Subnotebooks suggestions?

[fastbilly1]

I am in the market for a new netbook like device and want to keep it in the sub $300 range (I am fine with refurbished, iffy on used). My use is mostly for writing and network admin work (all network based). Despite my previous topic about this a year and a half ago, I am not fond of tablets for these purposes. So my requirements are better than what I have now, and the ability to use it for a chunk of the day (either by high capacity batteries or by multiple batteries). My current setup is I have two netbooks - an Windows XP EEE 900 and an Linux Mint EEE 900A. I love the form factor and the fact that I can carry both with me with about four pounds. But they have issues, the 900 has a bad storage device, which I cannot replace cheaply, and the 900a is showing its wear after 4 years of heavy daily use. I have a real laptop if I want to do something complicated.

So really what I want a subnotebook for is random typing/work, camera/recording dump while in the field, and Netflix (maybe some DOS gaming).

Right now I am leaning toward the Acer C7 with an additional 9 cell battery which comes in at about $250. The C7 is a Chromebook but I can install Ubuntu on it and can do almost everything I use my current netbooks for. But do any of you have any experience with it? I apparently cannot install XP or 7 on it as of now, but that is a minor quibble.

I am up for other suggestions if yall have them. It doesnt have to be pretty, it just has to work.

[SpoonyBard]

Most people knock them like crazy, but i've got an Acer Aspire One that has treated me very well over the past few years. I put a Win 7/Ubuntu dual boot on it right away and I seemed to have dodged most of the problems others have had with them. I got mine for $50 used. I don't know what they normally go for, but I think even at $75-$100 it's a pretty decent machine if run by someone competent.

[fastbilly1]

Which Aspire One do you have?

[SpoonyBard]

KAV10.

[tintinmayo]

I have an ACER AMD e-450 based notebook. Technically it's already a notebook at 14" and due to its specs (4gb RAM, 1.65 ghz dual core that supports out of order execution, compared to the atoms, which only support in order), but it's priced in the same range as a 10 inch atom netbook.

It's probably strong enough for what you want to do (with regard to gaming, it can run Counter Strike: Source with 4 bots at max settings and resolution without falling below 50 FPS, according to fraps), and it can do emulation on PS1/N64 and older.

I get around 5 hours of normal (typing documents and browsing while listening to winamp) use on a 6 cell, with the power profile set to balanced (and no bloatware installed). I get longer use by underclocking it to 1.3 ghz/1.0375w but I haven't tested how long it can last underclocked.

The only downside I can think of is that driver support for OSes older than Vista is problematic. I was able to install XP on it, but the drivers for the video I used didn't come from the official site nor the disc, I found it on some driver repository.