HP sells more PCs than Dell in 2007

Hewlett-Packard sold more personal computers than Dell in 2007, after the two companies split the market the prior year.

According to Stamford, Connecticut-based research firm Gartner Inc., Hewlett-Packard had 18.2 per cent of the market compared with Dell's 14.3 per cent. Im 2006, each company had 15.9 per cent of the market.

"HP established a solid number one position in 2007,'' Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa told Bloomberg. "Robust consumer and mobile PC sales across all regions were two main drivers of HP's overall growth.''

Another research firm, IDC, has released PC figures showing Hewlett-Packard with a market share of 18.8 per cent compared to a 14.9 per cent share for Dell.

Taiwan's Acer, which bought Gateway last year, beat out Lenovo Group Ltd. for third place, with Toshiba in the fifth position.

Gartner said that HP's PC shipments climbed 30 per cent last year; Dell's 1.7 per cent increase was the lowest rate among the top five PC manufacturers.