaching mainstream homes, prices had fallen to the point that a full computer setup cost what a smartphone costs today, and the design language of computers was shifting from beige boxes to colorful translucent plastics. Looking back from 2026, five computers stand out as the machines that defined the year: the iMac G3 that pulled Apple back from collapse, the Compaq Presario and Dell Dimension that defined the mass-market PC, the eMachines that priced PCs belowcurrent pricing for the first time, and the Power Mac G4 that established the workstation template Apple still ships today.
Quick comparison
| Pick | Category | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iMac G3 | Home all-in-one | Saved Apple, ended floppy era |
| Compaq Presario | Home PC | Top-selling US retail PC |
| Dell Dimension | Home and office | Build-to-order at scale |
| eMachines | Budget home | Pushed sub- mainstream |
| Apple Power Mac G4 | Workstation | Set the modern Mac template |
Apple iMac G3 - Best All-in-One
The Apple iMac G3 is the machine most associated with the year 2000 in the public imagination. The translucent Bondi blue case, followed by Strawberry, Lime, Grape, Tangerine, Blueberry, and the “flower power” patterns, made the computer a visible object of design rather than a beige box hidden under a desk. Hardware specs in 2000 included PowerPC G3 processors at 350 to 700 MHz, 64 to 1024 MB RAM, integrated 15-inch CRT display, slot-loading CD or DVD drive, FireWire 400 on later models, and Apple’s first widespread USB-only port layout.
The trade-off in 2000 was the dropped floppy drive (controversial at the time, standard within five years) and the integrated CRT that aged poorly versus the LCD-equipped successors. The iMac G3 saved Apple from bankruptcy, sold roughly six million units, and established the consumer-design language Apple still uses 26 years later. Original retailcurrent pricing tocurrent pricing.
Compaq Presario - Best Mainstream Home PC
The Compaq Presario was the top-selling US retail home PC for most of 2000. Sold through Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, and other major retailers, Presario configurations ranged from sub- home machines with Intel Celeron processors up to performance models with Pentium III. Typical 2000 specs included 500 to 1000 MHz Intel Pentium III or AMD Athlon processors, 64 to 256 MB RAM, 15 to 20 GB hard drives, 15-inch or 17-inch CRT monitors sold separately or bundled, and CD-ROM or CD-RW drives.
The trade-off was the heavy software bloat installed at the factory (trial software, ISP installers, advertising-supported utilities) that consumers spent the first hour removing, and customer support that struggled to keep up with the volume of units sold. For the average American family buying a first or second home PC in 2000, the Presario was the most likely retail purchase. Original retailcurrent pricing tocurrent pricing.
Dell Dimension - Best Build-to-Order
The Dell Dimension line was the home and office desktop standard for buyers who wanted to spec exactly what they needed. Dell’s direct-sales model and online configurator (Dell.com was already a major e-commerce site by 2000) let buyers choose CPU, RAM, hard drive, optical drive, video card, monitor, and software at the checkout screen and receive a built-to-order machine within two weeks. Specs in 2000 ranged from Pentium III 533 MHz at the budget end to Pentium 4 1.5 GHz late in the year, with 64 MB to 512 MB RAM and 10 GB to 60 GB hard drives.
The trade-off versus retail-channel PCs was the wait time (one to three weeks versus same-day off the shelf) and the slightly higher price for equivalent specs. The reliability was consistently better than retail brands. For 2000 buyers who wanted control over configuration, support that actually returned phone calls, and a longer service life, Dell Dimension was the right pick. Original retailcurrent pricing tocurrent pricing.
eMachines - Best Budget Home PC
eMachines was the brand that pushed full home PC systems in 2000 and reached millions of cost-conscious first-time computer buyers. Typical configurations used Intel Celeron or AMD K6-2 processors at 400 to 600 MHz, 64 MB RAM, 10 to 20 GB hard drives, integrated graphics, and a bundled 15-inch CRT monitor. Software bundle included Microsoft Windows 98 SE or Windows Me, Microsoft Works, and various trial apps.
The trade-off was the budget components throughout: smaller power supplies that struggled with upgrades, motherboards with limited expansion, and shorter service lives than mid-tier PCs. The machines worked fine for typical home use (email, web, word processing, light games) and were the first computer in many households. For 2000 buyers whose budget constraint was absolute, eMachines was the right pick. Original retailcurrent pricing tocurrent pricing.
Apple Power Mac G4 - Best Workstation
The Apple Power Mac G4 was the desktop workstation that defined what a high-end Mac would look like for the next decade. Introduced in 1999 and refreshed through 2000, the G4 shipped with PowerPC G4 processors at 400 to 500 MHz, 64 MB to 1.5 GB RAM, 10 to 60 GB hard drives, ATI Rage 128 Pro or Nvidia GeForce 2 MX graphics, and four PCI expansion slots in a tower case with a side-opening door for easy upgrades. Velocity Engine SIMD vector processing made the G4 strong for Photoshop, Final Cut, and other media applications of the era.
The trade-off versus the iMac was the price ( tocurrent pricing depending on configuration) and the need for a separate monitor. For professional designers, video editors, and audio producers in 2000, the Power Mac G4 was the workstation that established the side-door, internal-expansion template Apple still ships in the modern Mac Pro. Original retailcurrent pricing tocurrent pricing.
