Laptops (Global Market)

Main article: Computers (global market)

2023

Laptop sales in the world for the year increased by 8%, to $211.82 billion

In 2023, the global market for laptops of various types reached $211.82 billion. For comparison, a year earlier, laptop sales were estimated at about $196.5 billion. Thus, there was an increase of 8%, as stated in the Market Research Future review, published in early November 2024.

The key driver of the industry under consideration is the surge in online education and the development of e-learning. Laptops allow students to engage anywhere with internet access: this flexibility is especially important for people who combine work, family or other tasks. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition to remote and hybrid work. As a result, employees around the world needed computers optimized for video conferencing and remote interaction. This had a positive impact on laptop sales.

Another stimulating factor is technological advances. The performance and battery life of laptops are growing, increasing their appeal to gaming enthusiasts, design and product development professionals. The introduction of 5G technology, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and 6E standards, provides faster and more reliable internet access, which is important for mobile users who require constant exchange of large amounts of data. In addition, consumers are increasingly looking for devices that combine functionality with aesthetic appeal. At the same time, the rapid pace of technological progress contributes to the replacement of laptops in operation with new ones.

Analysts distinguish two main types of laptops - traditional devices and two-in-one models, which can transform into a tablet. In 2023, the first type of computers dominated, providing more than 50% in total sales in monetary terms. Five categories are considered by screen size: up to 10.9 inches, 11 to 12.9 inches, 13 to 14.9 inches, 15 to 16.9 inches and more than 17 inches. The most popular among buyers are models with a diagonal of 13 to 14.9 inches, which accounted for over half of the revenue. Market segmentation by price includes models costing up to $500, $501 to $1000, $1001 to $1500, $1501 to $2000, and more expensive than $2001. The $501 to $1000 segment dominates, providing more than half of the revenue. Geographically, North America is leading the way due to its developed IT infrastructure and the demand for portable PCs in various areas. Europe is in second place, while the Asia-Pacific region is showing the fastest growth rate.

It is noted that the global laptop market is highly competitive, since numerous brands offer similar products. This tough rivalry often leads to price wars, undermining profitability. Companies are forced to constantly innovate in order to stand out from other manufacturers - lagging behind in technological advances can lead to a loss of market share. Among the key players in the industry are:

• Acer;
• Apple;
• Asus;
• Dell;
• HP;
• Huawei;
• LG;
• Lenovo;
• MSI;
• Microsoft;
• Panasonic;
• Razer;
• Samsung;
• Sony;
• Toshiba.

Market Research Future analysts believe that in the future, the CAGR in the market under consideration will be 7.8%. Thus, by 2032, laptop sales on a global scale, according to the presented estimates, could reach $386.3 billion.^[1]

Sales of secure smartphones, tablets and laptops in the world grew by 6% over the year to reach $19.05 billion

In 2023, sales of rugged smartphones, tablets and laptops globally reached $19.05 billion. For comparison, a year earlier, the volume of this market was estimated at $17.94 billion. Growth was recorded at 6%, as stated in the Market Research Future review, published in early November 2024.

It is noted that the demand for high-strength electronics is steadily increasing, which is due to several factors. One of them is the demand for these gadgets in areas such as military industry, construction, oil and gas and production. Protected devices are able to withstand extreme temperatures, high humidity, dust and mechanical influences, while maintaining performance. The development of industries involving work in the open air or in harsh conditions stimulates the sale of durable laptops, tablets and cellular devices.

Positive dynamics are also supported by constant technological advances. Manufacturers continue to improve the performance of technology, improve battery life and implement additional features, meeting a wide range of user needs in difficult conditions. Other drivers in the market in question include the expansion of 5G infrastructure, the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), the emergence of durable and lightweight materials of the new generation, as well as improvements in the characteristics of sensors that integrate into protected equipment.

As enterprises in various industries increasingly prioritize automation and digital transformation, the demand for secure devices that can support complex tasks continues to increase, the study notes.

Among the key applications of protected electronics, the authors of the report highlight the defense, industrial, automotive, aerospace and telecommunications segments. In 2023, the first of them provided revenue in the amount of $4.5 billion. Sales in the industrial sector are estimated at $5 billion, in the automotive segment - at $3 billion. Another $3.55 billion was provided by customers from the aerospace field. Geographically, North America leads with $7.6 billion in 2023: the dominance of the region is explained by the active introduction of advanced technologies and high defense spending. This is followed by Europe with an estimate of $5 billion, where there is a growing demand for protected devices in the industrial and automotive segments. The Asia-Pacific region closes the top three with costs of $4.5 billion. South America, the Middle East and Africa together brought in $1.95 billion. The most significant players in the global secure electronics market are:

• Honeywell;
• Milrem Robotics;
• DT Research;
• Motorola Solutions;
• Samsung;
• LG;
• Xplore Technologies;
• Cisco;
• Advantech;
• Juniper Systems;
• Datalogic;
• Panasonic;
• Zebra Technologies;
• Getac;
• Sonim Technologies.

