Top 10 hardware brands

Which hardware brands are worth the most?

Big Blue tops the hardware brands

Commoditisation of PCs and servers has hit hardware makers hard - a point underscored by marketing analyst group Brand Finance, which calculates the value of companies' brands. It points to a 40 per cent drop in brand value across the top 10 hardware makers over the past year.

10. NEC
One of five Japanese firms in the top 10. NEC's history can be traced back to 1898, but the venerable firm recently axed 20,000 jobs as revenue and especially operating income fell. Brand value: $4.3bn.

9. Fujitsu
Japanese giant Fujitsu sells a range of hardware, software and services. It recently bought out the Siemens half of a joint venture it had with the German firm, and looks to be making a big push in the server market. Brand value: $4.4bn.

8. Philips
Widely known for its consumer electronics goods, Philips also has a strong brand in some niche areas of IT, particularly in health care systems, though it recently sold off its Pace unit, which makes digital and IP-based TV equipment. Brand value: $5.6bn.

7. Panasonic
Another well-known Japanese brand, Panasonic took over struggling rival Sanyo last year in a deal worth $9bn. Has a wide consumer product range that spans everything from microwave ovens and digital cameras, all the way to women's shavers, but also produces enterprise systems, such as electronic point of sales devices and biometric security equipment. Brand value: $5.8bn.

6. Toshiba
The company that gave the world that infamous 1980s marketing slogan, "Hello Tosh, Gotta Toshiba", makes a vast range of consumer and enterprise IT products, alongside other industrial equipment. Recently, it lost out to Sony in the war over next-generation high definition DVD formats. Brand value: $6.8bn.

5. Dell
Dell has recently branched out into sectors not normally associated with the Texas-based firm, such monitors, printers and switches. Weak demand in the enterprise market has taken its toll on profits, however. Brand value: $8.2bn.

4. Sony
From high-profile consumer electronics, such as the PlayStation 3, to USB memory sticks, Japanese titan Sony has interests in many markets. Recently company bosses said that in future it would be concentrating on building online connectivity into its products, and also focusing on 3D systems, like TVs and digital projectors. Brand value: $11.6bn.

3. Apple
Well known for stylish desktop and laptop systems, the company has added value with eye-catching moves into the portable music players and smartphone markets. To date, more than one billion applications have been downloaded for its iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Brand value: $13.6bn.

2. HP
From its humble printer origins, HP now has a very comprehensive product catalogue across both enterprise and consumer sectors – from desktops, laptops, and printers to high-end network switching systems. Its EDS purchase last year doubled its services business and gave it another way into the enterprise hardware business. Brand value: $23.8bn.

1. IBM
Big Blue tops the chart, although the company once synonymous with business computing has undergone a sea change in recent years. It sold its PC division, including ThinkPad laptop brand, to Chinese firm Lenovo in 2004, but still has four server brands - i, p, x, and z ranges. Continuing strong demand for its z Series mainframes has helped the company to weather the current economic storm. Brand value: $31.5bn.