With memory prices soaring, PC manufacturing costs rose sharply, and the global PC market turned to decline in the second quarter of this year for the first time in five quarters. Replacement demand for corporations PCs continued, but growth was seen as faltering as the consumer market, burdened by higher prices, contracted.
According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on the 23rd, global PC shipments in the second quarter of this year were 65 million units, down 4% from the same period a year earlier.
Counterpoint Research cited as key reasons for the slowdown the sharp rise in PC bill of materials (BoM) due to surging DRAM and NAND flash prices, which led manufacturers to adjust production volumes and raise selling prices.
In fact, contract prices for PC memory remained elevated, with DRAM and NAND flash jumping 110% and 126%, respectively, in the first quarter of this year and rising a further 35% and 44%, respectively, in the second quarter.
By company, Lenovo kept the top spot with shipments of 16.6 million units and a 25.6% market share, but its shipments fell 2% from a year earlier. HP and Dell also declined 8% and 6%, respectively. In contrast, Apple posted the highest growth among major vendors, with shipments up 13% on the back of the new product "Neo," and Asus grew 4% thanks to an expanded lineup of AI PCs.
Kang Min-su, a senior research analyst at Counterpoint Research, said, "After a sharp surge in the first quarter, memory prices eased somewhat from the second quarter but remain elevated, continuing to pressure PC makers' costs."
He added, "Demand in budget and general consumer segments, where price sensitivity is high, will inevitably slow, but the corporations market is expected to remain relatively resilient as replacement demand due to the end of Windows support and the adoption of AI PCs continue."