As protected electronics improve in terms of durability and functionality, manufacturers focus not only on meeting the needs of their existing customers, but also on penetrating emerging markets, which ensures a further increase in sales. At the end of 2024, revenue in the segment of secure smartphones, tablets and laptops is estimated at $20.33 billion. Market Research Future analysts believe that in the future, the CAGR will be 6.21%. As a result, by 2032, costs on a global scale could increase to $32.75 billion.^[2]

The global laptop accessories market grew by 7.4% to $10.26 billion

In 2023, consumers around the world spent $10.26 billion on all kinds of laptop accessories. For comparison, in 2022, costs amounted to $9.55 billion. Thus, sales rose by 7.4%. This is stated in a study by Market Research Future, the results of which are presented in mid-August 2024.

The authors of the report consider products such as bags and cases for laptops, chargers and power adapters, cooling and conventional stands, docking stations, webcams, battery packs, etc. One of the market drivers was the COVID-19 pandemic: due to the transition of users to remote and hybrid modes of operation, the popularity of laptops increased, which, in turn, led to an increase in demand for accessories for them. Analysts cite the growth of disposable income and a change in the lifestyle of citizens in many parts of the world as other stimulating factors. In addition, there is a surge in demand for personalized accessories that reflect the user's individual style and preferences.

Leading players in the industry include Timbuk2, Thule, Targus, STM Bags, Speck Products, TomToc, Ogio, Case Logic, Moshi, Kensington, Peak Design, Belkin, Logitech, etc. The largest market for accessories is North America, which is associated with the presence of numerous technology centers and a high level of penetration of laptops. At the same time, significant growth rates are observed in the Asia-Pacific region, which is due, among other things, to the expansion of the e-commerce industry.

According to Market Research Future analysts, in the future, the CAGR (compound percentage CAGR) in the global laptop accessories market will be 7.52%. As a result, by 2032, costs will reach $19.72 billion.^[3]

2022: Chromebook sales decline by 48%

In 2022, 19.2 million computers running the Chrome OS operating system were sold worldwide. For comparison, a year earlier, sales were 36.9 million units. Thus, the supply of Chromebooks for the year collapsed by 48%, as evidenced by the data released on February 3, 2023 by IDC.

Demand for Chromebooks was especially high during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers purchased such devices for organizing distance learning and remote work. However, amid the easing of restrictions imposed in response to the spread of the disease, demand for devices based on Chrome OS began to fall. In addition, macroeconomic factors and high inflation have a negative impact on the market. As a result, suppliers have accumulated excess stocks of Chromebooks.

The largest market player in 2022 was the company Acer with 4.2 million Chromebooks sold and a share of approximately 22%. At the same time, the supply of devices of this company fell by 33.8% on an annualized basis. In second place is Dell with 4.1 million shipped computers based on Chrome OS, which corresponds to 21.3% of the global market. The company's sales fell 24.3% compared to 2021. Closes the top three Lenovo with 3.7 million Chromebooks and a share of 19.5%: the company's sales on an annualized basis collapsed by 54.4%. In fourth and fifth places are, respectively HP Asus , with 3.5 million and 1.3 million computers delivered, which is equivalent to 18.4% and 6.8% of the global market: shipments decreased by 65.6% and 20.9% compared to 2021. All other market participants jointly sold 2.3 million Chromebooks (12%), and their sales decreased on an annualized basis by 53.8%.

Statistics on the global Chromebook market in 2022 were also published by Canalys. According to her estimates, sales of such devices amounted to 17.7 million units, which is 47.8% less than in 2021, when deliveries amounted to 34 million units.

Canalys expects that in 2023, opportunities for the development of the Chromebook market will be limited, since the focus of suppliers remains the sale of inventory. Noticeable growth is likely to occur only in 2024, because the life of devices purchased during the peak of the pandemic is coming to an end. Digital curricula are firmly embedded in the education system, and therefore the demand for Chromebooks in the long term will be constant and cyclical, analysts say.

