Acer
acer.comTaiwan's value leader and the world's #6 PC brand. Consistently the most computer per dollar, with a strong Chromebook lineup for students and basic use.
Computer Brands: The Best Websites
Six companies make the overwhelming majority of the world's personal computers. Here they are, ranked by 2025 worldwide shipments, with what each brand is actually best at.
The Major Computer Brands, Ranked by Market Share
Based on full-year 2025 worldwide PC shipment data from industry analysts (Gartner and IDC), the global computer market is led by these brands:
| Rank | Brand | Global share (2025) | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lenovo | ~27% | ThinkPad business laptops, best overall value |
| 2 | HP | ~21% | Consumer laptops, printers, Spectre/OmniBook lines |
| 3 | Dell | ~15% | Enterprise and direct sales; XPS heritage, Alienware gaming |
| 4 | Apple | ~9% | MacBooks with Apple Silicon: performance and battery life |
| 5 | Asus | ~7% | ROG gaming laptops and enthusiast hardware |
| 6 | Acer | ~6% | Budget-friendly laptops and Chromebooks |
Every brand below links to its official site, so you can compare current models and buy direct.
Apple
apple.comMaker of the Mac. Apple's M-series chips give MacBooks class-leading performance and battery life, making Apple the #4 computer brand worldwide by shipments.
Asus
asus.comThe world's #5 PC brand and the biggest name in gaming laptops through its ROG (Republic of Gamers) line, plus well-regarded Zenbook ultraportables and PC components.
Dell
dell.comDell sells configurable PCs direct: XPS laptops, Alienware gaming machines and the business lines that fill most office desks, with frequent direct-from-Dell deals.
Framework
frame.workLaptops designed to be repaired and upgraded by their owners: swap the mainboard, ports, even the whole screen. The anti-throwaway laptop.
HP
hp.comThe world's #2 PC brand and a leader in the consumer retail market, from budget laptops to the premium Spectre and OmniBook lines, alongside its dominant printer business.
Lenovo
lenovo.comThe world's largest PC maker, with roughly 27% of global shipments. Home of the ThinkPad, the standard-issue business laptop, plus the Legion gaming and Yoga consumer lines.
Microsoft Surface
microsoft.com/surfaceMicrosoft's own hardware line: Surface Pro tablets, laptops and studio machines designed around Windows.
Samsung Computing
samsung.com/us/computingSamsung's laptops, monitors and storage, including the Galaxy Book line and some of the best-regarded SSDs and displays made.
How to Choose Between Computer Brands
For business and reliability: Lenovo
Lenovo has been the world's largest PC maker for over a decade. Its ThinkPad line, inherited from IBM, is still the standard-issue business laptop, known for durable keyboards and enterprise support.
For mainstream home use: HP or Dell
HP and Dell both offer enormous ranges from budget to premium. HP's strength is the consumer retail market; Dell's is configurable direct sales and business fleets. Dell also owns Alienware, one of the most recognized gaming PC brands.
For creative work and battery life: Apple
Apple's M-series chips give MacBooks class-leading performance per watt. If your software runs on macOS, a MacBook Air or Pro is the strongest laptop in its price band. The trade-off is price and no touchscreens.
For gaming: Asus (and Alienware)
Asus ROG is the biggest name in gaming laptops, with Alienware (Dell) and Lenovo Legion close behind.
For tight budgets: Acer
Acer consistently delivers the most computer per dollar, and its Chromebooks are a solid choice for students and basic use.
Brands That No Longer Make Computers
Some famous names have left the market: Gateway is gone as an independent brand (it was absorbed by Acer, with occasional licensed budget models), Compaq was retired by HP, IBM sold its PC business to Lenovo back in 2005, and Sony VAIO was spun off and is now a small niche brand. If you are searching for those, the closest modern equivalents are listed above.
Computer Brands: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main computer brands?
The six major global PC brands in 2026 are Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple, Asus and Acer. Together they ship roughly 85% of the world's personal computers. Other notable names include MSI and Samsung, plus Microsoft's Surface line.
Which computer brand is number one?
Lenovo is the world's largest PC maker, with roughly 27% of worldwide shipments in 2025 according to Gartner and IDC, ahead of HP (~21%) and Dell (~15%).
Which computer brand is most reliable?
No brand is uniformly best; reliability varies more by product line than by brand. Business lines such as Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell Latitude/Pro and HP EliteBook are built and warrantied to higher standards than consumer ranges, and Apple's MacBooks consistently rate well in owner-satisfaction surveys.
Is Gateway still a computer brand?
Effectively no. Acer acquired Gateway in 2007, and the brand has appeared only occasionally since on licensed budget machines. The gateway.com of the 2000s no longer sells its own PC lineup.
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