This year has been a great year for cheap laptops and netbooks, with literally hundreds of new models appearing on the scene every now and then. But then, which ones are actually worth it? Some of the cheaper netbooks and laptops, though, are poorly designed and badly built. Here we’ve compiled a list of ten sub-$400 laptops that are actually worth buying.

You can expect these models to have an Intel processor clocked at around 1.6GHz, 1 Gigabyte of RAM, and at least a 120 Gigabyte hard drive. If you’re looking for something with an optical drive, however, these are not what you should be looking at. Apart from those, expect WiFi, Bluetooth, a card-reader, microphone and webcam.

Check the bottom of the post for some basic tips on choosing a laptop.

  1. ASUS Eee PC 1005HA (10.1″) – $356.97

    • Up to 10.5 Hours of Battery Life and Free Sleeve Case Included
    • Intel Atom N280 Processor 1.66GHz
    • 1GB DDR2 RAM, 1 x SODIMM Slot, 2GB Max; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1
    • 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM) and 10GB Free Eee Storage
    • Windows XP Home Operating System, 10.1-inch WSVGA 1024×600 LCD Display
    • 10.3 x 7 x 1 inches ; 2.9 pounds

  2. Acer Aspire AS1410-8913 (11.6″) – $399.97

    • 1.4GHz Intel Core2 Solo ULV SU3500 Processor
    • 2048MB DDR2 667MHz Memory, 250GB SATA Hard Drive
    • Acer Crystal Eye Webcam
    • Intel WiFi Link 5100 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N, 1 HDMI port
    • Windows Vista Home Premium (SP 1), 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh)
    • 11.6″ HD WXGA Acer CrystalBrite LED-backlit Display, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
    • 8 x 11.2 x 1.2 inches ; 3.1 pounds

  3. ASUS Eee PC 1101HA (11.6″) – $399.99

    • Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life, Bluetooth, and Sleeve Case Included
    • Intel Menlow Z520 Processor 1.3Ghz
    • 1 Gb DDR2 RAM, 1 x SODIMM Slot, 2GB Max
    • 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM) and 10GB Free Eee Storage
    • Windows XP Home Operating System
    • 11.6-inch WXGA 1366 x 768 LED LCD Display
    • 11.3 x 7.7 x 1.4 inches ; 3 pounds

  4. Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 (10.1″) – $329.99

    • 1.6GHz Intel N270 Atom Processor
    • 1GB Memory
    • 160GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
    • 10.1″ Display, Integrated Intel Media Accelerator Graphics
    • Windows 7 Starter
    • Up to 8 Hours 8 Minutes of Battery Life
    • 9.4 x 3.7 x 14.4 inches ; 5 pounds

  5. ASUS Eee PC 1008HA (10.1″) – $353.30

    • Intel Atom N280 Processor 1.66GHz
    • 1GB DDR2 RAM, 2GB Max* (*Eee PC 1008HA model has no Memory Bay Door due to ultra slim design)
    • 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
    • Windows XP Home Operating System, 6 Hour Battery
    • Intel UMA, 10.1-inch WSVGA 1024×600 Screen
    • 10.3 x 7 x 1 inches ; 2.4 pounds

  6. Dell Inspiron Mini IM10 (with integrated TV tuner) – $371.72

    • 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 Processor
    • 1GB RAM
    • 160GB Hard Drive
    • Edge-to-Edge glass display
    • Integrated TV Tuner
    • Integrated 1.3mp Webcam
    • Windows XP Home, Extend the battery life with 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery
    • 7.2 x 10.3 x 1.1 inches ; 2.9 pounds

  7. Samsung N120-12GBK (10.1″) – $323.99

    • 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor
    • 1 GB RAM; 3-in-1 memory card reader
    • 160 GB Hard Drive
    • Microsoft XP Home with Service Pack 3
    • 6 Cell Battery
    • 11.9 x 9.6 x 5 inches ; 5 pounds

  8. Acer AOD250 (10.1″) – $342.99

    • 1.66GHz Intel N280 Atom Processor
    • 1024MB DDR2 SDRAM Single Channel Memory
    • 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
    • Acer InviLink 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
    • Windows 7 Starter Operating System
    • 6-cell Li-ion Battery (5800 mAh)
    • 10.1″ WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite LED Display, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
    • 8 x 10.2 x 1 inches ; 2.8 pounds

  9. Gateway LT2044u (10.1″) – $379.99

    • 1.66GHz Intel N280 Atom Processor
    • 1024MB DDR2 667MHz Memory
    • 250GB SATA Hard Drive, 802.11b/g/Draft-N WiFi Certified
    • 10.1″ SD WSVGA High Brightness LED-backlit Display, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
    • Windows 7 Starter
    • Over 8 Hours of Battery Life
    • 8 x 10.2 x 1 inches ; 3 pounds

  10. Toshiba Mini NB205 (10.1″) – $399.99

    • 1.66GHz Intel N280 Atom Processor
    • 1GB DDR2 533MHz Memory
    • 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, Integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
    • 10.1″ LED Backlit Display, 1024×600 native resolution (WSVGA)
    • Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (32 bit)
    • 9 Hours of Battery Life
    • 7.6 x 10.4 x 1.3 inches ; 2.9 pounds

Some pointers to keep in mind when buying a new laptop:

  • Choose a smaller screen if you need extra mobility and longer battery backup.
  • Smaller screens translate into a smaller keyboard, though
  • If you carry it about a lot, every pound makes a difference. Choose something light.
  • The more powerful the processor and graphics, the less the battery life
  • Choose a model with Wifi 802.11n if you have a fast router and intend to transfer large files over the wireless frequently
  • Bluetooth doesn’t really matter unless you keep transferring data with a Bluetooth phone
  • The RPM of the hard disc means faster data transfer, but lower battery life
  • Card readers are extremely useful
  • User-replaceable batteries and RAM modules is a plus
  • Expect the battery to last at least an hour less than the manufacturer claims
  • Look for external display ports (VGA, HDMI) if you plan to hook up your laptop to a projector or TV

I recommend the ASUS models, especially the 1005HA. They’re well-built, and have a large user-base. But of course, it all depends on what you’ll use it for.

Read our post about getting the most out of your laptop battery and make a wise buy!

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