According to Canalys estimates, Acer became the leader in the global Chromebook market in 2022 with 4.3 million computers shipped - this corresponds to 24% of the global industry. Lenovo is in second place with 3.7 devices sold and a 20.9% share. The third line is occupied by HP - 3.5 million units and 19.9%. Then comes Dell with 3 million Chromebooks sold and 16.7% of the market. Closes the top five Asus with 1.7 computers sold, which is equivalent to 9.7% of the industry. All other suppliers combined sold 1.6 million devices (8.8%).

Canalys experts, as well as IDC analysts, say that the return of consumers to "ordinary life" after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the Chromebook market. In the foreseeable future, the demand for Chrome OS devices in the higher price segment is expected to grow, as students and teachers impose additional requirements on such computers. In general, as noted, Chromebook suppliers are waiting for the next cycle of device updates in key markets such as the United States, Japan and Europe.^[4][5]

2021

Growth in laptop shipments by 19% to 268.3 million units

The volume of the global laptop market at the end of 2021 reached 268.3 million units, an increase of 19% compared to the previous year. Laptop sales were record, as evidenced by data from analysts at Strategy Analytics, released at the end of January 2022.

According to experts, one of the main drivers of growth in the global laptop market is associated with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic - in the face of a difficult epidemiological situation, companies have begun to practice remote or hybrid operation more often, and educational institutions - distance learning.

Among other factors that contributed to the rise, especially in developed markets, experts called the demand for OS-based laptops Windows 11 and the spread of the computer acquisition model (DaaS Device as a Service, "device as a service") with attractive price offers. In addition, sales in emerging markets stimulated demand from small and medium-sized businesses, as well as consumers' desire for mobility.

According to Strategy Analytics analyst Eric Smith, demand for laptops with the Chrome OS operating system weakened in the second half of 2021, but sales of Windows devices in all regions of the world increased sharply. This was partly affected by the release of the version of Windows 11 SE, intended for the educational sector, - manufacturers began to release laptops on this platform, reducing the share of Chromebooks. Windows computers also remained popular with consumers, especially by the end of the year, when sales of gaming models rose, Smith added.

Although global laptop shipments increased significantly in 2021, there was a 1 percent decline in the fourth quarter (up to 68 million devices sold), which researchers attribute to supply problems and a shortage of components.

Lenovo retained its leadership in the laptop market, with a 24% share in 2021. The top 3 also includes HP Inc. and Dell. All five largest manufacturers of laptops in 2021 recorded a tangible increase in equipment supplies.

Record sales of laptops in 2021 are also reported in the research company TrendForce. According to her estimates, 246.1 million devices were delivered over the year, which is 19.4% more than a year ago. Shipments of Chromebooks during this time increased from 31.8 million to 37.3 million units, and deliveries of other laptops - from 174.4 million to 208.8 million units.

According to analysts, the steadily growing global level of vaccination against the coronavirus COVID-19 has significantly weakened the existing quarantine restrictions. As a result, the increased demand for laptop computers has cooled sharply by mid-2021. However, a wave of laptop upgrades by corporate customers in Europe and North America, as well as the start of preparing channels for increased New Year's demand, managed to support market development in the third quarter of 2021. And the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus led to the return of a number of restrictive measures and, as a result, to remote work and study.

TrendForce also notes that supplies of Chromebooks in the second half of 2021 fell sharply - by almost 50% - due to the completion of the megatender in the field of education and the shift in the focus of manufacturers to the American market. However, thanks to the return to the offices of European and American companies, which caused a wave of updates to commercial equipment, sales of business laptops increased rapidly, which made it possible to neutralize this negative factor.^[6]

Chromebook sales increased by 13.5%, to 37 million units

The global market for Chromebooks (portable computers under control) operating system Chrome OS in 2021 amounted to 37 million units, an increase of 13.5% compared to 2020. Analysts IDC released such data at the end of January 2022.

The global Chromebook market grew in 2021, despite a significant collapse in demand in recent months. Thus, in the fourth quarter of 2021, relative to the same period in 2020, the supply of these devices decreased by 63.6%.

In major markets such as the United States and Europe, initial demand for Chromebooks was met, resulting in slower supplies. Nevertheless, in emerging markets, demand for Chromebooks continued to grow in 2021, "said IDC Research Manager Jitesh Ubrani.

According to him, due to the lack of components, the supply of chromebooks was unusually limited, since in the context of shortages, manufacturers preferred more expensive laptops based on. Windows This further slowed down the supply of Chromebooks.

Easing antique (COVID-19) restrictions in many regions led to an increase in spending on other goods, which weakened the demand for Chromebooks and tablets, experts explained. In addition, the pronounced decline is associated with a high comparative base at the end of 2020, when the demand for consumer electronics was at its peak.

