Most sectors of consumption has been greatly affected by the economic crisis, but this is not the case for the sale of PCs. As evidence, an increase of 12% recorded in Europe in Q4 2008. Main reason: the recent success of the mini laptop.

An increase due to the success of the mini laptop

It is a fact, in the fourth quarter of 2008, sales of PCs in Western Europe increased by 12% over the same period last year. The market for mini notebook is the primary beneficiary of an industry that has managed to resist the crisis. According to the firm Gartner, as many as 20 million computers were sold in Western Europe between October and December 2008. Of these 20 million, 2.5 million would market the mini laptop. In Europe, Hewlett-Packard, Acer and Dell are the top three of the most popular brands. Small difference on the ground where french Acer holds first place in the business of selling PCs.

Growth in the notebook in France

The sale of PCs has also increased by 13.3% in France over the last three months of 2008. A figure higher than the average for Europe. Christmas is not for nothing with a 32% increase in demand for private computer. But for the same reasons as the rest of Europe, the main factors of good on the PC sales in France are the success of the mini laptop and the laptop input range. The popularity is also behind the decline of desktops reflecting a fall of 15% in the fourth quarter of 2008. They represent more than 37% of PC sales in France.

The effects of the crisis delayed in the laptop

The laptop manufacturers are the first to take advantage of this craze. Indeed, in one year, the manufacturer of the mini laptop Eee PC, Asus Taiwan has achieved a sales growth of 172% PC. Analysts are not meant to be optimistic as long as they provide a drop in PC sales for 2009. The economic situation seriously starting to weigh on consumers and industry, the IT sector could be affected by the impact of the crisis in the coming months.