Apple's iMac, MacBook Pro top U.S. October PC sales

According to new data from the NPD Group, as told to CNet, Apple took advantage of a down month for PCs, as most hardware manufacturers were looking to clear their existing inventory before the launch of Windows 7 late in the month.

The new 21.5-inch iMac was the best-selling desktop machine for October, while the 27-inch model reportedly came in third.

In addition, the entry-level $1,199 MacBook Pro was the top-selling notebook. In fact, Apple took four of the top 10 positions in U.S. for notebook sales, securing 8th, 9th and 10th place.

Full details on the month's sales, such as actual numbers, were not provided. But last month, AppleInsider had a glimpse at Apple's strong October, and what it could mean for the rest of the quarter as 2009 comes to a close.

Last month, it was revealed that Mac sales were up 7 percent year-over-year for the month of October. That month is traditionally Apple's toughest segment of the fourth quarter of the calendar year.

Mac sales were estimated to be up a whopping 45 percent year-over-year in October, bolstered by the introduction of Apple's newly redesigned iMac. The strong month has led to predictions of 2.9 million Macs sold for the quarter, a 14 percent increase from 2008.

Last quarter, Apple had its best three-month frame ever, recording sales of 3 million Macs. That helped to boost profits 46 percent to $1.67 billion for the September frame.