As in 2020, the top five laptop manufacturers with Chrome OS a year later included HP Inc., Lenovo, Acer, Dell and Samsung. In total, they delivered more than 33 million Chromebooks or over 90% of the total number of devices released at the end of 2021.

Samsung showed the most significant growth in the market under consideration, increasing shipments by 77.2% compared to 2020. At the same time, Dell's supply of Chromebooks in 2021 decreased by 5.2%, which was the worst speaker among the five largest manufacturers of this type of laptop.^[7]

2020

The global laptop market grew by 25% thanks to the pandemic, 200.5 million laptops were delivered - TrendForce

The global laptop market in 2020 grew by 25% thanks to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. In total, about 201 million laptop computers were delivered in a year. This does not include hybrid tablets, which, thanks to a flip or detachable keyboard, can turn into laptops. This is evidenced by data from the analytical company Digitimes Research.

According to experts, the size of the global laptop market in 2020 showed record results over the past nine years. They were achieved thanks to a surge in demand for laptops in a pandemic, when people began to work and study more often from home. In addition, the rise of the market was facilitated by large-scale sales on the Internet channel at the end of the year and subsidies from the state in some countries.

The volume of laptop supplies for 2019-2021 (Table 1, in million, TrendForce data); Chromebook shipments 2019-2021 (Chart 1, in thousands, TrendForce data)

According to the calculations of TrendForce researchers, in 2020 the global laptop market showed record growth: compared to 2019, the supply of portable computers increased by more than 22%, and in the Chromebook segment, the increase reached 74%.

TrendForce counted 200.5 million laptops delivered globally in 2020 against 163.7 million a year earlier. Annual shipments of Chromebooks amounted to 29.6 million units.

The popularity of mobile PCs running the Chrome OS operating system was facilitated by distance learning. Experts believe that in 2020 these devices occupied almost 15% of the global laptop market.

In terms of operating systems, Windows remains the dominant solution in the global laptop market. However, due to the rapid rise in Chromebook sales in 2020, Windows market share fell below 80% for the first time. Windows is unlikely to regain lost market shares in the short term, the study said.

It also says that laptops with AMD processors accounted for 11.4% of the market in 2020. Technology remains dominant on Intel platforms.^{[8] [9]}

Toshiba sold all PC assets and left the laptop market

On August 7, 2020, Toshiba announced the sale of its remaining 19.9 percent stake in the computer business. The assets were acquired by the Japanese company Sharp, becoming the owner of 100% of the Dynabook division (formerly Toshiba Client Solutions). Read more here.

2019: Market growth 0.4% to 160.9 million units

The volume of the global laptop market in 2019 reached 160.9 million units, an increase of 0.4% compared to 2018. This is evidenced by the data of the analytical company ResearchAndMarkets, which were released in May 2020.

According to experts, sales of laptop computers on a global scale at the end of 2019 increased despite a number of negative factors, including the lack of Intel processors, as well as a trade war, which was unleashed by the United States and China.

Global Notebook Market Dynamics, Statista Data

The market will still be struggling, but this year's results are clear evidence that traditional computers remain in demand despite the emergence of new form factors and the popularity of mobile devices, the researchers report.

Digitimes Research analysts say global laptop shipments rose 4.1% in 2019, but were below expectations due to the fact that at the end of the year, large computer manufacturers stopped stocking up on equipment for future use due to improved trade relations between the United States and China. 

However, during the first months of 2020, the situation in the laptop market deteriorated greatly due to the outbreak of the coronavirus COVID-19, which undermined the production of equipment in China and logistics operations.

On the other hand, the coronavirus pandemic contributed to the surge in laptops, as a large number of companies switched to remote work, and educational institutions switched to distance learning. However, this rise will not be enough for the volume of the global laptop market in 2020 to show positive dynamics (experts expect a 4.6% drop in supplies to 153.5 million units).

Analysts named HP Inc., Lenovo and Dell as the world's largest laptop manufacturers in 2019.^[10]

2017

Growing Global Laptop Supply

Analyst company TrendForce predicts an increase in global laptop shipments in 2017. According to the expert forecast published on November 15, the annual volume of shipments of laptop computers will increase by 0.7% compared to 2016 and will reach 162.4 million units. At the same time, in 2016, the market was in decline.

Laptop market returns to plus

Commenting on the assessment, TrendForce laptop market specialist Kou-Han Tseng noted that the return to positive dynamics in 2017 is largely due to the leaders of the PC industry HP and Lenovo, who are confidently increasing deliveries in the second half of the year. In addition, demand has revived since the first half of the market, and the third quarter is confirmation of this. TrendForce calculated that in July-September 2017, about 42.7 million laptops entered the global market, almost 7% more than in the previous quarter. Moreover, compared to the figures from the year ago, shipments increased 0.9%, which exceeded analysts' expectations.

