PC Sales Fell 13.25 Percent in 2023 to 250.7 Million Units

PC makers sold just 250.7 million PCs in 2023, a decline of 13.25 percent year-over-year (YOY) when compared to the 289 million units sold in 2022. That’s the fewest PCs sold since 2006, and a far cry from the pandemic-high 344.3 million units that PC makers sold in 2021.

As always, these numbers are averages of figures provided by Gartner and IDC, both of which predict PC market growth in 2024.

“The PC market has hit the bottom of its decline after significant adjustment,” Gartner director Mikako Kitagawa said. “Inventory was normalized in the fourth quarter of 2023, which had been an issue plaguing the industry for two years. Demand and supply are finally balanced. However, this situation will likely change due to the anticipated component price hike 2024, as well as geopolitical and economic uncertainties.”

“While the market was down again in 2023 in terms of shipments, there is a lot of positive momentum for PCs looking forward,” IDC group vice president Ryan Reith added. “While AI has clearly captured everyone’s attention, it shouldn’t be overlooked that 2024 is expected to be a strong year for commercial PC refresh, and the advancements around gaming PCs continue to drive market excitement.”

Lenovo remained the world’s biggest maker of PCs in 2024, having sold an estimated 59.4 million units, achieving 23.7 percent market share. HP was again the second-biggest maker of PCs, with 52.9 million units sold, for 21.1 percent market share. Dell (40.1 million, 16 percent), Apple (21.8 million, 8.7 percent), and ASUS (17 million, 6.7 percent) rounded out the top five.

PC sales declined in every quarter in 2023, but the market almost recovered in the final quarter, with PC makers selling 65.24 million units, down just 1.5 percent from the 66.25 million sold in the year-ago quarter.