New research finds that three of the major PC brands have a substantial share of their customers in only a handful of cities. According to the latest research report from MetaFacts – the Brand Profile Report – Sony, eMachines and Apple have more than a quarter of their Home PC installed base in 10 or fewer MSAs – Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Why does this matter?

Although the three brands: Sony, eMachines and Apple, are distributed through national retailers and advertised nationwide, they are on the opposite end of the spectrum from HP/Compaq and Gateway in their actual national footprint. The results are based on 10,691 survey responses drawn from the largest, longest-running, technology census in the U.S. – Technology User Profile- and reported in the recently released Brand Profile Report.

Compared to the overall market, where nearly a quarter (24.7%) of Home PCs are used throughout 14 major cities, 25% of Sony’s installed base is concentrated in only half that many—fewest among the major brands. Even more concerning, 10% of Sony’s market is limited to just two metros; Los Angeles/Long Beach and New York. The eMachines brand, a relative newcomer to the market, is also geographically constrained with 10% of its customer base located in only three metros: Los Angeles/Long Beach, Atlanta and Riverside/San Bernardino. However, with its impending merger with Gateway, the combined installed base is much better diversified. Apple, on the other hand, which has been selling computers for over 20 years, has 10% of its user-base concentrated in only three MSA’s: Chicago, Los Angeles/Long Beach, and New York.