The balance of power among the largest laptop manufacturers, TrendForce data for the second and third quarters of 2017

HP is expected to reach its planned annual laptop shipments of 40 million units and retain the title of the world's largest laptop manufacturer.

Lenovo is recovering from a recession in the first half of 2017 and is trying to catch up with HP, but at the end of the year it will still give way to an American competitor.

Dell is likely to remain the third largest brand in the laptop market, with the fight for fourth and fifth places unfolding between Apple, ASUS and Acer.

Seeing the growing popularity of compact gaming laptops, Taiwanese companies ASUS and Acer will continue to work in this direction. TrendForce believes that the focus on the gaming segment and the recovery in demand in Europe will contribute to the growth of shipments of ASUS and Acer laptops by 6.5% and 0.2% in the final quarter of 2017.^[11]

Overestimation of laptop battery life

In April 2017, it became known that laptop manufacturers seriously overestimate the data on the battery resource of their devices.

The Which? portal, which specializes in reviews and recommendations of experts on various topics, including hardware and software, tested laptops during 2016. Experts reviewed almost seven dozen laptops, including various models of Acer (8 devices), Apple (3), ASUS (8), Dell (10), HP Inc. (12), Lenovo (20), Toshiba (6).

As part of the test, the device underwent two types of tests, each of which was repeated three times. The first test was to watch movies on a laptop until the battery was completely exhausted, and the second was to surf the web using a WiFi connection, also until the battery was completely discharged.

Lenovo laptop

The specialists displayed the results in the form of an infographic, which clearly shows that all brands, with the exception of one, overestimated the average battery life of their laptops.

The only exception was the Apple MacBook laptops - their batteries lasted longer than the manufacturer said. The results of testing devices from other vendors were noticeably lower than the declared indicators.

The most optimistic laptop manufacturers overestimate battery life by 50% or more, as a result of which you will have to recharge your laptop twice as often as you expected, commented Which? Jack Turner.

Users have long complained that battery life in laptops is at odds with the performance promised by manufacturers. Testing has shown how large this discrepancy is.

As for the vendors, they said that the results of the publication differ from their estimates, since different testing methods were used.^[12]

2015: HP to No. 1 , Apple ahead of Asus

On February 15, 2016, TrendForce analysts published the results of a study of the global laptop market. There was only one change in the group of leaders - Apple came in fourth place, despite the strong rise in ASUS's business.

According to experts, in 2015, global shipments of laptop computers decreased by 6.3% compared to the previous year and amounted to 164.4 million units. This decline is largely due to the devaluation of world currencies, which negatively affected sales in Europe and developing regions, such as Latin America.

The global laptop market fell due to currency problems

In addition, the market was waiting for the new Windows 10 operating system and Intel Skylake processors, as a result of which some consumers and companies postponed purchases of new PCs.

The list of the largest manufacturers of laptops in 2015 is as follows:

• 1. HP. The company slightly reduced the supply of laptops in 2015, but thanks to strong sales from the United States, it retained the palm with a market share of 20.5%.

• 2. Lenovo. The Chinese vendor reduced the gap with the leader, increasing shipments of laptops by 6.9%, and the share - to 19.9%, which was facilitated by Lenovo's activity in the European market.

• 3. Dell. The third place of this company is largely due to the successful sales of its Chromebooks in North America. With these devices, Dell was able to increase the production of mobile computers by 4.3% and gain control over 13.7% of the global market.

• 4. Apple. The American corporation took fourth place in the ranking of the world's largest laptop suppliers in 2015 due to the release of new models and strong demand in the United States. Apple's market share is 10.34%.

• 5. ASUS. The Taiwanese brand lost slightly to Apple, recording a 10.31% share in the global laptop market. In the fourth quarter of 2015, deliveries of these products from ASUS jumped 70%, but this did not save the company from falling to fifth place.

• 6. Acer. In 2015, this vendor reduced laptop production by 16.6% compared to 2014 due to strong competition in many markets. For example, in Europe, Acer is difficult to resist Lenovo, and in the United States it is not easy to sell Chromebooks due to the active struggle with HP and Dell. Acer has 8.9% of global laptop sales in 2015.^[13]

1981: Release of Osborne I

Main article: Osborne I

Osborne I is one of the world's first portable PCs

In Russia

Main article: Laptops (Russian market)

Notes