TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Asus laptops account for nearly 40% of the market share in Egypt, CNA reported on Tuesday.

German market research firm GfK reported annual laptop sales in Egypt reached approximately 500,000 units. Asus leads the market, followed by Lenovo and HP.

Kung Huan-tse (龔桓則), Asus's product manager for Egypt, said the number of online gamers in Egypt increased during the pandemic. He said the company's Republic of Gamers Strix SCAR series laptops, designed for gamers, are popular with Egyptian consumers.

Kung said this year's SCAR series laptops, featuring high-end graphics cards and processors, will be among the most premium products in the Egyptian market. He said the company also improved the laptops' cooling systems and added a tool-free design for easier component removal.

The typical computer replacement cycle is four to five years, Kung said. The SCAR series laptops, which began pre-sales at the end of February, are expected to align with a "post-pandemic upgrade wave."

Young Egyptian consumers prefer laptops that balance productivity and gaming capabilities. Kung said the company's gaming laptop sales have increased significantly since the second half of last year, accounting for over 50% of its total laptop sales in Egypt.

Scully Wang (王齊賢), an official with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, said monthly laptop sales of Taiwanese brands in the Middle East are more than 10 times higher than in Egypt. He emphasized that Taiwanese brands should introduce higher-specification models to remain competitive.

According to Micro-Star International Company, Egypt is a promising market with its large young population. The company has increased its investment there, including adding marketing personnel and offering laptop inspection and repair services.

Asus CEO Samson Hu (胡書賓) predicts the company's global personal computer revenue will increase 30% in the second quarter. He added that demand for device upgrades is expected to grow this year as more personal computers with AI computing capabilities become available and Windows 10 reaches its end-of-support in October.