PC sales up 27 per cent in Q1 2010

EMEA PC market recovery boosts sales

The improving macroeconomic outlook means business are purchasing again

Worldwide PC sales grew 27.4 per cent to 84 million units in the first quarter of 2010, "led by a robust recovery in EMEA," said Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa.

"These Q1 figures indicate that the professional PC market is gradually picking up, driven by replacements in mature markets," said Kitagawa.

The improving macroeconomic outlook means business are purchasing again, she argued.

"Major PC replacement demand driven by Windows 7 will become more apparent in the second half of 2010 and the beginning of 2011."

All other regions registered double-digit growth figures. Asia-Pacific PC shipments totalled 26 million units, up 36.9 per cent from 2009 Q1, with shipments in China climbing 45.4 per cent.

The US and Latin America figures showed growth rates of 20.2 and 35.4 per cent, with 17.4 million and 7.2 million units shipped respectively.