A low-cost gaming desktop, the Lenovo Erazer X315

Gaming desktops are typically the territory of high-end PC gamers who like designing custom systems through the exhaustive configurations offered by companies such as Origin PC and Alienware.

But systems such as those, including the unique new Alienware Area 51 reboot, can cost thousands of dollars. Lenovo believes there is room for a more budget-minded gaming desktop, especially as many gamers are only looking to play mainstream games at 1,920x1,080 resolutions, and don't need the liquid cooling systems or multiple GPU setups that the most enthusiastic PC gamers insist on (nor do they need Intel's new high-end Haswell-E processors).

The oddly spelled Erazer X315 takes an existing system, the mid-price Erazer gaming desktop, and configures it with AMD processors and graphics, to bring the starting price down to $600. Worldwide pricing and availability has yet to be announced, but converted prices are about £360 or AU$650.

The Erazer will be contain up to a 3.7GHz AMD A10-7850K CPU, Radeon R9 260 GPU, and 2TB of storage space, although the starting configuration will be less ambitious than that.

The look is big and bulky, with a bit of an Alienware lit-up vibe. Lenovo describes the design as follows: "The newly designed chassis features front LED lighting and a futuristic profile that mimics the smooth lines of a knight's armor." I must have missed that episode of "Game of Thrones."

But, PC gaming is enjoying something of a renaissance this year, with continuing disappointment over the catalog and performance of the new generation of living room game consoles making the PC platform the first choice of serious gamers. Keeping prices down, only $50 more than the upcoming Alienware Alpha set-top box gaming PC, something like the X315 could be a real console competitor for those who appreciate the flexibility and variety of PC gaming.

The system will be available from Lenovo and retailers starting in November.