HP Pavilion HDX9095EA

Given the generous proportions of the chassis, we expected more than the four USB ports, but there's also ExpressCard/54, mini-FireWire and a 6-in-1 card reader - plus eSATA and HP's proprietary Expansion Port 3, which can accommodate HP's QuickDock docking station. There are also both VGA and HDCP-compliant HDMI video outputs. Naturally, there's wireless, including the latest draft 802.11n.

As its name suggests, this version of the HDX comes complete with an HD DVD drive, which also burns all flavours of DVD - a cutting-edge addition, if not necessarily a great-value one. Internal storage is extravagant, too, with two 200GB disks giving acres of space.

One area we're less impressed with is the amount of software preinstalled. Microsoft Works 8 is a nice inclusion, but among the numerous HP-branded apps (of mixed use), there are far too many cut-down and trial versions, most of which we'd be tempted to remove as soon as possible - although some won't go without a struggle.

Ultimately, you'll already know whether there's room in your life for a product like the Pavilion. If there is, your alternative options are fairly limited, and in pure value terms this is a reasonable place to start. With a great screen and keyboard, it lends itself equally well to entertainment and general-purpose PC use, and even packs in some gaming potential. So while you could get more for your money with a traditional desktop, if neatness and good design are your main motivators, the HDX looks to be a very strong buy.

Author: Ross Burridge