While computers nowadays can perform a lot more tasks than 7-10 years ago, actual end-users and hardware enthusiasts still look for additional performance, not features when acquiring new PC hardware or PCs, says a poll hosted by X-bit labs web-site.

About 48% of respondents of a survey by X-bit labs said increased performance is the main driver for PC-related purchases. Another 38% considered higher speed and expanded set of features as the primary motive for new hardware purchase. Only 9% of respondents acquire new hardware to gain some new capabilities, while 5% of surveyed bought expensive equipment for computers because it was prestigious to own.

X-bit labs believes that the poll shows that the majority, about 50%, of consumers still seek for additional performance from new computers and do not bid on new capabilities of innovative hardware on the market. About 1/10 of users prefer to have hardware that can do more sorts of tasks than their previous equipment, which is not a lot. Still, we find it healthy that more than 1/3 of respondents consider performance and features in conjunction, which may mean that they maintain 2-3 years cycle for PCs and hardware and migrate to new technologies when the old is morally, physically and performance-wise outdated.

Leading developers and makers and of computer technologies have been offering additional speed in conjunction with additional functionality of their products throughout the history of computing. During the most-recent years industry giants like Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp. said that additional functionality is now crucially important for further development of the information technology. The corner-stones of next-generation computing under Windows Longhorn operating system and beyond are considered PC virtualization, additional security and extremely efficient media and entertainment distribution within home technology ecosystem.

The X-bit labs poll has surveyed about 2 thousand of respondents among technology enthusiasts starting Monday, October 11, 2004.