The computer industry is a constantly changing beast. New companies arise and old ones fall away, while others rise up to take their place. The top manufacturers in this industry have also undergone various changes over the years, with some companies forming new leadership positions and others struggling mightily for survival.
To help you keep tabs on this ever-changing landscape, we’ve created this list of the top computer manufacturers based upon their current market presence and financial performance.
We’ve also described each of these manufacturers in detail, giving you an edge when researching and purchasing computer equipment.
Hewlett-Packard (HP)
Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) is one of the most recognizable computer manufacturers in the world. The company was once known as Transcend and was active during the 1940s and 1950s, but it was renamed after being purchased by the Gillette Company in 1997.
Since then, it has focused upon providing high-quality, affordable computers to consumers and businesses worldwide. In the last few years, the company has gone through a management restructure, but its focus has remained on its core desktop and laptop computer business.
The company’s products are known for their reliability and quality, and many users have come to depend on them for serious work. Ultimately, that’s why we put HP near the top of this list.
The computer manufacturer has been a reliable and trusted partner for more than 50 years. It’s also experienced significant growth during that time, with revenue more than doubling from 2006 to 2014.
Dell Inc.
Dell Inc. (NYSE: DELL) has been around for more than 70 years, but it’s more than ready to hang up the computer business. In fact, the computer maker is working on a plan to shut down all its manufacturing and distribution facilities and end sales altogether at the end of this year.
But don’t worry customers. Dell will still sell you computers online and continue to offer customer support. Its new business strategy will see the computer manufacturer focus on two key areas: its existing strengths in the enterprise market and helping customers create a portfolio of devices that best meet their needs.
In the long run, it might be better for everyone involved if Dell were to go away. After all, the computer market is changing and more and more people are choosing to work with software instead of with hardware.
This decision can have a significant impact on the way we decide to research and purchase computer equipment in the future.
ASUS
ASUSTek, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASTK) is a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics, including computer and smartphone accessories, game consoles, and digital products. It is also one of the top computer manufacturers in the world.
In the last five years, the company’s revenue more than doubled, from $1.2 billion in 2011 to $2.1 billion in 2015. That growth was enough to make the company one of the top computer manufacturers in the world, though it remains far behind HP in that regard.
The bulk of ASUS’s business still comes from its existing two major product lines: the Eee PC (for which the company is also the world’s number one computer importer) and the H disseminator, a mobile computer primarily intended for the Asia Pacific region.
In the broader market, though, ASUS has largely been replaced by the company’s main competitor, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT). The electronics giant bought a majority stake in the Taiwanese company in February 2014, effectively mirroring its ownership in the U.S.
Acer Inc.
Acer Inc. (Nasdaq: Acer) is one of the oldest computer manufacturers still in business, and it’s used to being number one. In fact, it’s done so for the past 43 years.
That’s a long time in the technology industry, and it shows in the quality of Acer’s computer hardware and software. The company’s computer line started out as a focused line of affordable laptops, and it’s remained that way ever since.
In recent years, the company’s laptop lineup has expanded to include the Aspire and Timeline models, as well as a high-end Windows laptop called the Predator.
Acer also makes desktop and laptop computers under the Alienware and VIVE brand names, as well as an outdoor computer range called Haier SC-H10 and SC-H20.
Toshiba Corp.
Toshiba Corporation (Nasdaq: TOSB) is perhaps best known for its laptop and home computer lines, but the computer maker also has a few other products that, for various reasons, we’ve put in the honorable mentions section.
The biggest of these is the low-end Satellite laptop, which is targeted at the business market. It’s not the most powerful laptop on the market, but it’s actually pretty affordable. Toshiba also makes a mid-range mobile computer called the Switches, as well as a smartphone, the Axon.
Toshiba is also one of the top computer manufacturers in the world, and though it’s dipped its toe in the water with the Aspire Switch, the company’s full-blown laptop line is still one of the most successful in the industry.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics (Korean: Samsung Group; Seoul Stock Exchange: 1Sam) is the world’s largest technology company, responsible for producing various devices and technologies, including smartphones, TVs, wearable devices, and robots.
In the past decade, Samsung has established itself as one of the leading computer manufacturers in the world, and it’s done so by producing high-quality, affordable devices that target consumers and businesses alike.
In fact, many of Samsung’s products are aimed at every segment of market, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops as well as workstations, handheld computers, and TVs.
In the computer realm, Samsung is perhaps most famous for its line of Windows-based ultrabooks, which are high-quality, affordable, and feature cool DesignWare (software designed to improve the overall user experience) apps.
Compaq Computer Corporation
Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: HPQT) is one of the original computer manufacturers, and it still makes computers that, for the most part, meet or exceed industry standards for reliability, performance, and value.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Compaq was a leader in the personal computer market, with bestselling brands such as HP, Dell, and DELL, as well as a line of affordable laptop computers, the ProBook.
However, the company’s long-term financial struggles led to its sale in 2011 to Lenovo. The sale was completed with the acquisition of several key businesses, including the computer manufacturing operations of Compaq.
The end result was a computer company that, for the most part, was a clone of its original namesake.
Gateway Computer, Inc.
Gateway Computer, Inc. (NYSE: GZTO) is one of the oldest computer manufacturers still in business, and it’s also one of the best known. The company was first publicly traded in 1928, but today its stock trades under a variety of different names, including GTower and G-Technology.
Over the years, the computer company has focused primarily on computer workstations, but it still offers consumer electronics lines under the company sharing name as well. In the computer realm, Gateway is known for its high-quality, affordable laptops, which are great for work or school.
Other Computer Manufacturers
Other Computer Manufacturers (OTCMKF: TCCOM) is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of consumer electronics, including computer, digital camera, and smartphone accessories.
The company is also the world’s largest seller of digital watches, and operates six manufacturing facilities across two countries. In the computer realm, Other specializes in inexpensive devices that target rural or non-technical customers, as well as budget-conscious consumers who want a device that is as reliable as it is affordable.
That said, Other isn’t exactly a household name, and it doesn’t have the cultural cachet of, say, HP or Dell. That could all change, however, if the company can execute its new strategy successfully.
These are the top computer manufacturers today, according to their current market presence and financial performance.