With all-new quad-core processors, advanced graphics, Thunderbolt technology and FaceTime HD, the iMac is a desktop workhorse disguised as an all-in-one wonder.

The LED-backlit display is instantly on and uniformly bright - a 21.5-inch iMac screen features 1920x1080 resolution so images look crisp and true to life. As for speed, the new iMac is the fastest yet thanks to the latest Intel Core i5 quad-core processors, which come as standard in every model. Choose a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad to perform gestures with the flick, swipe or pinch of a finger. The iMac is quite simply gold standard.

RRP: £999

The glossy black HP Pavilion HPE h8-1270ea Desktop PC has fantastic technology to match its brooding looks. The second generationIntel® CoreTM i7-2600 processor is the engine room of this impressive PC and with 8 GB of RAM, you can keep several programmes open at once. What's more, even if you store all your data files, music, photos and videos, there's still plenty of space for more thanks to the 2TB hard drive. Also included are an NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 graphics card, a Beats audio console with High Def Audio 7.1 and 10 USB ports, so you'll never be short of a connection point.

Add in the HP 23" Full HD LED-Backlit Monitor and this is a PC package that's up with the very best.

RRP: £1,190

Introduced as a fourth-generation upgrade to the long-standing Aurora line, the new R4 may look familiar, but it's under the hood that a lot of the new magic takes place, moving up a notch from Intel'sP67 Sandy Bridge chipset to the new X79 - more commonly known as Sandy Bridge Extreme.

The futuristic design makes the Aurora feel like a living, breathing machine with subtle touches throughout that serve to add to the appeal. Give the alien head on the front a gentle touch and the chassis' front face slides down on satisfyingly-smooth rails. The front vent slides back to reveal an I/O panel that provides two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port and a pair of audio jacks, and by lifting the vent furthest back, you release a side panel for easy access to the system's innards. Of course, on top of all that, there's also the customary AlienFX Lighting consisting of eight lighting zones that allow you to customise the chassis to your taste.

Dell states that this is "without a doubt, the most advanced Alienware desktop to date" and we have to agree!

RRP: £1,129

The geeks at Apple designed MacBook Air with one simple goal: to create an incredibly thin and light notebook computer that's every bit as powerful and capable as one twice its size.

With flash storage, durable unibody construction, Multi-Touch technology and a long-lasting battery, MacBook Air not only achieves that goal, it sets a new standard for what every notebook should be. Perfected down to the millimetre. It's the future of the notebook, available now.

RRP: £999

The Sony Vaio VPCF23P1E/B.CEK 16.4" Laptop comes equipped with a powerful 2nd generation Intel® CoreTM Processor and Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, giving you the complete computing package. Alongside all the usual practicality you'd expect from a high-end laptop, the Full HD Vaio Display Plus screen supports superb graphics, providing idealistic gaming with immersive effect. Movies look spectacular with an inbuilt Blu-Ray drive and an impressive 6GB of RAM has no problem multitasking when coupled with the quad core processor.

The Vaio also comes with an impressive 1.3mp webcam - ideal for chatting to friends and staying in touch with those who matter.

RRP: £1,199

There's no denying that the Alienware name stands for something among gamers. And to most, they're a dream machine, the laptop equivalent of a Ferrari 458 Italia. The M17x delivers excellent system performance and gaming graphics, plus laptop mobility for when you want to pack up and get moving. Features include incredible graphics with PCl3 3.0 AMD and NVIDIA, genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating software, 2nd generation IntelCore i7 quad-core CPUs and stunning visuals with a 17" WLED LCD display with 3D capabilities

Connectivity is also impressive with four audio jacks including S/P DIF, VGA, HDMI-out and DisplayPort, as well as two USB 3.0 ports. On the right side you'll find HDMI-in, an eSATA/USB combo port, and two additional USB 2.0 ports. And if all this wasn't good enough, Alienware has done the right thing and placed the power connection at the rear of the laptop, putting it out of the way of any peripherals you might want to connect.

RRP: £1,279