PC demand surges ahead of Windows 7

Demand for PCs improved in July and August, which is "something special, because the expectation was that many people would delay purchases until after Windows 7 came out in October," said Manish Nigam, head of technology research in Asia for Credit Suisse, at a technology conference in Taipei.

Consumers often wait until after the launch of a major new operating system to buy a new PC for fear of having to pay for the upgrade and to avoid the hassle of loading the new software themselves. This time, strong marketing for free or discounted Windows 7 upgrades for new PC buyers ahead of the official launch of the OS on Oct. 22 appears to have worked.

There were also fears the global recession might continue to affect PC demand.