Customers looking for laptops at Best Buy in Los Angeles.
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Many people and businesses continue to buy computers, extending the boom that began last year during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people needed computers to work or go to school from home.
PC shipments to retailers and other vendors increased 32% in the first quarter of 2021 from the same quarter in 2020, according to a new Gartner estimate. The research firm said it was the highest PC growth rate it had followed since 2000 and estimated that 69.9 million laptops and desktops were shipped in the quarter.
PC shipments fell sharply in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic before being picked up later in the year, making the comparison easier. But the boom is also absolutely real: total PC shipments were also the highest they have been since 2015, when they reached 71.7 million, according to Gartner.
Gartner statistics do not include Chromebooks, which are low-cost laptops that run on a browser-designed operating system designed by Google and are popular among schools. Including Chromebooks, Gartner estimates that the PC market grew 47% in terms of shipments during the quarter.
Monday’s report suggests that PC sales are historically strong right now and that a boom in PC sales from home may not end as offices remember more workers and students return to school. Statistics also suggest that PCs will continue to need many new chips and other components during a global semiconductor shortage.
“We believe that at least this year, especially in the first half of this year, PC demand will remain strong. The question is what strength will the second half of this year have until next year? come on, ”said Mikako Kitagawa, a Gartner researcher. CNBC.
The first quarter is usually a slow time for PC sales, especially compared to the holiday quarter.
Kitagawa said this quarter’s results could have been even stronger had it not been for global chip shortages and other supply chain problems that are forcing some PC vendors to say they will ship computers months later. ‘usual.
“The supply chain was completely disrupted a year ago and the supply chain is being disrupted right now due to the global shortage of semiconductors,” Kitagawa said.
According to the report, the main PC manufacturers are Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple, Acer and Asus.
Other sales estimates also suggest a hot PC market during the period: Canalys estimates the PC market grew 55% in the quarter, and IDC also grew 55%.