IDC: PC shipments in 2021 may reach 344.7 million units
Research organization IDC predicts that traditional PC shipments will reach 344.7 million units this year. As for the overall situation of the PC market, IDC believes that with the purchase of computer equipment for remote work and learning by individuals and companies in the past two years, PC shipments are at the highest level in a decade, and shipments are expected to continue to grow in the next 5 years, although growth may slow down. IDC also stated that restrictions on PC supply in the foreseeable future will remain.
Jitesh Ubrani, IDC Mobile and Consumer Device Research Manager said:
“The market has pulled past peak pandemic PC demand. While we have seen some slowing of consumer demand in certain segments and markets, demand for gaming remains an exception and overall consumer demand is well above pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, the onset of saturation in some education markets is another cause for lower expectations in the coming quarters.”
IDC’s report shows that PC market shipments in 2021 are expected to reach 344.7 million units, an increase of 13.5% over 2020. People’s demand for new computers is reflected in all market segments. The shipment of commercial computers is very strong, and the sales of consumer-grade computer products are also much higher than the level before the epidemic. However, the growth rate of the latter has slowed down, while the demand for gaming computers has reached a record high.
The report also pointed out that the slowdown in consumer computer shipments is likely due to manufacturers giving priority to the demand for commercial computers during production because the volume of OEMs is generally larger than that of education and consumer markets. The slowdown in consumer computer shipments is expected to continue in 2022, but in the long run, the consumer PC market will continue to grow in the next 5 years.
IDC predicts that the PC market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.3% in the next 5 years. The main growth force will be notebook computers, but the demand for desktop computers should be equally strong. However, the growth of both will be subject to the same factor: supply chain constraints. Whether it is CPU or various IC chips, there are varying degrees of shortages. Therefore, the price of PCs should continue to be high in the coming year.
