Dell Computer Corp pipped rival Compaq Computer Corp to the post to become the number one PC vendor in the US during the third quarter. But Compaq still remains number one on a global basis, according to analysts’ reports released yesterday. Both the Gartner Group and International Data Corp published reports Monday that placed Dell’s US PC shipments ahead of Compaq’s for the first time. According to Gartner’s Dataquest unit, Dell, which only sells its PCs direct, increased its share of US shipments to 17.1%, ahead of Compaq’s 15.3%.
Worldwide PC shipments grew 23.2% during the third quarter while the US market grew 22.7% over the same period last year. In the US, Gateway was the third largest vendor, followed by Hewlett- Packard and IBM who each shared 9.3%, 8.2% and 7.6% of the market respectively. On a worldwide basis, however, IBM ranks number three, while HP and Gateway come in at forth and fifth, Dataquest says. Worldwide, PC shipment growth was fueled by a combination of factors, including lower prices, economic prosperity, the internet, and latent demand in the Asia-Pacific region, Dataquest said. Rival market research company IDC reported the same rankings, but based on slightly different numbers. Total US shipments grew by 23.2% to just over 11.7 million units, it said.
The major difference were the worldwide rankings, where IDC placed NEC (including its US subsidiary Packard Bell NEC) as the fifth largest vendor, above Gateway. But the firm added that the joint venture showed very limited growth, up just 6% on last year’s figures compared to double digit growth for the top four vendors.
