NEW YORK, USA - QUARTERLY sales of notebook computers have topped those of desktop computers for the first time ever in the United States, market intelligence firm IDC reported on Wednesday.

IDC said notebook sales made up 55.2 per cent of computer sales in the July to September quarter, 18 per cent growth over the same period last year and the first time they have surpassed 50 per cent.

It said a record 9.5 million notebooks were shipped during the quarter.

'These figures were reached amid a relatively active back-to-school season and the burgeoning financial crisis, which captured headlines but did not immediately affect the PC market's performance,' the IDC said.

'The consumer market continued to be the top driving factor in the notebook offensive but the commercial sector played a critical role too,' IDC research manager David Daoud said.

'Prolonged economic tension could have an adverse effect on the PC space leading to reduced growth, but the good news is that virtually every buyer considers PCs as must-have products and not a secondary wish-list items,' he added.