Eee PC 901 shows up for pre-order on Amazon for $399 (update: NewEgg shipping)

You know it's getting bad when even Amazon can't tell all the flavors of the Eee PC apart -- a listing for an "Eee PC 900" with 16GB of flash and an Atom processor just went live on the etailer's site with a pre-order price of $399. Those are actually the specs and tasty price of the long-awaited Eee 901, so we're going to say that ASUS's endless stream of minor new Eee models has everyone confused, and that the 901 looks like it's ready to drop -- is this the Eee that'll finally make you take the plunge?

Update: NewEgg just went live with the 12GB XP-based 901 for $599.999999. Shipping today. Also, Amazon is now listing XP and Linux-based 901s for the same price although still as pre-orders. Our advice: stay away from the so-called Atom-based Eee PC 900 until Amazon clarifies the configuration.

[Via I4U, thanks Carl]

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 8th 2008 1:42AM]

Wait, why does the headline say 901 but the picture is of the 900 and so is the description!?

[JAmerican @ Jul 8th 2008 1:44AM]

Because Engadget made a boo boo.

[Nilay Patel @ Jul 8th 2008 1:50AM]

You didn't read the post, did you?

[alvaro @ Jul 8th 2008 1:54AM]

haha 901!!!

[nedy78 @ Jul 8th 2008 9:37AM]

Why are you low ranking JAmerican? Engadget did make a boo boo because the model is a 900. Go to: http://eeepc.asus.com/global/900.htm and see for yourself. You can see under the specs for "storage," it lists 16gb; which is new. The other models do not come in 16gb. Amazon is wrong on the processor though.

[alvaro @ Jul 8th 2008 1:43AM]

great price!!!

[Mike Cerm @ Jul 8th 2008 1:59AM]

Yeah, wasn't Asus supposedly (over-) charging $549 for the basic 900?

If this turns out to be correct (901, XP, $399), it will be really good news.

[JAmerican @ Jul 8th 2008 1:43AM]

I'm waiting for the Black Wind 6-cell version.

[helloUser @ Jul 8th 2008 1:45AM]

Me too. Except I want mine in white.

[chop @ Jul 8th 2008 2:01AM]

prepare to wait until august. because that's when msi has delayed the wind til...again

so much for a june 16th release date eh

[Mike Cerm @ Jul 8th 2008 2:03AM]

I thought that the 901 was supposed to have a 6-cell battery as well. If that's not the case, it's not the end of the world. Amazon's listing for the Wind is priced at $549. For the extra $150, you could get the 901 and a pair of extra batteries.

[whowhatme @ Jul 8th 2008 2:07AM]

amazon's pricing for the wind is 499.99.

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 8th 2008 2:54AM]

The Wind is already giving the 1000H a run for its money at $500; the 901 at $600 looks even worse.

[alvaro @ Jul 8th 2008 1:53AM]

great price

[dave @ Jul 8th 2008 2:07AM]

yup...heard ya the first time...but I agree.

[ryan @ Jul 8th 2008 2:28AM]

It sounded better the first time.

[Will @ Jul 8th 2008 9:28AM]

It was the 3 exclamation points that made it better the first time.

[Peter McCaffrey @ Jul 8th 2008 2:13AM]

I thought the 901 had 20GB storage, just like the 900?

[CosterMonger @ Jul 8th 2008 10:30AM]

Eee PC 900
4GB built-in + 16GB removable SSD (Linux)

[Nathan @ Jul 8th 2008 2:32AM]

The only problem with this is Amazon already has the 901s listed on the site for $599, and the model number of this one is EEEPC900-BK041. I think this really is a 900 for $399...

[Nathan @ Jul 8th 2008 2:49AM]

A couple more things I noticed, there is also a white version of the $399 900. And both of the $399 900s are 16GB, so I think this really is a 900. In comparison Amazon lists 4 (total) 901s there are 2x (one black, one white) 20G linux, and 2x 12G WinXP 901s.

[KAYPEE @ Jul 8th 2008 2:35AM]

I ORDERED IT!!
now.. can someone tell me if that is the real thing? 901 or 900? I call the sales rep over at.. i dunno.. India maybe. And it seemed like i've talked to an alien.. Did anyone confirm the specs on that item? I was gonna wait for the Wind linux.. but hey.. this is a better deal to me.. SDD, bluetooth and that macbook air-style track pad... LOVED IT!

[A.C.E.R. @ Jul 8th 2008 3:11AM]

Pretty sure it really is a 900. Looks like ASUS is silently updating the 900 line.

The price isn't an error, there's another site selling for the same price:
http://www.excaliberpc.com/products/products.html?ch=Computers&search=eee+pc+900

[A.C.E.R. @ Jul 8th 2008 3:46AM]

Willing to bet this is a typo and it doesn't really have an Atom.

