Notebook PCs Building Brand Loyalty, While Desktops Losing Their Panache; But Consumers Buying Both.(A)(IBD/TIPP POLL)

Byline: PATRICK SEITZ

When buying a personal computer, many people see desktops as commodities distinguishable only by price. But with notebook PCs, many more consumers have strong feelings on brands.

That's a finding of a new IBD survey. It found that people planning to buy notebook PCs within six months have a specific brand in mind. Only 13.2% of these notebook buyers are undecided about the brand. That compares with 21.6% undecided among likely desktop PC buyers, indicating far more brand preference for notebooks than for desktops.

Notebook sales will help fuel the PC market for the rest of the year, says the survey by IBD's polling partner, …