It seems that PC and Mac sales haven’t escaped the shadow of the cost of living crisis, going by recently released sales numbers for the first financial quarter of 2023.
According to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, PC global shipments totaled 56.9 million, which is a decline of 29% compared to the first financial quarter of 2022. And according to previous numbers, 59.2 million units shipped in 1Q19 and 60.6 million in 1Q18, it seems that PC sales are returning to pre-covid levels.
Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, stated, "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."
However, it’s predicted by Linn Huang, research vice president of Devices and Displays at IDC, "By 2024, an aging installed base will start coming up for refresh." Thanks to a mix of customers looking to update their PCs, Chromebooks predicted to be in more demand due to worn out models needing replacements, and more businesses moving to Windows 11, sales should see an uptick before long.
Gamers are set to benefit from the PC sales decline
Though this sharp decline in PC sales is bad for manufacturers, this seems like the perfect opportunity for gamers and other buyers. When there’s a lack of sales combined with overstocked inventories, manufacturers will need to discount their products to boost sales.
Considering how pricey the best gaming PC and best gaming laptops are (especially this generation), being able to purchase them at deep discounts would make them far more accessible. And for those who need a productivity machine for office or creative work, gaming rigs tend to be perfect since the more powerful components support intensive tasks. This goes double for Mac computers, which tend to go on sale even less often and are even better for creative projects.
And with more holidays coming up, including the Black Friday shopping period at the end of the year, that would be the most opportune time to take advantage of sales meant to completely clear out overflowing stock that manufacturers are currently grappling with. So if you’re on the lookout for a cheap gaming PC deal or cheap gaming laptop deal, wait until the sales start coming in. And make sure to take advantage before 2024 rolls around, as that’s when PC and Mac sales are predicted to make a comeback.
