Personal computers were some of the best-selling technology products in 2021, with total shipments for the year rising 15% to 341 million globally, pouring scorn on the suggestion that the pandemic-inspired boom is starting to fizzle out.

The data from analyst firm Canalys today includes fourth-quarter PC sales of 92 million units and revenue of $70 billion, itself up 11% year-over-year. What’s more impressive is this growth comes at a time when manufacturers are still dealing with tight supply of key components such as processors.

Canalys Senior Analyst Ishan Dutt said 2021 was a “watershed year in the history of the PC market” and the devices have cemented their place at the center of work, learning and leisure.

The PC market generated total revenue of more than $250 billion for the entirety of 2021, Canalys said. Within the segment, notebooks and mobile workstations hit 275 million shipments, up 16%, while desktop and desktop workstation shipments rose 7%, to 66 million.

“For the market to post double-digit growth over an impressive 2020, despite the constant cloud of supply constraints, speaks volumes for how strong PC demand has been over the last 12 months,” Dutt said.

Canalys’ figures show Lenovo Group Ltd. leading the way as the world’s No. 1 PC supplier, with 82.14 million units shipped, up 13.1% from a year ago. HP Inc. ranked second with 74.07 million shipments, up 9.5%, followed by Dell Technologies Inc. with 59.3 million PCs shipped, up 18%. Apple Inc., Acer Inc. and the “others” also showed strong annual shipment growth.

Dutt said PC penetration and usage rates were among the most important developments of the last year, adding that most young students and older family members in the West own at least one PC device.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, a larger than normal proportion of PCs shipped have been new additions to the installed base rather than replacement devices, especially in areas such as education and remote work,” he explained. “This has set the stage for continued success for the PC industry as there is no turning back from how embedded they are in our day-to-day lives.”

Dutt’s sentiments were shared by Canalys Principal Analyst Rushabh Doshi, who said 2022 is primed to be a year of digital acceleration, even as the world’s supply chain problems continue.

“We will see revenue growth in the industry from spending on premium PCs, monitors, accessories and other technology products that enable us to work from anywhere, collaborate around the world and remain ultra-productive,” Doshi predicted. “The importance of faster, better, more resilient and more secure PCs has never been greater, and the industry is willing to innovate and push the boundaries to keep this momentum going.”

Photo: ArtisticOperations/pixabay