Cheap new netbooks under $300

I've had a lot of positive feedback on my article from a few months ago on the best netbooks under $300; however, now that there are netbooks utilizing the new Intel Atom Pinetrail processor I wanted to take some time to discuss these new cheap netbooks priced under $300 and provide some tips to help you find the best one to meet your budget:

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1001P 11 Hours of Battery Life $299.99

Specs: Windows XP Home, Intel Atom N450 1.66 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB hard drive (see full specs)

I had an opportunity to see this netbook at CES and although I don't have any video to show you some hands on impressions it's basically like the ASUS Eee PC 1008HA except there are no plastic flaps to hide the ports (some find that annoying anyway) and it's slightly taller / heavier. So if you like the style and design of the ASUS Eee PC 1008HA, but would prefer not to pay an extra $100 to get it this model is a nice compromise. You are buying a netbook with Windows XP though, so if you'd prefer to move onto Windows 7 check out this next netbook on the list. Pick it up for $299.99.

Acer AO532h 8 Hours of Battery Life $298

Specs: Windows 7 Starter, Intel Atom N450 1.66 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB hard drive (see full specs)

Acer is known for being the bargain netbook company, but I don't use that word negatively. Instead, they make only a few different netbooks that skimp on the least important features so that they can offer netbooks at the lowest possible price. Customers are drawn to that and if you're looking to get into a netbook for as little as possible this option is perfect for you. The only way I would suggest the ASUS option above is if you would prefer a slightly better battery life and don't mind using Windows XP. If you want Windows 7, then pick up this netbook for $298.

HP Mini 210 4.25 Hours of Battery Life $299.99

Specs: Windows 7 Starter, Intel Atom N450 1.66 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB hard drive (see full specs)

The HP Mini 210 is a fantastic netbook. I gave it an honorable mention in my post about the best netbook of CES and I think it's leaps and bounds better than the previous generation HP Mini 110. This model has Windows 7 and comparable specs to the Acer AO532h, but the only thing keeping me from recommending this netbook above all others is the small battery life of only 4.25 hours. Yes there are other versions with a higher battery life worth checking out (see them all here) but the problem is that the price jumps up about $30 or more. So the only way I suggest you buy this netbook over the others is if you have a rosy experience with HP products from the past and would prefer to stick to a brand you know and trust.

Wrap Up:

If I've missed any feel free to let me know and I'll update the post. Of these cheap netbooks I personally would probably go with the Acer netbook if my budget was limited to only $300 because I'd want to get Windows 7. But I know some people still prefer XP and if you get an extra 3 hours of battery life by going with the ASUS option then that's all the better. In any case, if you need any help deciding on a specific netbook to go with let me know by contacting me and I'd be happy to help. You should also download the free netbook buyers guide too.