Alienware Alpha

If you like the convenience of the console experience, are interested in the hundreds of excellent games available on Steam, and could benefit from a new desktop PC, $500 is a very reasonable asking price. It may not blow consoles out of the water when it comes to performance, but it comes close. Manage your expectations accordingly and you won't be disappointed by the Alienware Alpha.

Bearing in mind that you're getting a complete package, including Windows 8.1 and a wireless controller, that's a pretty good deal - especially as good quality Mini-ITX cases, power supplies and motherboards tend to be quite pricey. However, to get the most out of the Alpha, we'd have to recommend the i5 model with 8GB of RAM - not so cheap at £570, but two upgrades we feel you'll be making sooner or later anyway.

But if you just want to wait and see what happens on the PC-as-console front, it'd be hard to blame you. The Alienware Alpha is pretty half-baked. With monthly updates, it might get a lot better. It might not. Today, there's nothing else like the Alpha, and I don't expect that to change overnight. Still, by the time it gets better, something new might come along.

It's not just for kids, either. Anyone looking for a nicely built tiny PC with actual gaming capability should seriously consider the Alpha. That, overall, is a win for the Alpha, even if it isn't the console killer some hoped it would be.

The Alpha would make a great addition to anyone’s living room if they would like to bring their love of PC gaming away from their computer desk and chair. What makes it stand out is how it’s able to offer a high level of performance in such a small form. So not only will it not take up a huge amount of real estate in your home, but it’s also highly transportable allowing its owner to take it from room to room or even trips to their friends’ house or anywhere else.