The Bottom Line
HP's Pavilion a300n budget desktop system provides a very capable computer with excellent peripheral connectivity for under $500.
Pros
- Latest Intel Celeron 2.6 GHz Processor
- Includes CD-RW Drive
- 7-in-1 Media Reader
Cons
- Lacks AGP Slot
Description
- Intel Celeron 2.6 GHz Processor
- 256 MB PC2100 DDR Memory
- 40 Gigabyte Hard Drive
- 48x CD-RW Optical Drive
- Integrated AC'97 Audio
- Intel Extreme 3D Graphics with 64MB Shared Memory
- v.92 56Kbps PCI Modem and 10/100 Ethernet
- Five USB 2.0 Ports and a 7-in-1 Media Card Reader
- Three PCI Expansion Slots (Two Available)
- Windows XP Home Operating System
Guide Review - HP Pavilion a300n
10/15/03 - Finding a well-rounded, powerful computer system for under $500 can be a big challenge. HP's a300n desktop system does a very good job at providing the users with powerful features. This system comes with Intel's latest Celeron 2.6 GHz budget processor allowing the system to have respectable performance even for a budget system. A unique feature to the a300n over competitors is the inclusion of a 7-in-1 media reader. This allows the computer to easily access compact storage cards from peripherals such as digital cameras and audio players. The one area that the HP has problems is the lack of an AGP slot. This prevents users from upgrading the graphics card to a more capable 3D accelerator.
