Computers, Laptops, Notebooks, desktops
Laptop Sales Overtake Traditional Desktop PC Sales Over Holiday
Laptops have officially overtaken traditional desktop PCs, according to a Reuters report.
In the all-important week before Christmas, laptops dominated online retail giant Amazon.com's list of the 10 highest selling computers and hardware components, while nary a desktop appeared on the list. Noting advances in laptop technology and consumer demand for portability, commentators find that laptops' recent success largely depends on one particularly relevant reason: a newfound competitiveness in pricing.
Peter Lin, an analyst with iSuppli, told Reuters, "On both price and performance, laptops are so competitive now it's surprising they weren't able to catch up with desktops even earlier."
Indeed, laptop PCs -- which have, in the past, cost considerably more than their desktop counterparts -- are now selling for as little as $300 in some cases.
Undoubtedly, with Wi-Fi becoming increasingly ubiquitous, the average consumer is certainly interested in a computer's portability. And with laptops now carrying higher speeds and lower price tags, manufacturers and consumer experts are left wondering: what's to become of the desktop?
Desktop manufacturers, and enthusiasts, shouldn't be too concerned, we think. While the average PC user may prefer a laptop, folks like gamers and recording engineers will continue to be drawn to desktops' capacity for hot-rodding.
Lillian Tay, an analyst with Gartner, told Reuters, "Laptops simply cannot compete on price with a group of people who slap a motherboard, a hard drive and a few chips together to get a desktop." [From: Reuters]
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