Notebook, desktop PC, and tablet shipments worldwide 2010-2025

In 2021, 277 million laptops are forecast to be shipped, with nearly 160 million tablet units shipped in the same year too. In 2025, laptop shipments are forecast to fall slightly to 272 million units.

PC history

A personal computer or PC is a multi-purpose computer whose size and capability are designed for an individual user. Without the need to be operated by a computer expert or technician, these devices are intended to be operated directly by the end-user. The term PC was first applied as early as 1972 to the Xerox PARC's Alto, but this later developed to specifically mean a desktop microcomputer compatible with IBM's PC products. Such was the influence of IBM that only Apple Macintosh (Mac) products were able to compete for a share of the microcomputer market after the 1980s, without compatibility to the IBM PC.

PC segments

PCs come in several varieties, including stationary products like workstations and desktops, as well as portable products like laptops, notebooks, netbooks and tablets. A number of PC vendors supply these products including HP Inc., Lenovo, Dell, Apple, Acer, and Asus. As well as differences between the hardware available, the operating systems on the devices similarly varies, with Microsoft’s Windows being the most widely used computer operating system in the world.