The Olympus PEN E-P1 may look like a throwback to retro photography, but it’s expensive and flawed. However, it's beautiful image quality renders almost impossible to dislike.

The A330 is a competent, fully featured and easy to use DSLR, but a backward step in some respects.

Welcome to the first zombie movie we’ve seen that’s actually any good. Left 4 Dead finally gets gaming away from the trigger-point mechanic: you have no idea if a dozen zombies are around the corner, or one, or none.

After the disappointment - perceived or otherwise - of Windows Vista, many are pinning their hopes on a revival with Windows 7. And from our first impressions of the pre-beta code, that's exactly what they can expect.

A great combination of new features and the usual Nikon image and build quality make this a superb camera.

They may look big and complicated, but a digital slr is just as easy to use and takes far better pictures than a pocket digicam

A brilliantly implemented live-view mode and high specs don’t justify the extra price over its sibling

A feature-rich SLR at a good price. If you can live with the weight and design quirks, that is

Pentax enthusiasts will be more than happy, but others may find it overwhelming

A capable enough performer, but it doesn’t offer enough for the money to come out on top.

Not the pinnacle of image quality, but superbly compact with plenty of neat features

A good camera but not the most inspiring. There’s better value elsewhere.

The aggressive price and Nikon design know-how mean there’s still a place for the D40

If you need professional-class ruggedness on a budget, this is a real option.

A decent enough addition to the legendary EOS range, but there are too many competitors at this price.

For a DSLR that does everything an amateur is ever likely to want, with a terrifyingly cheap price tag, look no further.

The 450D’s superb sensor makes it the best choice if quality is your priority. It doesn't beat the Sony A200 for value, but for the best quality below $1500 the 450D has the edge.

Our full guide to saving cash-saving secrets is here, from how to get discounts on PCs, to SIM only phone contracts, the best DSLR cameras deals, and discount licensing from Adobe, Microsoft and others.

David Fearon explains how to save energy and hassle by converting your old Windows XP PC to a virtual one that you can run on your Vista machine

There may be two main CPU manufacturers, but picking the right processor is anything but simple. We put 51 CPUs through their paces