Lenovo maintained its position as the global leader in PC shipments, shipping 61.8 million units and capturing a 23.5% market share, according to IDC’s latest report. While overall global PC shipments saw modest growth of 1%, a significant shift in market dynamics emerged, with Apple making impressive gains in market share, fueled by a 17.3% increase in shipments.

Modest Growth but Shifting Market Share

The global market for PCs grew by just 1% in 2024, totaling 262.7 million units. Leading manufacturers, with the exception of Dell, saw an increase in shipments and market share, effectively consolidating their positions and outpacing smaller vendors. HP retained second place with 53 million units shipped, a marginal increase of 0.1%, while Dell experienced a decline, shipping 39.1 million units, down 2.2% from the previous year.

Apple’s Strong Performance in a Competitive Landscape

Apple’s shipments reached 22.9 million units in 2024, marking a 4.5% increase from 2023. The company’s 17.3% growth in the fourth quarter, with 7 million units shipped, highlighted its continued success in penetrating the PC market, making it a key player in the segment.

Meanwhile, Asus saw the highest growth of all major brands, shipping 17.9 million units, reflecting a 6.4% increase. Despite strong performances from top players, smaller vendors struggled, with their combined shipments falling 2.1%.

China and Government Subsidies Drive Q4 Surge

The fourth quarter of 2024 marked a slight recovery, with a 1.8% increase in PC shipments, reaching 68.9 million units. The uptick was largely driven by government subsidies in China, strong year-end sales in the U.S. and Europe, and corporate hardware upgrades as businesses prepared for the Windows 10 support deadline in October 2025.

Challenges and Optimism for 2025

Despite the positive fourth-quarter growth, challenges remain for the industry, such as economic uncertainty, tariff risks, and the high cost of AI-enabled PCs. The shift toward AI PCs is inevitable, but the demand for these higher-cost devices is still uncertain, especially with tight budgets. Nevertheless, there is cautious optimism about long-term growth potential.

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