Starting at £649, this range of powerhouse gaming PCs have been squeezed into a stylish console-sized case that feels more at home in your living room hooked up to your TV than hidden away in your second bedroom. 

Price: £649 | Dell

Dell’s Alienware X51 is an attempt to emulate a games console with a gaming PC, and a highly successful one at that.

While far pricier than an Xbox or PS3, the X51 offers a dizzying array of specs and features that give it a huge performance advantage, allowing you to crank up the settings on your PC games and wow your eyeballs at the remarkable graphics and frame rates.

It also has the boon of being upgradeable in the future, unlike traditional consoles. All in all, a fine alternative to Microsoft and Sony’s offerings.