Laptops and desktop PCs for Dads

The go-to 15-inch laptop for creative types, Apple's MacBook Pro is a common sight in offices, dens, and even living rooms. It's a significant investment, but there's probably not a better one-stop shop for power, portability, and looks. The slimmer Air comes close, but Dad probably still needs an optical drive occasionally.

HP's thin but durable 13-inch ultrabook has a look like a Stetson: classic and utilitarian. While it's light on onboard storage (128GB SSD), it has all the ports you'd need for work/travel.

After you've got a decade or two of a career under your belt, it's ok to stop looking for bargains and instead splurge on the very best. Sony's high-end 13-inch Z series laptop is expensive, but has that 'executive laptop' sheen and a unique GPU/optical dock for after-work (or at-work) gaming.

Apple's big screen iMac is due for a refresh any week now, but assuming the new model keeps the same, gorgeous display, any new specs will seem secondary. Browsing, gaming, movie watching, and any kind of written or design-oriented productivity work are no match for the 27-inches/2,560x1,440 pixels of glory.

Samsung's sleek and very affordable laptop is the best of both worlds: an ultrathin-type laptop that still has a DVD drive and more hard drive space than the average MacBook Air.

We like Alienware's take on the small scale gaming desktop, but the Origin Chronos shows that for just a little bit more money, true boutique PC vendors still have the performance edge thanks to their willingness to overclock.