Packard Bell ixtreme MC 6112

With the Media Center version of Windows XP, Microsoft has invited computer manufacturers to construct computers that, as well as doing all the usual things like emailing and browsing the web, can also be used as home entertainment centres. This Packard Bell computer's functions could replace your TV, video recorder and DVD player, not to mention your stereo and photo albums.

In attempting the transition from the study or bedroom to the living space, Packard Bell has ensured that nothing from either of this model's personas is missing. On the home entertainment side it has all the gubbins for plugging in a TV aerial (for watching and recording programmes to the hard disk), the ability to transfer whatever appears on screen to a nearby television and simple selection of music or images from your respective My Music and My Photos folders.

On the computer side of things it has a 2.66GHz Pentium 4 processor, 512Mb of memory and 120Gb hard disk, so should be perfectly capable of fulfilling most of your PC needs. Add its six USB 2.0 ports, Firewire and network connections, a 56kbps modem, six-type memory card reader and very attractive 15in flat screen, and you've got a computer that would just as easily sit in an office or bedroom. However, if you're thinking of it as a TV replacement, it might be a pain having to boot it up every time you want to watch something.

Windows XP has always been relatively easy to use (relative in comparison to previous Windows operating systems) and this model boosts its accessibility with some good Packard Bell specific tutorial software that can walk you through the basics of getting started. The Media Center aspect is even easier to get to grips with - launch the software with the remote control and you get a menu of large lettered options you can see from your sofa.

The extra home entertainment bits in this computer push the price of a similar Packard Bell machine up by around £200. We think that's pretty good if you're specifically looking for a device to sit in your living room or provide a different room with such entertainment facilities, though running TV and music off a computer still isn't quite as convenient as having standalone devices.