Gartner: Global PC Shipments Fall 5.2%

While desktop computers had a double-digit first-quarter sales decline in the U.S., notebooks, hybrids and Windows tablets picked up some of the slack, according to data tracker Gartner Inc.

Gartner said worldwide PC shipments totaled 71.7 million units, down 5.2% from a year earlier.

The Windows XP replacement cycle that helped comparisons in 2014 "faded in the first quarter," but "this decline is not necessarily a sign of sluggish overall PC sales long term," Gartner said.

Lenovo Group Ltd. (2352.TW) kept the top spot in worldwide shipments.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), in second place globally, extended its U.S. lead. As in the fourth quarter, Dell Inc. remained in third place worldwide. Asustek Computer Inc. edged ahead of Acer Inc. for the fourth position.

Gartner said the results "support our projection of a moderate decline of PC shipments in 2015, which will lead to a slow, consistent growth stage for the next five years."

Gartner's figures include premium ultramobiles, but not Chromebooks, Windows tablets with a smaller than 10-inch display, or non-Windows tablets.

Write to Josh Beckerman at [e-mail]

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