Compaq Evo D500 Ultra Slim Desktop

No matter what's inside the D500, it's still an attractive and quiet piece of kit that provides all the essentials for office work for £499. This may not buy you a monitor, but you get a great three-year, on-site warranty, guaranteeing next-business-day response, and that includes both parts and labour. It's not easy to upgrade in the usual sense, but five USB ports and the MultiPort provide all you'll ever need in an office.

This adds up to an impressive piece of design. You can see why, following the merger of Compaq and HP, the long-established Vectra range is to be dropped in favour of the Evo.

Author: Ben Hardwidge