SQUARING UP TO Apple’s design team takes nerve, especially if you’re a Windows PC. Sony doesn’t care though. It’s picked up Apple’s gauntlet and slapped it in the chops with this catwalk Vaio.

The LM2E blends a transparent-framed screen with a brushed aluminum keyboard to create a show stopper. Inside the slim casing, things are almost as impressive. A dual-core processor, 2GB memory and 320GB hard disk aren’t boundary-pushing tech, but for general computer use, they’re more than enough. Add a hybrid twin TV tuner, a gorgeous 19-inch screen and a cool price tag into the mix and the Vaio seems even more appealing. There’s no Blu-ray and the piddly graphics card won’t run games laden with the latest 3D mastery, but this PC is still as much about substance as it is style.