IDC Middle East and Africa has said the personal computer (desktops, laptops excluding netbooks) shipments across the Gulf region had dropped 11.47% to 874,447 units during the first quarter of 2009. The total value of the sales was $869.63m, a drop of 9.57% compared to $961.6m in the first quarter of last year, IDC has said. However, there was 15% growth is the sales of Netbooks. The UAE market was the weakest in the region, followed by Kuwait, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt performed better than expected; consumer demand has not been affected much in these markets, IDC said.