Australia PC Market Declined by 9.8% to 4.2 Million Units in 2023

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According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, Australia’s traditional PC market )inclusive of desktops, notebooks, and workstations) declined by 9.8% to 4.2 million units in 2023. The desktop and notebook categories declined by 9.7% and 10.4% respectively, whereas workstations grew by 7.2%.

In 2023, the consumer segment declined by 15.2% due to higher interest rates and inflationary pressure. The commercial segment declined by 4.9% due to reduced demand from the government, VLB, and SMB sectors. However, the education segment grew by 18.4% because of strong demand for Windows- and Chrome-based devices.

In 4Q23, the consumer segment grew by a nominal 4.5% year-on-year (YoY) on the back of multiple sales events: Christmas, Boxing Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Also, the decision to temporarily halt interest rate hikes helped momentarily. The commercial market, on the other hand, declined by 5.4% YoY in 4Q23 due to cautious enterprise spending and project delays. Contrasting this trend, the education segment grew by a healthy 40.7% YoY, driven by demand for Windows-based devices.

“Consumer spending is under stress because of increasing living expenses and unfavorable interest rates. The commercial segment has also slowed down due to market uncertainties, resulting in project delays and budgetary constraints,” says Sharmishtha Bhatt, Senior Research Analyst, IDC Australia.