Anything decent with a $300 budget?

[xenobreak]

I have an HP Touchpad but it's uses are limited. It's cool and all but i want more options...

I'm looking for something to install Linux on (or something other than Windows). I have only used Windows and want to experiment and learn about other OSs. I would also like it to handle light gaming, like games from the 90s and early 2000s. Think Roller Coaster Tycoon, The Sims, Command and Conquer, Diablo 2 and other stuff like that. I suppose the ability to watch HD videos without lag would be nice but i might be asking a bit much with that haha.

My budget is pretty low at $250-300 so i'm not sure i have many, if any, options here. My only concern is that almost every netbook (borrowed or fixed a friends) i have used has had issues. Most of the time it was general slowdown/freezing, dying hard drive, and/or heat issues. Because of this i would like to skip on netbooks if possible.

So with all of that in mind... what do you guys think?

 

[slhpss]

you're not going to get much of anything for that budget... are you looking specifically for a notebook?

 

[xenobreak]

Yeah or a netbook if it's the only option. I'm willing to get something refurbished or open box though.

I was looking at this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834246167

I don't have the money at this very moment though so it probably wont be available by the time i get it.

 

[slhpss]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834200359 I played with these a while back when I was in the Army... and installed linux on a few for funsies and they work well, but it's old hardware... and is severely underpowered compared to more modern equipment... I think if you would go up to 500 on the budget you would be able to get a much better device

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834215181

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834215186

 

[xenobreak]

I wish i had the extra $200 but i really don't. Maybe ill wait until tax return time to get some extra cash

 

[hang-the-9]

You missed on some nice Black Friday deals. See if anyone is selling unopened laptops on craigslist or something. For $300 you can get a pretty decent used or even new from a private seller laptop. Most Netbooks will not be able to handle HD movies, or even games. Not just the video card, but the CPU will hold them back.

 

[slhpss]

if you want you can buy a notebook a little cheaper like 250 and throw in a PCIe Mini decoder card (made by haley I believe available on newegg) and it will allow it to play HD videos... but you may in some cases have to remove the wireless card from the slot unless the laptop has more than one available...