Across Europe, we are transforming into a continent of content-craving
‘connect-aholics’, according to the findings of the AMD
European Connectivity Study of over 5,000 online respondents. Sponsored
by AMD, in conjunction with independent research company, YouGov, 77%
of respondents said they could not live without daily access to the
internet.
This was higher than any other item including access to a car (54%) and
to a washing machine (61%). This trend follows the findings of an
earlier AMD survey* which stated that almost all (99%) of the
respondents would rather part with their digital camera, Blackberry, or
MP3 player than their notebook.
“All of the research indicates that consumers have a primary use
in mind when considering the purchase of either a notebook or desktop
PC. Providing a balanced platform that is optimized for these different
usage models – specifically activities that focus on home, work
and play – will likely be key in addressing the needs of
consumers tomorrow. Notebooks are no longer just about flexibility or
working on the go, they are about delivering a true HD multimedia
experience to the user. As performance and computer processing
accelerates, society can expect to see a fusion of quality multimedia
content and connectivity. The results of the survey show that AMD has
chosen the right strategy so far and that, as technology develops, it
is ready to continue to deliver The Ultimate Visual Experience™
and high performance for multi-tasking to its customers,” said
Nigel Dessau, SVP and CMO, AMD.
Content-craving
A major factor fuelling this connection-addiction seems to be the
thirst for content. Europeans are now clicking the mouse shortly after
clicking the camera, with 81% of respondents saying that they have
uploaded digital photos in the past year. This trend for consuming and
sharing content is also reflected in videos and music. Across Europe,
77% had watched videos on YouTube or similar sites, and 66% had
downloaded music.
This visual appetite can in part be explained by Europeans’ love
for gaming. 76% of the respondents said that they had engaged in gaming
over the last year on either a notebook or a desktop PC. Furthermore,
51% had downloaded and 43% had streamed films over the last year. In
addition, 14% of the respondents said that they watch Blu-ray films,
indicating that this technology is gaining momentum across Europe.
‘The PC as the ultimate digital entertainment device has become
ubiquitous as consumers recognise the value of having one central
appliance to both manage and interact with the vast array of content
included in today’s full entertainment library. Be it desktop or
notebook, the capabilities of the modern PC allows for a ‘one
device for all’ philosophy and the potential replacement of TVs
in the future is not as far-fetched as we might once have
believed,’ said Jochen Polster, director, marketing, EMEA at AMD.
Focus on Enhanced Visual Quality
The findings from the survey also suggest that consumers are looking
for an HD visual experience from their notebooks. Almost half (46%) of
the respondents said that graphics play a large part in their
purchasing decision when choosing a notebook with males more likely to
expect to have a better visual experience (51%) compared to females
(37%). Interestingly, 59% of 18-24 year olds surveyed said that one of
their considerations for purchasing a notebook is the graphics quality.
“Generation Y uses their notebook in a different way to
today’s average consumer, with an expectation that it will
deliver the stunning visuals they are accustomed to in everyday life,
specifically for content like high-end PC gaming and watching movies.
AMD is focused on enabling Hollywood feature-film quality realism
without compromising performance to redefine the mobile computing
experience for the next generation of consumers,” said Jochen
Polster, AMD.
Price Performance
The variety of activities that consumers are carrying out on their
notebooks mean that people are now treating them as a serious purchase,
expecting choice based on a variety of performance factors. As wallets
tighten across Europe, consumers are expecting high performance but for
a good price, as 80% said that cost would affect their purchasing
decision. Surprisingly, the respondents also revealed that they would
be willing to spend more on a new desktop computer than a notebook,
with the average estimate across Europe for the price of their next
desktop being €792 compared to just €713 for a notebook.
“Historically notebooks have been more expensive than a desktop
equivalent, but now the market has evened out with our survey results
showing that it is now desktops where the consumer is willing to
invest,” said Jochen Polster, AMD. “Consumers have started
to perceive the desktop PC as a multifunctional alternative to PVRs,
Blu-ray players and TVs. We are now in the era of the PC home hub,
where media centre PC systems are central to the digital home of the
future, providing a simple way to create, access, share and consume
entertainment.”
Overall Growth of Notebook Sales
IDC's latest market report1 confirmed that PC shipments recorded a 27%
increase in EMEA in the third quarter of 2008 compared with the same
quarter last year. The report concluded that notebooks continued to
drive market overall growth by 52% as consumer demand in Western Europe
showed no signs of slowing down. The AMD European Connectivity Study
backs up this report as, when asked what they would prefer as their
next home computer, 48% of respondents said a notebook, 32% said a
desktop PC and 14% said a netbook (mini notebook). This data would also
suggest that while demand remains strong across all formats, only 6%
did not know or had no preference when it came to their next computer
purchase, the notebook is still viewed as the most popular device.
“Usage patterns of desktops and notebooks are changing
dramatically. While desktops are being embraced as a home entertainment
hub, notebooks are increasingly chosen to enable a rich media
experience on the go,” said Eszter Morvay, Senior Research
Analyst, European Personal Computing at IDC. “With consumers
becoming more and more educated, purchase decisions are more frequently
driven by the best value for money. Design, content and ease of use are
at the top of consumers’ minds when buying a new notebook.
Therefore they will have to offer a rich feature set for a reasonable
price.”
About the Survey
YouGov interviewed 5148 respondents online
between September 17th- September 30th. Respondents were interviewed
from France, Germany, Russia, Spain and the UK. The survey asked
respondents questions about their computing habits, specifically
looking at notebook usage and connectivity.