Global PC shipments increased in 2024, says IDC

IDC predicts the administration change in the US as well as the potential increase in tariffs will see brands looking to get ahead in their strategies.

A total of 68.9 million PCs were shipped in the fourth quarter of 2024, representing a 1.8% growth from the previous year. The preliminary results from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker also revealed that a total of 262.7 million PCs were shipped in 2024, a 1% increase from 2023.

According to Jitesh Ubrani, research manager with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, while the global PC market has experienced a slower return to growth, there was some room for optimism in the fourth quarter of 2024. For example, government subsidies for PCs in China led to better-than-expected performance within the consumer segment.

"Beyond that, the US and some European countries also showed strong performance due to end-of-year sale promotions, as well as enterprises continuing on the path of upgrading hardware before the end of support for Windows 10 which is scheduled for October 2025,” said Ubrani.

In 2025, The global PC market continues to experience increasing demand due from many reasons. Apart from companies upgrading devices due to the end of support for Windows 10, the increased number of employees returning to work in office is also contributing to the increased sales.

At the same time, IDC predicts that administration change in the US as well as the potential increase in tariffs will see brands looking to get ahead in their strategies. While China remains a key manufacturer for PCs, some manufacturers will be relooking into their PC supply chain as a preventive measure around US tariffs on goods made in China.

“The overall macroeconomic concerns seem to be overshadowing some of the progress and excitement around AI PCs. However, we maintain the view that the impact that on-device AI will have on the industry will be positive, even if the inflection point is delayed,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC's Worldwide Device Trackers.

Reith also pointed out that the push for new AI PCs would still be challenging for some companies, especially with many organizations looking to cut and manage their budgets better. However, Reith also believes that there is an increased need for AI PCs, given how businesses are investing in the technology.

“When the industry is trying to push new AI PCs that come with higher cost at a time when use cases are still being vetted and budgets are tight, that is clearly going to be a challenge. But on-device AI for PCs is inevitable, therefore, right now it is about suppliers trying to be patient as their customers are dealing with headwinds unrelated to these technology advancements,” said Reith.

Looking at device makers, Lenovo reported at 24.5% market share, a 4.8% growth in the fourth quarter of last year compared to the same period the previous year, shipping 16.9 million devices. HP came in second with 13.7 million devices and a 19.9% market share, dropping 1.7% from the previous year. Dell Technologies, Apple and Asus completed the top five PC market share.

In 2024, Lenovo also continued to dominate the global market share for PCs, with a 4.7% increase at 61.8 million units. While HP, Apple and Asus also recorded growth throughout the year, Dell Technologies witnessed a 2.2% decline in global PC shipments. Dell Technologies also recently announced at CES that it will be revamping its PC portfolio.