Mini desktop computers have been featured a number of times in Gizmag over the years. Most of those devices will rarely enjoy front stage limelight, being tucked behind a monitor or hidden from sight. The new Mini-e from eMachines looks set to change that. It's powered by an Athlon processor and comes with GeForce graphics, a decent amount of memory and a good sized hard drive. But it's the unique design that will make you want to show this beauty off.

There are few things to dislike about the ER1402 Mini-e Home Entertainment Center. It appears to tick all the right system spec boxes, with its 1.7 GHz Athlon II NEO processor, NVIDIA GeForce 9200 integrated high definition graphics, 2GB DDR3 memory over two slots and a 160GB SATA HDD. But it's the unique glossy black diamond shape that could well see this 7.1 x 1.2 x 7.1 inch beauty taking pride of place on a user's desk rather than being hidden behind a monitor or TV.

To accommodate the latter, eMachines has included an HDMI-out for onward connection to big screen TVs and there's the thoughtful inclusion of an S/PDIF port too, which allows connectivity to home audio systems. Around the edges you'll also find four USB 2.0 ports, a multiple card reader and VGA connectivity. The Mini-e has integrated 802.11b/g/n and comes shipped with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

The ER1402 is available now at an attractive US$299.99 price point, including 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium and bundled software.