Business Casual: Will a Rise in Q2 PC Shipments Endure the Recession and Pandemic?

Powered by RedCircle

In April, CNBC reported that due to disruptions in supply chains caused by the coronavirus outbreak, global sales of PCs in the first quarter 2020 suffered a sharp slump, with only 51.6 million PC units shipped in the first three months of the year. That figure was down 12.3% from the previous year and marked the biggest fall in shipments since 2013. However, despite the economic slowdown, recent reports from leading research, market intelligence and advisory firms, Gartner and IDC, paint a much more positive picture for the second quarter of this year. IDC reports global shipments hitting 72.3 million units, an increase of 11.2% from the same quarter in 2019. Gartner, on the other hand, reports just 64.8 million units shipped—a less optimistic rise of 2.8% from Q2 last year. This disparity in shipments may be due to the fact that Gartner didn’t include Chromebooks in its reporting while IDC did. Both companies, though, agree that specific variables can be attributed to this resurgence of PC shipments, including students and businesses who have had to adapt to learning and working remotely.

On this Business Casual segment, MarketScale co-hosts Tyler Kern and Daniel Litwin discuss:

  1. Whether the escalation of shipments will be transitory or prolonged as the global recession and pandemic looms indefinitely
  2. How manufacturers and businesses will react to this information
  3. If consumers will opt for PCs over mobile moving forward
  4. And much more!

Every week, Business Casual brings topics to the forefront that affect the technology sector and other B2B industries. Tune in each Wednesday and Friday to stay abreast of the trends and news shaping our world today.

Be sure to subscribe to our industry publication for the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software and Technology Industry.

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

university
The Employer University Alignment Journey with Kristen Fox, CEO of Business-Higher Education Forum
March 16, 2026

Across the U.S., the conversation about the value of a college degree is increasingly tied to one central question: Does higher education actually prepare students for the workforce? As artificial intelligence reshapes how work gets done and employers rethink the skills they need, universities are under growing pressure to ensure graduates leave not just…

Read More
private equity
How AI Is Transforming Private Equity Deal Evaluation and Portfolio Strategy
March 13, 2026

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how organizations evaluate risk, analyze markets, and drive operational efficiency. In financial services alone, global AI spending is projected to surpass $97 billion by 2027, reflecting how deeply data-driven technologies are reshaping decision-making. For private equity firms—where hundreds of potential investments may be screened each year—the ability to analyze information…

Read More
The Tech-Enabled Hospital of the Future: Implications for Care Delivery
The Tech-Enabled Hospital of the Future: Implications for Care Delivery
March 12, 2026

Gone are the days when a hospital was simply a place where patients received care. Today’s hospitals are rapidly evolving into highly connected ecosystems powered by advanced technology, networked devices, and real-time data. The modern hospital is no longer confined to physical walls—it’s a dynamic digital environment where data flows seamlessly, AI supports clinical decisions,…

Read More
career
Stop Chasing Titles, Build a Career That Matters: A CAO’s Advice on Long-Term Success
March 11, 2026

Career advice in finance and accounting often centers around promotions, titles, and compensation. But in an era where professionals frequently change jobs every few years—the average American worker now stays in a role for less than four years—industries are facing growing talent shortages and reevaluating what long-term career success looks like. The question many…

Read More