China’s PC market to see 18% decline for 2023, tablets to grow

Hong Kong: China’s PC (desktops, notebooks and workstations) market is likely to see a decline of 18 per cent for 2023 and a modest 4 per cent growth next year, according to a new report. The growth is expected to materialise in Q2-2024 and beyond, benefiting from the further recovery of the commercial sector, driven by significant IT investments from large enterprises in strategic industries, according to a Canalys report.

In Q3 2023, the PC market in Mainland China gradually recovered, with shipments experiencing a 16 per cent year-on-year decline but undergoing a promising 15 per cent sequential increase to reach 11 million units. In contrast, the tablet market sustained positive momentum, recording a 16 per cent year-on-year growth to 7.4 million units. “IT investment from enterprises is only improving marginally alongside the overall Chinese economy recovery, while SMBs still face many operational challenges,” said Emma Xu, analyst at Canalys.

In Q3 2023, Lenovo maintained its top position despite a 15 per cent year-on-year decline in the PC shipments. HP took the second position with an 11 per cent market share as the vendor strengthened its commercial product portfolio offerings with its acquisition of Poly. Huawei increased its market share despite a 5 per cent unit drop year-on-year. Dell and Asus secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, though both encountered a substantial 36 per cent year-on-year decline.

In the tablet market, Canalys anticipates a 5 per cent growth for the full year 2023, reaching 28 million units before it stabilises in 2024. Apple and Huawei maintained their dominance in China’s tablet market, with Apple's market share contracting to 31 per cent from 38 per cent.