HP Takes Top PC Spot from Dell, Analysts Say

Hewlett-Packard overtook Dell as the world’s top PC vendor in the third quarter, according to research firms IDC and Gartner.

This is the first time that HP has been in the No. 1 spot since Dell overtook it in the fourth quarter of 2003, according to both surveys, though both said the margin between the two vendors was slim. The firms released their numbers Oct. 18.

“HP continues to take better advantage of the faster growth segments such as the consumer market. The company’s share trajectory reflects its improvements in operational execution and changes in marketing,” Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa said in a prepared statement.

“Dell felt the effects of the weak sales in the U.S. market, and it gave up some ground.”

Dell has been dogged in 2006 by a federal investigation into its finances and a recall of 4.1 million Sony batteries from its laptops. Problems with customers support also have gotten wide attention.

Battery recalls hit a number of vendors, including number three system maker Lenovo Group, but Loren Loverde, director of IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, said there should be few long-term effects on Dell and the industry as a whole.

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