Dell's misery continued in the fourth quarter. HP has stretched its time in the number one spot for PC shipments to six months, according to latest figures from Gartner.

The extended stint in the top spot meant it tied with Dell as top PC shipper for the year.

Total PC shipments in the fourth quarter of 2006 were 67.4 million units, compared to 62.7 million the previous year. HP took 17.4 per cent of the market, up from 15 per cent the previous year. Dell took 13.9 per cent, down from 16.4 per cent. Lenovo took 7.1 per cent, compared to 7 per cent in 2005.Acer and Toshiba took fourth and fifth place, with 6.8 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.

For the full year, worldwide shipments were 239.4 million, up 9.5 per cent on the year. Dell and HP tied on 38 million units shipped, but HP's shipments were up 19.2 per cent on the year, while Dell's were up a paltry 3.5 per cent.

Gartner's analysis of the Q4 growth slowdown will provide little comfort for PC makers. Once again, consumers were distracted from buying beige boxes by big TVs, games consoles and other electronic goodies. The ongoing wait for the consumer version of Vista also put a lid on home sales. The US market declined in the fourth quarter, down 3.2 per cent to 16 million units. Still, Dell managed to hold on to its top spot there. EMEA shipments, by comparison, grew 11.9 per cent to 25.7 million units. ®

• Global PC shipments up in Q4 (17 January 2008)
• Acer up, Dell down in laptop sales (6 April 2007)
• Dell could go indirect with Acer buy - analyst (27 February 2007)
• Dell denies handheld games console plan (7 February 2007)
• HP knocks Dell off PC pedestal without trying (19 October 2006)
• PC shipments surge (18 October 2005)