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Apple once again tops PC satisfaction index

Apple once again tops the ACSI satisfaction index as consumers embrace mobility, leaving the likes of HP, Dell and Toshiba playing catch-up.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer

Cupertino-based Apple once again trumps every major PC manufacturer in a new customer survey carried out by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

The ACSI polled over 2,700 Americans over the months of April and May, and got them to rate their experiences with recently purchased desktops, notebooks, and tablets as sold by Apple, Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba. The remaining OEMs have been grouped into a category called "All Others."

Apple tops ACSI index
(Source: ACSI)

The ACSI, which has been carrying out surveys since 1995, puts Apple’s overall satisfaction score at 87 out of a possible 100, one point higher than last year and equaling Apple's best score to date.

Apple's closest competition comes from HP, with a score of 80, with Dell coming in at third with 79. Overall, both HP and Toshiba increased their ACSI score by a point compared to 2012, while Dell and Acer both suffered a drop of two points, to 79 and 77 respectively.

The OEMs grouped into the "All Others" category saw their scores drop by four points to 76.

"Microsoft's revamped Windows 8 operating system does not seem to have provided a bounce in sales or in customer satisfaction for these manufacturers," said ACSI director David VanAmburg. "Moreover, the vast majority of devices offered by HP, Dell, and other smaller PC makers are desktops or laptops — a category that consumers find less gratifying than tablets."

Mobility, it seems, is attractive.

"What we're seeing in our data is the same as what we're seeing in PC sales, that the trend toward greater mobility continues to gather steam," VanAmburg said. "Mobility is so attractive [it is] driving people away from PCs."

The survey gives us – and the OEMs – a clear indication of what consumers what from a PC. At the top of the list is size and visual appeal, followed by availability of accessories, software and apps, and graphics quality. 

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