World Famous Laptop Brands and Manufacturers

Despite declining worldwide sale, laptops still play an important role in both work and private life. As ownership of these devices has grown, a select few companies have emerged as the leaders in laptop development. According to research from Gartner, approximately four brand names account for over half of all worldwide PC sales.

Hewlett Packard

Hewlett Packard, or HP, is the single-largest computer manufacturer in the world with more than 16 percent of the worldwide market share in PCs. In addition to owning the Compaq brand name, Hewlett Packard was the 11th most valuable brand names in the world, according to a 2009 Business Week report. Available at most major U.S. retailers, HP’s most popular laptop series include the Pavilion and Envy lines.

Lenovo

Following closely behind, the Lenovo computer company recently saw an 8 percent growth in their 2012 sales, giving them just over 15 percent of the world market share of PC sales. After acquiring IBM's PC business in 2005, the China-based computer manufacturer rapidly grew in the U.S. market. The Lenovo laptop lineups include the IdeaPad, ThinkPad and G-series lines, which stand among the company’s top sellers. Lenovo PCs can be found at Best Buy and online.

Dell

Though its global sales ranking is slipping, Dell Computers still sold nearly 10 million computers in 2012. Dell makes a wide range of laptops, including the dual-function, laptop-and-tablet Inspiron Duo and the feature-packed Alienware line of gaming laptops. Among the company’s biggest sellers, however, is its traditional Inspiron line of laptops.

Acer

Since acquiring the Gateway and eMachines brands, Acer has grown into a powerhouse of PC sales. Found at retailers such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy, Acer is the fourth-largest PC seller by market share. Acer makes the popular Aspire line of laptops.

Apple

Apple deserves mention even though they are not among the top five computer sellers according to Gartner market research. The company’s dominance in the tablet and smartphone worlds lends its other brands, including its computer division, some recognition. Those looking to extend their Apple experience to the laptop have the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines of laptops. Sales of Apple-based laptops fared better during holiday sales than Windows-based notebooks; the sales of Apple laptops in the holiday season of 2012 were flat over the previous year compared to a 10 percent decline for PC laptops.