Boutique system builder Digital Storm today unveiled Bolt, a small form factor (SFF) PC billed as the slimmest custom designed gaming computer ever built. Bolt is the latest attempt to port PC gaming to the living room with smaller size systems that have a comparable footprint to that of an Xbox 360 console, which pair nicely with Steam's new Big Picture Mode. The Bolt measures just 3.6 inches wide, 13.3 inches high, and 13.4 inches deep. That's just slightly more portly than the Xbox 360 Slim, which measures 3 inches (W) by 10.6 inches (H) by 10.4 inches (D).

There's a lot you can do with the Raspberry Pi, the micro-sized PC that's about as big as a credit card. Part of the charm is that it's incredibly affordable ($25 for the Model A version and $35 for the Model B), yet that didn't stop the Raspberry Pi Foundation from upgrading the RAM on the higher-end Model B version to 512MB so that it can more comfortably be used as a general-purpose computer with multiple large applications running at the same time. We know what you're thinking -- how much does the added RAM add to the price?

It's supposed to be common knowledge that all-in-one (AIO) desktop systems are ill equipped for heavy duty gaming, but if that's the case, good luck explaining Maingear's new Alpha 24 Super Stock. The Alpha 24 SS is truly the alpha of AIO systems, or at least it can be when going all-out during the configuration stage with large size solid state drive (SSD) storage and even an Nvidia GeForce GTX 680 graphics card.

In less than a month, Microsoft will release its next generation operating system, Windows 8, to the general public, and we suspect OEMs will take advantage of the touch-friendly interface by introducing new all-in-one (AIO) desktop models. Getting a head start is boutique system builder Maingear, which today announced a redesigned version of its Solo 21 AIO with a fresh new look and upgraded internals.