According to preliminary results from International Data Corporation’s worldwide quarterly personal computing device tracker, worldwide shipments of traditional PCs (desktops, notebooks and workstations) reached 92.7 million units during Q4/21, marking 1% growth compared with the same quarter in 2020.

In addition, total PC shipments during 2021 reached 348.8 million units, up 14.8% from 2020. This represents the highest level of shipments the PC market has reached since 2012.

“2021 has truly been a return to form for the PC,” Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC’s mobile and consumer device trackers, said. “Consumer need for PCs in emerging markets and global commercial demand remained strong during the quarter, with supply being a gating factor. While consumer and educational demand has tapered in some developed markets, we continue to believe the overall PC market has reset at a much higher level than before the pandemic.”

“A challenging logistical environment, coupled with ongoing supply-side shortages, meant that the PC market could have been even larger than it was in 2021,” Tom Mainelli, group vice president of device and consumer research at IDC, said. “We closed the year with many buyers still waiting for their PC orders to ship. As we move through the first half of the year, we expect supply to remain constrained, especially with regards to the commercial segment where demand is the most robust.”