Gartner: PC shipments to surge with 10.2 percent

Gartner has increased its 2005 forecast for worldwide personal computer shipments. The company originally predicted a 9.9 growth but now says it will be 10.2 percent, making a total of 202.1 million units. One of the reasons for the surge is replacement activity.

Mobile PC shipments are expected to grow 26.5 percent while desktop PCs are now forecast to increase 4.6 percent. The falling prices and wireless benefits of notebooks are attracting a growing number of users to replace their old desktop with more portable computers.

Gartner analysts predict home PC replacement activity to peak early next year and then fade over the course of 2006. Professional replacement activity already reached the peak and will fade during 2005, they state.

They further add that dual-core processors won't make a big entry, they will be limited to techies and early adopters. The biggest drive is mobile PC shipments, which currently represent under 30 percent of all PC shipments.
>br> Market research firm IDC on the other hand adjusted its PC shipments forecast two months ago from 10.1 to 9.7 percent growth.

Source: InternetNews