PC gaming could be the salvation of the PC industry.

[Onkel Neal]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/29802...ors_picks=true

Here’s one way that Microsoft could help save the PC market: shut down its Xbox division.

That almost certainly won’t happen, of course. But based on what Intel, Asus, Acer, Lenovo, and others have announced at the IFA show, PC gaming could be the salvation of the PC industry.

And it’s not like this has been a terrifically difficult conclusion to draw, either. Kirk Skaugen, Intel’s senior vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group, appeared at each of the three press events hosted by his PC customers, all with a similar message: Gamers refresh their PCs on average every two to three years, versus five years for the average PC user. And when gamers do buy hardware, they’re willing to pay for it—which is why that at IFA, companies like Acer were launching premium notebooks like the Predator series that cost nearly as much as the $2,000 or so a premium PC could command 20 years ago.

Yeah, gaming is really the only reason many people use PCs now, outside of business.