Desktops

ViewSonic VPC100

If you're looking for a cheap second PC, ViewSonic's VPC100 nettop is worth considering. It lacks a touchscreen and its performance isn't anything to get wildly excited about, but its wireless capabilities are good and it sports a relatively large 18.5-inch display

Dell Studio One 19

The 18.5-inch Studio One 19 brings some good ideas to the all-in-one-PC table, including an optional touchscreen. We're not massive fans of its appearance, but, if you're looking for a desktop PC that takes up relatively little space, is easy to set up and reduces cable clutter, it's well worth a look

User rating 8.0

Acer AspireRevo R3600

The AspireRevo R3600 is the best nettop we've seen so far, thanks to an Nvidia ION chipset that means it can play games, run 1080p movies and be taken seriously as a media centre. Also sporting a cool design, it's great value for anyone who needs a cheap second PC

Advent AIO-101

It's not as pant-wettingly sexy as an Apple iMac, but the AIO-101 is an attractive and versatile all-in-one PC nonetheless. With a built-in hybrid TV tuner, highly adjustable 18.4-inch display, and decent, but not outstanding, performance, it's a good option for those seeking a space-saving PC

Shuttle X Vision X50

Sporting a touchscreen, dual-core Intel Atom 330 CPU, attractive design and good connectivity, the 15.6-inch X Vision X50 all-in-one desktop PC looks, on paper, to have plenty going for it. But is it enough to knock the market-leading Asus Eee Top off its perch?

Sony Vaio VGC-JS2E

In terms of design, the gorgeous 20.1-inch Vaio VGC-JS2E all-in-one desktop PC gives Apple's iMac a serious run for its money. It's a real shame that it lacks a Blu-ray drive and TV tuner, but, if you can overlook that, you'll get good performance and a beautiful screen

Asus Eee Box B206

The Eee Box B206 is a tiny media-centre PC that can be easily bolted onto the back of a display, turning a TV or monitor into an all-in-one-style PC. Its performance with high-definition video isn't great, but undemanding users seeking a simple box to view media and surf the Web on their TV should check it out

Apple Mac mini (2009 edition)

The latest Mac mini is an impressively energy-efficient machine that continues to pack plenty of features into a compact, space-saving chassis. Updated internal components means it's also a good multitasking machine that would be well-suited to a light-duty work role

Dell Studio Hybrid

While there are a plethora of nettops on the market that offer -- at a basic level -- the same sort of package performance as the Dell Studio Hybrid, they are not as customiseable. You can alter the Studio Hybrid both internally and externally according to your personal preferences. The icing on the cake? It is eco-friendly

Shuttle x27D

The X27D is the fastest nettop-style machine we've ever tested. Its dual-core Atom 330 CPU makes it a far more robust solution than PCs such as the Eee Box. It's a little too noisy for our liking, but it's affordable, attractive and perfect for lightweight computing tasks like surfing the Web or watching digital movies

Eee Top

The Eee Top is a strange departure from traditional Eee-branded products. This low-power, low-cost, all-in-one desktop PC features a touch-sensitive display, setting it apart from its rivals. Though Asus ships the Eee Top with Windows XP, it's conveniently put it in Large Fonts mode, making the touchscreen easier to use

Advent Eco PC

With petrol prices skyrocketing, there's no question: the cost of powering your electrical goods is getting higher and higher, too. Advent has released its Eco PC, a desktop computer that uses just 25W when idle. It comes in recycled packaging and has a few other features to help it run more efficiently, but it isn't cheap

Asus Eee Box

Asus has performed a minor miracle in the laptop market with its Eee PC, so it stands to reason that it would try the same trick in the desktop arena. The Eee Box is tiny, attractive, requires little power to run, and most importantly it costs just £199

User rating 9.0

Asus Nova Lite Mini 2L

The Asus Nova Lite Mini 2L is a Media Center PC that grabs our attention with its stylish black and silver looks -- it certainly won't look out of place in your lounge. Boasting plenty of connectivity options, a 250GB drive and quiet performance, it could suit your purpose

Shuttle XPC G5 6801M

If you were left out in the cold with your HD DVD collection, the Shuttle XPC G5 6801M Media Center PC warm things over. It doesn't ignore Blu-ray users either. With a large range of configuration options, it's a great option for a home cinema environment

Dell XPS One preview

The latest in Dell's XPS series is the XPS One, a self-contained, all-in-one desktop PC. Looking just like a monitor without a base unit, it saves space and is almost free of cables. With an integrated hybrid TV tuner and some great design touches, will this PC compete with Apple's iMac?

HP Pavilion Elite m9000 series (m9065.uk-a)

HP is ploughing ahead with another family-friendly PC in the Pavilion Elite m9000 series. It's designed to be a good all-rounder, with 3GB of RAM and a 320GB of memory. It's good for any task and particularly fares well as a Media Center. Fit it into the living room and gather the family

Lenovo ThinkCentre A61e

The Lenovo ThinkCentre A61e is so green, it can be powered by the sun. With an Energy Star 4.0 compliance rating, it sports plenty of low-power components and functional innards. Its slim design allows it to be positioned in landscape or portrait orientation, making being green pretty easy

Mesh Mesh Elite Quad 6600 FX

The Mesh Elite Quad 6600 FX is unbelievable value for money -- it has one of the fastest CPUs on the market, a ridiculous amount of memory and a fairly decent graphics card, all for under £700

Apple iMac (4th gen)

With its super-elegant new design and a strong configuration, Apple's new iMac competes with the PC desktop market better than any previous Mac to date

User rating 6.3