Gartner: global PC shipments grew 3.6% in 2020 Q3

In Q3 of 2020, Gartner reports that the global PC shipments totaled 71.4mn, a 3.6% increase compared to 2019. According to the consultant’s preliminary results the market growth is a result of increased consumer demand for PCs for home entertainment and distance learning needs during the ongoing pandemic, as well as the US PC market experiencing the strongest growth in 10 years.

“This quarter had the strongest consumer PC demand that Gartner has seen in five years. The market is no longer being measured in the number of PCs per household; rather, the dynamics have shifted to account for one PC per person. While PC supply chain disruptions tied to the COVID-19 pandemic have been largely resolved, this quarter saw shortages of key components, such as panels, as a result of this high consumer demand,” commented Mikako Kitagawa, research director at Gartner. 

“The business PC market had a more cautious dynamic this quarter. Businesses have continued to buy PCs for remote work, but the focus has shifted from urgent device procurement towards cost optimization. However, enterprise spending remained strong where government funding for distance learning and remote work has fueled device purchases, such as in the U.S. and Japan.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Chromebook shipments grew by 90% in Q3 compared to 2019 (figures not included in Gartner’s traditional PC market results)
• Worldwide - including Chromebooks - the total PC market grew 9% year on year, with Cromebook representing 11% of the combined PC/Chromebook market
• Top three vendors in the traditional PC market remained the same: Lenovo, HP In., and Dell, however, consumer orientated vendors - Apple Acer Group and Asus - outpaced the rest of the market with their growth rates
• Lenovo remains at number one with its shipments increasing to more than 18mn units in Q3 for the first time ever
• Most vendor vendors including Lenovo, HP Inc., and Dell had a decline in desktop shipments, with HP Inc experiencing a decline of 30% year on year
• Dell’s run of 17 consecutive quarters of year on year growth ended with its 4.6% decline in Q3 

With the US market having a particularly strong quarter, Kitagawa commented that, “Mobile PC demand in the U.S. market surged as the shift from desktop to mobile PCs became a common practice across public and private businesses, even with many companies partially bringing their workers back to the office. PC demands in the U.S. were also backed by the gradual economic recovery throughout the quarter, including a rebound in employment and an improved consumer confidence index.”  

HP was top of the US PC maret with a 30.8% market share for shipments, while Dell followed with 25%. 

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