Affected by the bond crisis in Europe and weaker-than-expected demand in China, Taiwan-based motherboard makers have all failed to achieve their shipment goals for 2010. As China has become the largest motherboard market in terms of shipments, makers are all planning to focus mainly on pushing their shipment volumes in China in 2011.

Asustek Computer is estimated to have shipped about 21.6 million branded motherboards in 2010, holding level on year, but lower than its goal of 25 million units. Pegatron Technology's motherboard subsidiary ASRock is estimated to have shipped eight million units, a growth of one million units on year, but still lower than its goal of nine million units.

Gigabyte Technology is estimated to have shipped about 18.5 million motherboards in 2010, staying flat on year, and lower than its goal of 20 million units.

Elitegroup Computer System (ECS) and Micro-Star International (MSI) are estimated to have shipped 6.5 million and seven million units. Although both players had strong OEM orders from first-tier PC vendors, they were unable to achieve their goals for 2010, while seeing their branded motherboard shipment volumes be surpassed by ASRock.

As for the China market, Asustek is expected to have shipped about seven million motherboards in the country, while Gigabyte shipped about 5.5-6 million units, MSI and ECS both shipped less than two million units, and ASRock 800,000 units.

Asustek and Gigabyte have been focusing on the mid-range and high-end motherboard market, which have strong gross margins, and so they were able to maintain their performance, but MSI and ECS, are seeing their branded motherboard shipments dropping, with shipments proportion from the OEM segment rising.