Macs Beat Windows PCs in American Customer Satisfaction Index

An American Customer Satisfaction Index report released Tuesday shows that PC satisfaction steadily improved in 2010 with Macs easily besting Windows PCs by a score of 86 to 78.

Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Acer and other PC makers achieved higher ratings this year than they did in 2009: They all tied with a satisfaction rating of 77. The year before, all PC makers scored a 74 rating -- except for Dell which had a score of 75.

But Apple's satisfaction rating also rose last year, blowing past its rivals with a score of 86, up from 84 in 2009. This year marks the seventh straight year in which Apple led the PC category.

"The biggest asset Apple has had for a long time is its commitment to innovation," said David VanAmburg, managing director of ACSI, an Ann Arbor-based research group. "Others are improving, but the whole world watches Apple when it comes up with its new products each year."