Thomas Alsop
Research expert covering the global hardware industry
Laptops & notebooks - statistics & facts
The market for laptop and notebook devices has experienced immense growth in recent times, supported by the normalization of hybrid and remote work. The market has also sought to make available a variety of products at a range of price points, allowing consumers and enterprises alike to obtain a device that fits their financial, as well as functional, needs. However, the slowdown in the global economy in 2023 had a detrimental impact on the PC market, challenges it hopes are now behind it in 2024.
Financial factors proved a concern during a difficult economic climate
With global PC shipments down by 15 percent in 2023, this marked a successive year of decline for the market. Such was the impact of reduced spending that not until the last quarter of 2023 did the market observe a period of growth, coming at the end of eight successive quarters of decline. When looking specifically at the laptop market, this impact on sales has meant that laptop market revenue isn't expected to fully recover until 2025. This reflects the wider trend of reduced device spending that was observed across the tech industry, with buyers lengthening hardware refresh cycles as economic pressures took hold.PC giants battle for laptop leadership
Leading laptop and notebook vendors include the likes of Lenovo, HP, and Dell. Combined, the three companies occupy around 60 percent of PC shipments, with laptops and notebooks accounting for most of this figure. Of course, preferences vary among laptop owners, with those in the United States and the United Kingdom having a stronger leaning toward Apple MacBook devices. Comparatively, laptop owners in China have tended to move toward local brands such as Lenovo and Huawei, a trend that is also apparent in South Korea, with owners choosing Samsung and LG devices in greater numbers.A market that offers something for everyone
Before buying any laptop or notebook device, many prospective buyers now use benchmarking platforms to ascertain whether the processors onboard can run games and applications to their peak performance level. When combined, factors such as computing requirements, budget, and software compatibility help to determine what device is bought. As such, vendors must continue to offer a range of products across multiple performance and price points to cater to the wide array of buyers on the market.