[^ @ Jul 8th 2008 2:50AM]

NICE

[n @ Jul 8th 2008 3:02AM]

there is also a eee 900 16G listed here: http://www.excaliberpc.com/587715/asus-eee-pc-900-16g.html#TabDescription for $399
but w/o the atom

[Hellios @ Jul 8th 2008 3:19AM]

All I have to say is wow.
the 4G EEE was also going for $399 which was perfect seeing how it retailed as 300 euros.
This gives me hope that 901 will be available for 300 as well.

[le Chen @ Jul 8th 2008 3:22AM]

ASUS good job.
now everyone is fuvking confused

but the only the i would say.it's only a laptop
just like the iphone X1 HTC etc.

keep the cash~and wait

[Sheepman @ Jul 8th 2008 3:32AM]

if someone ordered them now, wouldnt amazon have to honour it?
nilay; help us out here

[chefgon_ign @ Jul 8th 2008 7:40AM]

There is no legal requirement for Amazon to honor a typo. People have taken it to court in an attempt to collect cheapo TVs and they lost. A typo is a typo, if they tell you it was an accident then they don't have to sell you anything.

[Anon-Monkey @ Jul 8th 2008 3:36AM]

I'm not sure that this is correct.

Mwave.com is showing separate models for a linux 16GB 900 at $399 and a Windows 20gb 901 at $599.

[Lee, ChihCheng @ Jul 8th 2008 4:15AM]

It's a new 900 (ATOM), replace the old one (non ATOM).

So, the 900 is now a cost down version of 901. I think the key point
is remove the 4GB high speed Flash. (901 use 4G + 16G Flash)

[upgeog @ Jul 8th 2008 5:01AM]

Wind with a 3-cell battery sucks. There is no price difference between the Wind and 901.

[bob sakamano @ Jul 8th 2008 7:05AM]

NewEgg just went live with the 12GB XP-based 901 for $599.999999. Shipping today. Also, Amazon is now listing XP and Linux-based 901s for the same price although still as pre-orders. Our advice: stay away from the so-called Atom-based Eee PC 900 until Amazon "claifies" the configuration.

yes we should all wait till amazon "claifies" the configuration!

[adobochicken @ Jul 8th 2008 7:55AM]

seriously u quoted the whole updated just to comment on one word. claifies.

might as well quote the entire website.

[Marvin Quach @ Jul 8th 2008 8:00AM]

Damn! If they're really selling for $400, I'll be really ticked off - just bought a 4G Black for $380ish...

If the 4G drops price, I won't be too annoyed, but the 900 series was seriously everything I was looking in a netbook - screen size and all!!! X_X

[Jarris @ Jul 8th 2008 10:10AM]

I'm in! Saved screenshots

[patsy @ Jul 8th 2008 9:33AM]

The $399 900 looks like a new product. Newegg now carries it, too, for the same price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220362

The page says Intel Mobile CPU, so I wouldn't count on it being an Atom. Still, it looks like they dropped the memory to 16G in the old 900, put in a 4-cell battery, and dropped the price to $399. Unless the Atom is way crazy better than the old CPU and you really want a 6-cell battery, the revised 900 looks like a much better deal at $200 less.

[Marvin Quach @ Jul 8th 2008 10:55AM]

Aw man! I would gladly pay a little bit more and wait a little if Asus had announced it earlier... =(

Does anyone know if Asus announced this (or even if they did, did anyone care at the time since there were so many announcements from them? lol)

[jerbils @ Jul 8th 2008 10:54AM]

I was thinking how amazing in was that ASUS could announce 84 different Eees and still only have one available in the US.

[Stefan Ramirez @ Jul 8th 2008 11:22AM]

Wasnt the whole point for these crappy little netbooks supposed to be a very low price point. Somewhere around $200??? That thing is more like an overpriced calculator. If all you can do is basically websurf then stick with your iphone. I would only get one of these if they were cheap like they look.

[JerryA @ Jul 8th 2008 2:56PM]

Why? An iphone costs much more and does less. This is a nice little device to carry around with me and as long as it has wifi, I can connect to the 3g phone in my pocket for broadband on the go.

[JerryA @ Jul 8th 2008 2:58PM]

To clarify, I meant that an iphone costs more than $200 unsibsidized so it would make sense for this to cost more than the cost of an iphone.

[Randavance @ Jul 8th 2008 12:30PM]

I wanted the Linux version, but word on the forums is that it's being delayed and I'm simply too impatient.

So my Micrososft infested EEE is on it's way.

[NutMac @ Jul 8th 2008 12:41PM]

Hurry! Newegg is discounting 12GB XP-based 901 by $0.009999 if you order now ($599.99 instead of $599.999999).

[Andrew @ Jul 9th 2008 12:13AM]

...no a touchscreen would make me "take the plunge"

[John Sullivan @ Jul 9th 2008 5:13PM]

UPDATE: Amazon has corrected the page; now it reads "intel MOBILE CPU" (caps emphasis mine) instead of ATOM. No love in Atom-ville.

[Darryl @ Jul 14th 2008 9:26PM]

Yes... Confusion has ensued and prices will tumble! Unless people want to spend the same and get lower specs...