This PC has a user-friendly case and the latest CPU technology, and it doesn't look too bad. It's aimed at gamers, content creators, video editors and just about anyone who has demanding uses for their PC.

Acer has made a valid attempt at creating a monster of a PC in an Alienware-like vein, but ultimately, its attempt falls short because the high-end model doesn't include options for the latest in memory and graphics technology.

While it's not perfect, NEC's Powermate S7000-003 is a capable machine for the office that undertakes basic, everyday tasks.

This is a relatively simple PC, which has been designed to be as power-efficient as possible. For the most part, it consumes well under 100W of electricity, even under a full load, yet it's definitely not a slow coach. It's suited to large PC roll-outs for schools and government departments, and also for any office where employees forget to switch off their PCs before leaving for the day.

Overall, this isn't a bad system, but it's a little over-designed. For example, the bays for HP's media drives aren't really necessary, they just take up space. But the PC does have a lot of useful connectivity options and also looks quite nice. It's a decent home PC that can also double as a media centre.

A basic and well-featured PC for home or small office use. It's useful for multitasking and for running everyday office applications, as well as photo and video editing.

The Hybrid represents a new wave of small PCs that are actually small yet functional and quite affordable. If you're after a small PC, we think the Hybrid is the one to go for.

If you're a serious gamer, you need a serious machine — and a serious wallet. This $5011 Altech NRG PC is about as serious as they come. It's beautifully built, has a GeForce GTX 280 SLI graphics card configuration and plenty of straight-line speed thanks to its overclocked quad-core CPU.

A great little unit with plenty of processing power. It's perfect for image and video editing and won't cost you too much.

Its low power consumption, Gigabit Ethernet and small footprint mean its best use is probably as a PC for an Internet cafe. Home users might also want to consider it as a second PC for basic tasks, but office users might want to shy away from it due to its lack of an optical drive.

This PC is worthy of consideration if you want something zippy and good-looking, not to mention easy to maintain and upgrade, for the office.

The HP DX2710_03 (FH071PA) is a very capable business PC that is stylish enough to suit any home environment. Featuring a very effective processor, a wide array of expandability options and a sub-$1000 price tag, its only let-downs are the relatively small hard drive and the lack of DVI outputs.