Laptop shipments exceed desktops in US for the not-exactly-first time

Hope you're eager to break into that Halloween candy early, because you've got some (re)celebrating to do. If you'll recall, we first heard that laptops accounted for over half of US retail computer sales back in 2003, and in June of 2005, we found that it was somehow worth getting jazzed over once more when it happened again. Here we are in the latter half of 2008 shaking our heads in disappointment, as IDC has amazingly discovered that notebook shipments into the US market have exceeded the 50% threshold for the first time ever. Go ahead and stock up on rave supplies early -- we get this weird feeling that we'll be doing this same song and dance in 2010 or so.

[Image courtesy of DayLife]

[Canoo @ Oct 28th 2008 9:32AM]

Don't do it guy! Get out of Best Buy!

[rock99rock @ Oct 28th 2008 10:12AM]

Hah! (comment) HaHA! (avatar)

[Todd @ Oct 28th 2008 9:33AM]

Up next...so-called "smart phones" ( iPhone, G1, Blackberry ) exceed laptop sales.

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 9:33AM]

Well some people keep a desktop unit far longer than a laptop for various reasons

1- desktops start off better equipped for less, thus do not get outdated as fast as a laptop

2- Laptops get dropped and broken more often that a 35lbs + desktop

3- Laptops get stolen

4- Water damage

5- Cafe Late damage :p

I predict that Net books will take away from the Laptop market by 2010...

[Erb @ Oct 28th 2008 9:45AM]

iEye... had... an... intelligent... post...

I'm scared.

[rock99rock @ Oct 28th 2008 10:14AM]

Stunned.

First +1 for iEye ever.

[kr @ Oct 28th 2008 10:54AM]

I meant to give him a +1...but ranked him down accidentally by habit...

Oops.

[Esat Dedezade @ Oct 28th 2008 11:33AM]

Her you go, +1 from me, well deserved :)

[maveric101 @ Oct 28th 2008 2:49PM]

iEye, i am, dare i say, proud. at this rate i think you will make a full recovery.

[maveric101 @ Oct 28th 2008 2:52PM]

also, you forgot to say that with desktops you can easily upgrade individual components to help longevity. though i doubt many people realize this, or take advantage of it. most people would be too scared of breaking their computer to put in a new graphics card, let alone replace the processor.

[thatguy @ Oct 28th 2008 9:43AM]

Netbooks are the same as laptops just smaller and lighter but they keep the same basic form factor. I wouldn't say they are going to takeover laptops because when it comes down to it they are laptops. I think they have taken off in sales because we are naturally attracted to smaller, thinner, and lighter when it comes to gadgets.

[bob sakamano @ Oct 28th 2008 11:46AM]

also when it comes to women

[zephxiii @ Oct 28th 2008 9:45AM]

Eh, sadly, my last laptop only lasted 4 years of heavy usage. It was built poorly by HP, a zt1260, and i've had to repair it numerous times

[ngamer007 @ Oct 28th 2008 10:47AM]

Only four years, huh? That's a pretty damn long time to keep something like that.

[Jeff @ Oct 28th 2008 11:44AM]

To be honest I'm surprised you got 4 years of usage before total death.

[Scotty Doo @ Oct 28th 2008 9:46AM]

I Still can't find a decent laptop out there which looks good and kicks ass. Waiting for Dell......

[Kali4 @ Oct 28th 2008 10:29AM]

MACBOOK!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I thought I was iEye for a minute there!

[Billy Gun @ Oct 28th 2008 10:06AM]

I hate laptops, in 1 or 2 years they are cpmplitly outdateted, Desktops are much easyer to make an upgrade so they last longer (with much better performance). For me laptops is for one use only people that work traveling or on the "street" and need to cary the PC. I see many people that buy laptops to use at home.

[happy_penguin @ Oct 28th 2008 11:50AM]

Perhaps people using their laptops mostly at home aren't concerned about playing Crysis.

[Yem @ Oct 28th 2008 10:15AM]

quantity !== revenue

[y3k.nik @ Oct 28th 2008 10:34AM]

!== is an error waiting to happen, just so you know

I believe you meant:

!=

Unless my basic programming knowledge is now officially outdated!

[Matt @ Oct 28th 2008 10:32AM]

In an ever increasing mobile America im not surprised.

[timatl @ Oct 28th 2008 10:37AM]

other than the small screen, the netbook would be perfect for my parents with a external hard drive so my dad can save his pictures.

[Kelmon @ Oct 28th 2008 10:40AM]

I'm honestly surprised that this isn't true every quarter and by a bigger margin. I thought that everyone buys laptops these days unless you have specialist needs. So much for that thought...

[ngamer007 @ Nov 3rd 2008 10:19AM]

I run a computer dept, we sell five times more laptops than we do desktops. It's been that way for years.

[Silverfrog @ Oct 28th 2008 10:47AM]

This article also does not include custom built PCs which account for hundreds of thousands of computers per year.

[7on @ Oct 28th 2008 11:13AM]

I think you mean thousands...

[Vidikron @ Oct 28th 2008 1:43PM]

It could be hundreds of thousands. I've personally built 3 completely new PCs this year alone (2 for myself and 1 for someone else).

[Silverfrog @ Oct 28th 2008 11:32AM]

I meant what I said

If you don't believe it then just do the math--multiply the number of custom built PCs in each of your local computer stores by the number of towns in the US that have computer stores. Then add in individual, home-builders (enthusiasts) to the equation.

[billobob @ Oct 28th 2008 1:11PM]

I used only a (relatively nice--Core 2 Duo thinkpad) laptop for two years. While it was nice, I decided to sell it on ebay and go the desktop + netbook route for three reasons:

1) I work better with a large monitor than a 15" screeen. And when I get the money I can add a second LCD, which is an amazing boost of productivity and convenience (seriously, try it)
2) In the long run its cheaper. All I need to do when I'm not at my desktop is a) browse the internet, b) maybe take notes. The netbook gets this done and for only $350. Upgrading a desktop is far cheaper than upgrading a laptop, and you can make incremental adjustments.
3) Home entertainment. My desktop can play blu-ray movies on the tv and record (non-cable) HD shows. Yes I could do the same with a laptop, but it requires an annoying (and not too cheap) extra purchase to get the proper AV ports. It's also never going to give as good a sound output as a desktop would without, again, a sound card to plug into the USB slot. Not to mention that when I actually want to take my laptop with me I would have to unplug all that shit.

While I'm still on the fence about the netbook form factor (I think a 10" would've been much better), it serves its purpose fairly well for me, and in a way I think the introduction of ultra-cheap, ultra-portable laptops in netbooks may actually boost desktop sales.

[phanbouy @ Oct 28th 2008 1:35PM]

laptop schmaptop. someone get that man a Wii Fit.

[happy_penguin @ Oct 28th 2008 1:43PM]

Hey, as one of his fellow fat guys I'm offended....




but what the hell, it was funny. :D

[EricR @ Oct 28th 2008 4:33PM]

I wonder if this isn't showing some sort of a cyclical purchase pattern.

I have a desktop and a laptop -- if I only had enough money to replace one every year then that would be a new desktop and a new laptop in alternating years. Tipping the scales back and forth every couple years.