PC to Mac sales ratio plummets

This week its been calculated by the analysts at Asymco that in the world of recorded sales for PCs vs Apple's Mac computers, the ratio of the former's sales to the latter is at its lowest since 1997. What we're to understand from this situation is that there are around 16 PC computers sold- that's every other kind of computer you can think of for the home or business, essentially – for every one Mac sold. Those are current day numbers. Compare that to 2004 when that number was closer to 50 to 1 and you'll see the big difference right away – did you see this coming?

Breaking this chart down to the United States, it's a lot closer to an amazing 3 to 1 ratio as Apple's main focus strikes true in its home country. What's most interesting though is Asymco's several charts in one, one of them also including the iPad in with the Macs. If the iPad is considered part of Apple's computer sales, you've got a whole lot smaller a gap between PC and Apple computer sales without a doubt.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Apple sold 4.9 million laptops and desktops. In Q4 of 2010 Apple sold 3.9 million laptops and desktops, and in Q4 of 2009 they sold 3 million. Of course these numbers can be attributed not only to struggling PC makers in general, but to Apple's massively successful launch of several products in the past few years such as the iPhone, the iPad, and the MacBook Air.

Even when the mobile products aren't counted in the big chart, Asymco shows plainly that Apple is not only ramping up, they're pushing the PC world down as they do it. Check the timeline below for more Asymco analysis action!

[via Asymco]