Global PC shipments have seen a healthy start to the year with shipments of desktops and notebooks increasing in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024.
This is based on insights by research firm Canalys, which says total shipments of desktops and notebooks increased by 3.2% annually to 57.2 million units.
The report reveals that notebook shipments (including mobile workstations) rose by 4.2% to 45.1 million units, while desktop shipments (including desktop workstations) remained relatively flat, down just 0.4% at 12.1 million units.
The firm says that this “modest” growth highlights the ongoing recovery in PC demand across all segments, fuelled by the upcoming Windows 11 refresh and the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI)-capable PCs later in the year.
“Vendors and the channel have been working through some final stages of inventory corrections, and macroeconomic conditions in certain markets continue to limit demand. But the strength of the refresh opportunity, particularly from businesses, is beginning to come to the fore,” says Ishan Dutt, principal analyst at Canalys.
Lenovo dominated with 24% market share and 13.7 million units shipped, up 8% yearly. HP took second with 12 million units, trailed by Dell's 9.2 million (down 2.2%). Apple captured 9.4% share with 5.3 million shipments, while Acer rounded out the top five at 6.5% with 3.7 million units.
Canalys forecasts nearly 50 million AI-capable PCs with dedicated AI accelerators like neural processing units will ship in 2024, presenting a major opportunity for original equipment manufacturers. The aging installed base and businesses prioritising upgrades are also key drivers.
"The wider introduction of AI-capable PCs in the second half of the year will also give the market a boost, delivering much-needed innovation and value proposition to users who have held off on buying new PCs during the post-pandemic downturn," concludes Dutt.
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