Lenovo tops buoyant Q4 PC market

China-based vendor outshines Acer as global PC market rebounds

Lenovo grew shipments 42 per cent in Q4

The PC market rebounded to double-digit growth in the fourth quarter, with Lenovo emerging as the clear winner.

According to IDC’s latest PC tracker, Q4 global PC shipments grew 15.2 per cent year on year to 85.8 million units – the first double-digit growth since the third quarter of 2008.

This was driven by an unexpected “explosion” in the US market, IDC said, as well as strong mini-notebook sales as pent up demand in the market was finally released.

“The market has weathered a storm which looks to be behind us,” said Jay Chou, research analyst, Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.

Fast-growing Acer found itself playing second fiddle to Lenovo in Q4, as the China-based firm achieved shipment growth of 42 per cent.

Market leader HP grew shipments 23.3 per cent globally despite registering below-market performance in EMEA. It pocketed 21 per cent market share, putting it well ahead of arch-rivals Acer (13.4 per cent) and Dell (12.4 per cent).

Strong growth in EMEA and Asia Pacific propelled Lenovo’s market share from 7.5 per cent to 9.2 per cent. Toshiba rounded out the top five with a 5.6 per cent share of the spoils.

In an indication that the market’s also-rans continue to lose ground, IDC’s ‘others’ category saw share drop from 42.3 to 38.5 per cent year on year.