The worldwide PC market had a healthy start to 2024, with total shipments of desktops and notebooks growing 3.2% annually to 57.2 million units in Q1 2024, according to the latest figures from Canalys. Notebook shipments (including mobile workstations) were up 4.2% to 45.1 million units, while desktop shipments (including desktop workstations) were relatively flat, down just 0.4% at 12.1 million units.
The analyst firm said that, though modest, the growth highlights the ongoing recovery in PC demand across all segments, with purchases set to accelerate throughout the year, supported by the tailwinds of Windows 11 refresh and AI-capable PCs.
‘Growth in the first quarter of 2024 bodes well for a strong PC market throughout the year,’ said Ishan Dutt, principal analyst at Canalys. ‘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. The market is set to go from strength to strength in the coming quarters as customers prioritise upgrades in preparation for a large-scale transition to Windows 11.
‘The current PC installed base is larger and older than ever, presenting a huge opportunity for OEMs and their partners. 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 a compelling value proposition to users who have held off on buying new PCs during the post-pandemic downturn.’
Canalys forecasts that nearly 50 million PCs shipped in 2024 will be AI-capable, integrating a dedicated AI accelerator such as an NPU.
Lenovo led the PC market in Q1 2024 with a 24% market share, delivering strong growth of 8% and shipping 13.7 million notebooks and desktops. Second-placed HP posted a flat performance, shipping 12.0 million units. Dell secured third place but suffered a minor shipment decline of 2% year on year. Apple took fourth place in the vendor rankings with growth of 2.5%, boosted by the launch of new MacBook Air products late in the quarter. Acer rounded out the top five vendors with 3.7 million PCs shipped.
Worldwide desktop and notebook shipments (market share and annual growth)
Canalys PC Market Pulse: Q1 2024
| Vendor | Q1 2024 shipments | Q1 2024 market share | Q1 2023 shipments | Q1 2023 market share | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo | 13,735 | 24.0% | 12,746 | 23.0% | 7.8% |
| HP | 12,029 | 21.0% | 11,999 | 21.6% | 0.3% |
| Dell | 9,273 | 16.2% | 9,481 | 17.1% | -2.2% |
| Apple | 5,361 | 9.4% | 5,231 | 9.4% | 2.5% |
| Acer | 3,727 | 6.5% | 3,523 | 6.4% | 5.8% |
| Others | 13,117 | 22.9% | 12,475 | 22.5% | 5.1% |
| Total | 57,242 | 100.0% | 55,455 | 100.0% | 3.2% |
Note: Unit shipments in thousands. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Source: Canalys PC Analysis (sell-in shipments), April 2024
