Lenovo and HP Control 50 Percent of the Notebook Market in 2Q20

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers, commercial clients, and schools scrambled to purchase mobile productivity devices once thought to be redundant, driving 27% year-on-year growth for notebook shipments, according to Strategy Analytics. Now up for debate is whether demand from the back-to-school and holiday seasons were pulled forward due to the pandemic or if this just the beginning of a new growth era for Notebook PCs.

“The main reason for all vendors’ success in improving supply chain demand is by working closely with channel and retail partners. Most vendors started the quarter by delivering panic buy/backlog orders which were held back in March due to the lockdown imposed on majority of the countries. However, as the quarter progressed, all the vendors managed to fulfil customers’ requirements on time by working closely with channel partners (including retail) to deliver products more efficiently and in a timely manner,“ said Chirag Upadhyay, Senior Research Analyst at Strategy Analytics.

The biggest surprise of the quarter was the robust demand generated from consumers buying their own devices for work, studying, and play despite tough economic headwinds. Gaming proved to be an effective distraction in a physically isolated world. Chromebooks, in particular, experienced high demand from schools and consumers to support e-learning efforts. How these behaviors develop during and after the pandemic will be closely studied to determine the direction of the notebook market long-term.