Acer Aspire iDea 500

The iDea doesn't come with a mouse, instead building a trackpad onto the right-hand side of the keyboard. It's an RF unit, which means you still have control over the system even if you don't have line-of-sight to the receiver; this, in keeping with the tight integration of the rest of the system, is built in. The keyboard is solid in use on a desk and comfortable to use on the sofa too.

Aside from the poor warranty (you can upgrade to 3yrs on-site for a reasonable £99 inc VAT at Acer's website), there's practically nothing to dislike, especially at this price. There's ample power to cope with serving out video and audio to other devices, as well as recording and playing it back. With enough features to ensure it can easily become part of a complex home-entertainment setup, the iDea is a brilliant consumer device. It won't look out of place in a modern hi-fi setup and is a great example of a piece of technology that simply works. All in all, it's one of the most well-balanced media centre systems yet and accordingly takes its place on the A List.

Author: Dave Stevenson