A note on what these computers actually ran. Operating systems in 2000 were a transitional moment. Apple shipped Mac OS 9 in late 1999 and was preparing Mac OS X for release in 2001; the Power Mac G4 and iMac G3 ran OS 9 for the year 2000. Windows on PC was split: Windows 98 Second Edition powered the consumer machines (Compaq Presario, eMachines, most Dell Dimension home configurations), Windows 2000 Professional powered business and high-end home PCs that needed stability, and Windows Me arrived in September 2000 to mixed reception. Most home users in 2000 ran Windows 98 SE or Windows Me. The shift to Windows XP in October 2001 was the change that made consumer Windows actually stable.
Internet connectivity in 2000 was the year of broadband transition. Dial-up at 56 kbps was still the dominant connection for US households, but cable internet from Time Warner Roadrunner and Comcast@Home, plus DSL from telcos like Verizon and SBC, was rolling out to major metros at speeds of 1.5 to 3 Mbps. The computers in this list were sold both with internal modems (still standard) and increasingly with 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports for broadband. Wi-Fi (then called 802.11b) existed but was rare outside Apple’s AirPort cards on iMac G3 and Power Mac G4 configurations. Most home PC buyers in 2000 still expected to hear a modem dialing into AOL or Earthlink.
How to choose (historical context)
For a household in 2000. Compaq Presario for retail simplicity. Dell Dimension for custom configuration. eMachines if budget was the absolute constraint. iMac G3 if design and ease of use mattered more than upgrade options.
For a creative professional in 2000. Power Mac G4 was the default. The combination of Velocity Engine, FireWire, and the mature Mac creative software ecosystem made it the workstation choice for design, video, and audio work.
For an office in 2000. Dell Dimension for typical workers, Dell OptiPlex for managed corporate deployment, IBM ThinkPad for executives who needed laptops, Compaq Deskpro for legacy IBM-PC compatibility environments.
Legacy in 2026. The iMac G3 design language is in the Museum of Modern Art. The Power Mac G4 template still appears in the modern Mac Pro. Dell’s direct-sales model became the industry standard. Compaq and eMachines no longer exist as brands.
For complementary picks, see our best computer accessories and best computer help roundups. Full review and ranking criteria are documented in our methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What made the year 2000 a defining year for personal computers?+
Three converging shifts. First, USB became the universal connector, replacing the messy mix of PS/2, serial, parallel, and ADB ports that defined the 1990s. The translucent iMac G3 led the charge by shipping USB only. Second, broadband internet started reaching mainstream homes in the US, transforming the computer from a dial-up communications tool into an always-on platform. Third, prices dropped sharply: a complete home PC system with CRT monitor that costcurrent pricing in 1995 costcurrent pricing tocurrent pricing in 2000. The year is also when Intel's Pentium III topped out and the first Pentium 4 systems shipped late in 2000, marking the end of the era when CPU progress was measured in MHz milestones.
Was the iMac G3 actually a great computer or just well marketed?+
Both. The marketing was historically effective; Apple sold roughly six million units of the iMac G3 from 1998 through 2003 and the translucent colored case is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The actual hardware was a solid all-in-one for home and education buyers: 350 to 700 MHz PowerPC G3 processors, 64 to 1024 MB RAM, integrated 15-inch CRT, slot-loading CD or DVD drive, and FireWire on later models. The dropped floppy drive, controversial at the time, became standard within five years across all platforms. The iMac G3 saved Apple from bankruptcy and set the design template for everything Apple shipped afterward.
Was Dell really the best PC company in 2000?+
By revenue and market trajectory, yes. Dell's build-to-order model and direct-sales channel meant Dell offered better-configured machines at lower prices than the retail-channel competitors (Compaq, HP, IBM, Gateway). The Dell Dimension line for home users and OptiPlex line for business were the default corporate PCs in many Fortune 500 environments through the early 2000s. Quality was consistent, support was responsive, and the configurator made it easy to spec exactly what you needed. Dell overtook Compaq as the world's largest PC maker in 2001, partly on the strength of 2000's product line.
Did eMachines actually make good computers or were they junk?+
More nuanced than either reputation suggests. eMachines built sub- home PCs at a time when the competition chargedcurrent pricing plus, and they hit that price by using lower-end Intel Celeron or AMD K6-2 processors, smaller hard drives, less RAM, and budget motherboards. The machines worked for typical home use (email, web, word processing, simple games) and millions sold. They did not hold up for power users or three-plus year service lives; many ended up donated, recycled, or in storage by 2003. eMachines was acquired by Gateway in 2004 and the brand was retired by Acer in 2013. For 2000, they were the right pick if budget was the absolute constraint.
What happened to all these companies?+
Mixed outcomes. Apple is now the most valuable company in the world. Dell remains a top-three PC maker globally. Compaq merged with HP in 2002 and the Compaq brand was phased out by 2013. eMachines was absorbed into Gateway then Acer and retired. The Power Mac G4 line continued through 2004 before Apple transitioned to Intel processors. Most of the 2000-era PC industry consolidated through the 2000s and 2010s: Gateway, Compaq, IBM PC, NEC PC, and many smaller brands disappeared or merged. The survivors (HP, Dell, Lenovo, Apple) plus a few new entrants now make up the vast majority of laptop and desktop sales.