HP aiming at gamers

Hewlett-Packard has agreed to buy high-end gaming PC maker Voodoo Computers, giving the computer and printer company access to an elite group of hardcore hobbyists willing to shell out several thousand dollars for turbocharged customisable machines.

HP's deal with Voodoo is part of a larger trend of big PC makers snapping up high-end gaming equipment companies to capture a lucrative market with higher growth rates and fatter profit margins.

In March Dell, the world's largest computer maker, announced it was buying Alienware, whose pricey PCs are acclaimed by video gamers for their performance and looks.