PC users opt for Laptops over Desktop computers Laptops will account for more than 50% of the martket by 2011

23 March 2007 1:29 GMT / By Stuart Miles

PC users are embracing the laptop like never before according to research from IDC.

According to the research house in the UK, laptop sales are up by 26.3% in 2006 compared to 2005 while desktop sales are up by just under 2% in the same timeframe. However desktop computers still outsold laptops 138 million to 82.4 million.

The report though suggests that portable PC shipments will continue its growth resulting in portable PCs representing more than 50% of all PC shipments by 2011.

"Slower growth in desktops and in relatively mature regions changes the market dynamics a bit", said Loren Loverde, director of IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.

For the full year, 227 million units were shipped, with growth of 9.5% and shipment value of $231.9bn.