Global PC market in the doldrums, notebooks suffer largest 34% decline

New Delhi: Notebook shipments suffered a large decline in the first quarter of 2023, falling 34 per cent year-on-year to 41.8 million units, as the first three months of this year brought further turmoil to the global PC market.

According to market research firm Canalys, Q1 2023 represents the largest shipment decline for the worldwide PC market this year, with recovery to begin in the second half of this year and gather momentum in 2024.

Desktop shipments performed slightly better, undergoing a 28 per cent decline to 12.1 million units.

“Most of the issues that plagued the industry in the second half of last year have extended into the start of 2023,” said Ishan Dutt, senior analyst.

Channel partners have indicated that their inventory levels have been reducing but remain high in absolute terms.

About 39 per cent of partners surveyed by Canalys in January 2023 reported having more than five weeks of PC inventory, with 18 per cent reporting nine weeks or more.

“Meanwhile, demand across all customer segments remains dampened, with more pressure arising from further interest rate increases in the US, Europe and other markets, where reducing inflation is a top priority,” Dutt added.

The total shipments of desktops and notebooks declined 33 per cent to 54 million units in Q1 2023, representing the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit annual declines.

Lenovo, with a market share of 24 per cent, topped the market for shipments of desktops and notebooks but suffered a large annual decline of 30 per cent, down 12.7 million units.

HP claimed second place, undergoing a less dramatic drop of 24 per cent to 12 million units of shipments.

Third-placed Dell posted shipments of 9.5 million units, down 31 per cent and falling below the 10-million-unit mark for the first time since Q1 2018.