Sales of Notebooks Surpassed Desktop Sales

Sales of notebooks surpassed desktop sales in the U.S. retail segment for the first time, according to a report from Current Analysis. Notebooks accounted for 50.9 percent of personal computers bought at retail in 2005, while desktops accounted for 49.1 percent. In 2004, notebooks accounted for only 43 percent of U.S. retail sales, while desktops accounted for 57 percent.

The United States only accounts for roughly 9 percent of the worldwide market, and retail figures exclude sales from large resellers to corporations or direct sales from companies like Dell. Still, retail is an important segment, and overall notebook sales are rising, too. Richard Shim, an analyst at IDC, predicted that overall notebook sales in the U.S. will surpass desktop sales by late 2007. Until recently, the research firm thought that notebook sales would not pass those of desktops until 2008.