Women are more likely than men to purchase tablets, laptops and smartphones – three out of the four top consumer electronics categories, according to a new study.

Retailer HSN asked 2,000 consumers, ages 18 and older about their buying habits in the consumer tech space. The study, which was conducted in late 2011, asked men and women which products they intend to buy before January 1, 2012.

Women expressed more interest in tablets (18%), laptops (20%) and smartphones (20%). Only 15% of men planned to buy a tablet, while 14% sought a laptop and 17% intended to buy a smartphone.

The only category in which men surpassed female interest was flat screen LCD TVs, with men (19%) favoring the sets over women (17%).

“The tech industry has long been dominated by men — even at CES — but women are really the powerhouse in the household driving purchase decisions,” Jill Braff, executive VP of digital commerce for HSN, told Mashable. “Women are highly engaged with the latest and greatest gadgets and technology.”

The study also found that once a woman owns a product, it’s heavily used over time. Women engage in more digital media activities — including watching full length movies online, downloading music and uploading pictures to the Internet — than men.

When it comes to deciding which electronic devices to buy, about 32% of women — compared to 26% of men — said ease of use was most important.

Women bought an average of 4.7 consumer electronics products in 2010, according to the study. Men purchased an average of 4.2 products. Meanwhile, 88% of women purchased any tech-related item in 2010, compared to 83% of men.

Women are also playing gaming consoles more than they were in previous years, especially on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, the study found. Women (54%) are most interested in social gaming with multi-players, compared to 45% of men. In addition, females are 40% more likely play games on Facebook.

“This is not surprising,” Braff said. “Women love to communicate and interact with others and online entertainment is becoming an extension of that.”

In addition, Braff noted that the most popular tech item purchased from HSN is a purple scanner.

“It’s not just about black, white and gray anymore,” Braff said. “It’s also not just about features – it’s about simplicity, the seamless use of technology and how technology fits into your lifestyle.”

Are you surprised that women buy more tech than men? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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