Computers outrank peace, happiness and clothes this year as the most wished-for gifts, according to an annual U.S. survey by the consumer electronics industry's largest trade organization.

'The fact that they want computers over clothing and peace and happiness is amazing.'—Shawn DuBravac, Consumer Electronics Association

Last year, the most popular answer to the survey's open-ended query about holiday desires was clothing, followed by peace and happiness, money and then computers. This year, peace and happiness came second, after computers, followed by a big-screen TV, clothes and then money.

Enthusiasm for computers, TVs and other electronics will help drive electronics sales in America up seven per cent from a year ago to $48.1 billion US in the fourth quarter, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.

By comparison, the overall U.S. retail industry is forecast to see holiday sales grow four per cent, according to the National Retail Federation.

"We're looking at a very solid season for consumer electronics, and it's certainly a bright spot for the economy," said Joe Bates, CEA's director of research.

For all of 2007, electronics sales in the United States are expected to reach $160 billion US, up eight per cent from last year, according to the CEA forecast. The organization's annual survey of holiday hopes and intentions involved random telephone calls to 1,003 adults in late September; the poll claims a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

"The fact that they want computers over clothing and peace and happiness is amazing," said CEA economist Shawn DuBravac.

"It's a testament to what the tech industry has done to empower the consumer."

People are doing more with their computers, such as posting videos or writing blogs, Bates said. Demand for laptops is particularly strong, "and you can buy a more powerful one and at a lower price than what you paid four years ago," he said.

The survey indicated consumers plan to spend bit more on gadget gifts this year: $358 US per household versus $337 US in 2006.

Gaming consoles expected to be hot holiday seller

Gifts will account for about 46 per cent of electronics sales in the fourth quarter, while the rest will come from purchases people make for themselves — a typical shopping pattern during the holiday period, Bates said.

As for specific gizmos people want to receive as gifts, portable music players topped the list for the third year in a row. Laptops rose to second place from third and video game systems displaced digital cameras to come in third.

Gaming will be hotter this year, Bates said, since all the next-generation consoles have been out for at least a year and have a larger library of software.

A video game system was the most popular item people planned to give as an electronics gift this year, according to the survey.