Weak demand, excess inventory, and a worsening macroeconomic climate are being blamed for a spectacular crash in the PC market.

Global shipments fell 29 per cent during the first quarter of 2023, to just 56.9 million, according to the International Data Corporation’s Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker.

These results mark a contraction after the period of COVID-driven demand, but are also well below the 59.2 million PCs shipped in the first quarter of 2019, and the 60.6 million in the same quarter in 2018.

“Though channel inventory has depleted in the last few months, it’s still well above the healthy four to six week range,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.

“Even with heavy discounting, channels and PC makers can expect elevated inventory to persist into the middle of the year and potentially into the third quarter.”

Lenovo remains the market leader, with a 30.3 per cent drop. HP remains second, and suffered the smallest year-on-year fall, with a 24.2 per cent drop.

Apple meanwhile, saw a huge 40.5 per cent drop, now commanding just 7.2 per cent of the market.

IDC warns that the pain isn’t over, with PC shipments likely to “suffer in the near term with a return to growth towards the end of the year with an expected improvement in the global economy”, as well as those upgrading the Windows 11 machines.

“By 2024, an ageing installed base will start coming up for refresh,” said Linn Huang, research vice president, Devices and Displays at IDC.

“If the economy is trending upwards by then, we expect significant market upside as consumers look to refresh, schools seek to replace worn down Chromebooks, and businesses move to Windows 11. If recession in key markets drags on into next year, recovery could be a slog.”