Pandemic-fuelled growth has led to another stellar year for the resurgent PC market. According to the latest IDC estimates, total PC shipments reached 348.8 million units in 2021, representing a significant 14.8 per cent increase over 2020.
Jitesh Urbrani, an IDC research manager, hailed the growth as “a return to form for the PC,” adding that “the overall PC market has reset at a much higher level than before the pandemic.”
The top three vendors remain unchanged, with Lenovo, HP and Dell continuing to lead the way, but a fourth-quarter slowdown has tempered expectations.
| Company | 2021 Shipments | 2021 Market Share | 2020 Shipments | 2020 Market Share | 2021/2020 Growth |
| 1. Lenovo | 81,935 | 23.5% | 71,832 | 23.6% | 14.1% |
| 2. HP Inc. | 74,104 | 21.2% | 67,782 | 22.3% | 9.3% |
| 3. Dell Technologies | 59,303 | 17.0% | 50,297 | 16.6% | 17.9% |
| 4. Apple | 27,775 | 8.0% | 22,754 | 7.5% | 22.1% |
| 5. Acer Group | 23,906 | 6.9% | 20,977 | 6.9% | 14.0% |
| Others | 81,777 | 23.4% | 70,218 | 23.1% | 16.5% |
| Total | 348,800 | 100.0% | 303,860 | 100.0% | 14.8% |
Tom Mainelli, IDC’s group vice president of device and consumer research, suggests “a challenging logistical environment, coupled with ongoing supply-side shortages, meant that the PC market could have been even larger than it was in 2021.”
“We closed the year with many buyers still waiting for their PC orders to ship. As we move through the first half of the year, we expect supply to remain constrained, especially with regards to the commercial segment where demand is the most robust.”
Though supply-chain issues are expected to continue throughout 2022, the arrival of Windows 11 and new processors from both Intel and AMD provide plenty of reason for the market to remain upbeat and optimistic in the months ahead.
