EMEA PC Gaming Devices Will Post Solid Growth Through to 2023

EMEA PC Gaming Devices Will Post Solid Growth Through to 2023
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The EMEA market for gaming desktops and notebooks declined in the first quarter of 2019, dropping 4.9% YoY and totaling 2 million units, according to IDC. Growth of 6.8% is expected for the full year 2019, however, to reach 9 million units. By the end of 2023 the market is expected to increase to 11.4 million units with a four-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%.

"In Western Europe, the PC gaming market was constrained by high consumer inventory after a weaker 2018 holiday season, combined with the weakening of consumer confidence as a result of political uncertainties in major economies," said Liam Hall, senior research analyst, Western Europe, IDC. "However, PC gaming will bounce back with strong growth in the second half of 2019, supported by the resolution of inventory issues and the anticipated price drops of key components such as panels and memory.

The CEMA PC gaming market declined 8.2% YoY during 1Q19. The CEE and MEA regions decreased, with a stronger contraction in the MEA region. The decline came after strong double-digit increases in the 2017 and 2018 quarters and stagnation in 4Q18. Stronger growth rates are anticipated from the end of 2019, driven by the introduction of new processors and graphic cards, as well as the wider gaming PC range, from affordable to premium, across both product categories.

Desktop capacity to offer configurations with the highest technological specifications, and accessibility to adjust these components when necessary, will enable the product category to maintain a strong foothold among hardcore gamers. Nevertheless, there will be an ongoing shift toward notebook gaming as more casual players enter the market.

On the notebook side, performance-grade GPUs will continue to hold the lion's share of the market, as casual gamers with less intensive specification requirements will make up the bulk of the market. Premium-grade GPUs will continue to increase their market share as ASPs become more attractive and the higher-level specs are fully utilized. Launches of interesting new form factors in 2019, such as dual-screen notebooks, will boost consumer interest and renewal rates, with pickup by early adopters in the second half of 2019 and then stronger mainstream adoption in 2020.

EMEA Gaming Tracker, 2019-2023 (Shipments in Thousands)

Category

2019 Shipments

2019 Share

2023 Shipments

2023 Share

2019-2023 CAGR

Desktop

3,054

33.9%

2,955

25.9%

-0.0%

Notebook

5,947

66.1%

8,471

74.1%

9.2%

Total

9,002

100.0%

11,427

100.0%

6.1%