Notebook sales push PC industry hit $250 bn-mark in 2021

Fuelled by work-from-home by professionals and remote learning by students, total personal computer (PC) shipments last year went up to 341 million units, which was 15 per cent higher than 2020 and 27% higher than 2019, as per a report by Canalys.

The report also claimed that notebooks and mobile workstations continued to lead the charge, with shipments of these devices growing 16% in 2021 to reach 275 million units. Desktop and desktop workstation shipments increased 7% in 2021 to reach 66 million units.  

The PC industry’s revenues crossed $250 billion in 2021 against $220 billion in 2020, up by 15 per cent year-on-year (YoY). While Lenovo ruled the PC market at 82.1 million units, HP came second at 74.1 million units followed by Dell at 59.3 million units in 2021. From a market standpoint, EMEA and Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) were bright spots, as shipments grew by double digits over previous year. 

“2021 was a watershed year in the history of the PC market, with the PC’s place at the centre of work, learning and leisure truly cemented,” said Ishan Dutt, Senior Analyst at Canalys. “For the market to post double-digit growth over an impressive 2020, despite the constant cloud of supply constraints, speaks volumes about how strong PC demand has been over the last 12 months.” 

During the year that went by, the worldwide shipments of desktops, notebooks and workstations grew one per cent during Q4 2021 YoY to 92 million units over 91 million a year ago. Furthermore, the total value of Q4 shipments estimated at $70 billion, an annual increase of 11 per cent over Q4 2020, as per Canalys. 

Rushabh Doshi, Principal Analyst at Canalys, said, “As PC vendors navigate an ever more complicated situation, consumer spending patterns are shifting. We will see revenue growth in the industry from spending on premium PCs, monitors, accessories and other technology products that enable us to work from anywhere, collaborate around the world and remain ultra-productive. The importance of faster, better, more resilient and more secure PCs has never been greater, and the industry is willing to innovate and push the boundaries to keep this momentum going.”