Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
What you need to know
- The IDC estimates over 357 million PC units will be shipped in 2021.
- This equates to an 18.1% increase year-over-year.
- It's expected that desktops will take the place of notebooks for some consumers as shortages of the latter persist.
Though there's always a new story regarding the great semiconductor shortage of 2021, there's not always a story that cites the opposite side of the coin: The shortages are due, in part, to record levels of demand. In other words, PCs aren't selling less than usual due to supply pitfalls; rather, they're selling more than ever before, which is only compounding supply chain failings further.
For example: The International Data Corporation (IDC) is expecting PC shipments to skyrocket throughout the rest of 2021. Specifically, it estimates that "shipments of PCs are expected to grow 18.1% in 2021 with shipments of just over 357 million units." The IDC anticipates a growth dropoff of -2.9% in 2022 but an overall positive 3% compound annual growth rate over five years.
Even with worldwide component shortages all over the world, major manufacturers and suppliers are still moving mountains to ensure that unprecedented demand is met as efficiently as possible. In a world that's gone remote, it's a natural conclusion that sales of PC technology are through the roof.
Source: IDC
The IDC's research manager for Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, Jitesh Ubrani, said, "as the component shortages continue into next year, we anticipate at least some of the buyers will settle for desktops in place of notebooks as the urgency of demand for any kind of PC remains quite high." The idea here is that even if notebooks are in high demand and consumer desire does beat out supply, desktop sales will fill the void.
Ubrani's forecast is a reasonable one, given that notebook PC shipments are up 81% over last year. It stands to reason that that sort of intense consumer appetite, compounded by component shortages, will eventually force those urgently in need of tech to hop over to the desktop side of the fence simply for the sake of having a functional machine to carry out work on.

The must-play Xbox games releasing in 2022 and beyond
What's coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One in the future? Here are the biggest and brightest games we're looking forward to.

All the Xbox Game Pass games coming and leaving soon
Xbox Game Pass is constantly evolving with new games joining the service all the time. Keep track of everything coming and going from Xbox Game Pass with our comprehensive guide.

Grab one of these great CPUs for your next custom PC build or upgrade
No matter what level of performance you're looking for, there's no doubt a processor (CPU) out there for your custom PC. And we've rounded up the best options right here.

Here are the best small form factor PCs you can buy right now
Finding a pre-built gaming PC on the compact side can be tough, especially when looking for high-quality parts. We've found the best mini PCs with small form factors available today to help you get started.