Gartner: PC Shipments Grew 2.3 Percent in 4Q19 and 0.6 Percent for the Year

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 70.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2019, a 2.3% increase from the fourth quarter of 2018, according to preliminary results by Gartner. For the year 2019, PC shipments surpassed 261 million units, showing 0.6% growth from 2018.

“The PC market experienced growth for the first time since 2011, driven by vibrant business demand for Windows 10 upgrades, particularly in the U.S., EMEA and Japan,“ said Mikako Kitagawa, senior principal analyst at Gartner. “We expect this growth to continue through this year even after Windows 7 support comes to an end this month, as many businesses in emerging regions such as China, Eurasia and the emerging Asia/Pacific have not yet upgraded.“

Despite chip constraints, the top three vendors increased their combined market share through 2019 to the highest level since Gartner began tracking PC data. Lenovo, HP and Dell accounted for nearly 65% of PC shipments in the quarter. Lenovo maintained its No. 1 position in the worldwide PC market and widened its share over HP. With the exception of the Asia/Pacific, they have recorded growth in all regions. In the U.S. alone, Lenovo’s desktop PC shipments rose more than 30% compared with a year ago.

HP experienced its third quarter in a row of shipment growth, and kept its top position in the U.S., EMEA and Latin America. However, it is facing aggressive competition from Lenovo and Dell. Dell finished the fourth quarter of 2019 with a record number of shipments, exceeding 12 million units for the first time since Gartner started tracking PC shipments. Dell’s shipments grew in all regions at a much higher rate compared with the regional average, due in large part to its particularly strong desktop PC growth.

The U.S. PC market grew 4.6% in the fourth quarter of 2019 with double-digit growth of desktop PCs for the first time since 2014. Only two of the top vendors experienced a decline in U.S. PC shipments, compared with four in the fourth quarter of 2018. PC shipments in EMEA increased 3.6% to 21 million units, with the fourth quarter marking the second consecutive period of shipment growth as regional demand improves. In Western Europe, the required Windows 10 upgrade outweighed any uncertainty surrounding Brexit. However, negative consumer confidence in the U.K. translated into the delay of many PC purchases.

The Asia/Pacific PC market totaled 22 million units in the fourth quarter of 2019, a 6.1% decline from the fourth quarter of 2018. This marks the region’s fifth straight quarter of decline. The decline can be attributed to weaker PC spending in China, the country that represents around 60% of the total Asia/Pacific PC market, over political and trade concerns. Worldwide PC shipments totaled 261.2 million units in 2019, a 0.6% increase from 2018. This was the first time in seven years that the global PC market experienced growth.