NEEDHAM, MA – Worldwide shipments of traditional PCs (desktops, notebooks, and workstations) reached 92.7 million units during the fourth quarter, up 1% year-over-year, according to International Data Corp.

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 seen since 2012.

"2021 has truly been a return to form for the PC," said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Mobile and Consumer Device Trackers. "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 the PC market could have been even larger than it was in 2021," said Tom Mainelli, group vice president of IDC's Device and Consumer Research. "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 regard to the commercial segment where demand is the most robust."