The Computers and Laptops Market Report 2023 offers comprehensive insights into the laptop, tablet and computer market, including laptop market size, segmentation, trends, and projections. Our analysis examines the role of electrical devices in people’s lives, purchasing habits and the impact of the cost of living on the market. Uncover the latest developments in the laptop and computer market and respond to changing consumer demands with Mintel’s market research.
Laptop and Computer Market Overview
The computers and laptops market performed well during the lockdown years, however, this boost was temporary. The industry is now moving back towards its pre-pandemic yearly decline, with many buyers likely to keep their newly-bought device for several years before buying again. While there is still intent to buy computers in 2023, consumers’ budgets may be restricted and will likely pick cheaper alternatives.
Computer and Laptop Market Trends & Challenges
The semiconductor chip shortage is likely to end in 2023-24 which will help the laptop market. However, it will not affect the industry significantly due to the choice of computers and tablets already available. The permanent changes to working locations and the ongoing improvement to 5G coverage make laptops a key product for workers across numerous sectors.
53% of those with a home income of under £15,500 who have a laptop or are likely to buy one, prioritise battery life. Therefore, it is critical that brands offering entry-level laptops and tablets focus their marketing on battery life to appeal to this audience.
- Computer and laptop market size: The value of the desktop, laptop and tablet market is estimated to be £3.1 billion in 2022, marking a 9% decrease in the value from 2021.
- Laptop market opportunity: 44% of younger millennials are likely to buy a laptop in the next year which is the highest of all the generations.
- Computer market consumer behaviours: 55% of desktop computer owners use their devices primarily for working or studying.
Find a comprehensive breakdown of the computer and laptop market size and market share in the full report, alongside our expert’s comments.
Computer Market Future Opportunities
The market is expected to continue its trends from the previous periods, with laptops remaining the most profitable segment and lasting as the most important device to consumers.
The change to hybrid working benefits the computer market in the sense that laptops will become an even more valuable tool for working on the go, particularly with the ongoing improvement to 5G coverage. Meanwhile, with over half of consumers using their laptop or computer device for work or studying, brands can harness this opportunity by promoting accessories based around productivity, for example ergonomic mice.
To discover more about the UK Computers and Laptops Market Report 2023, read our UK Computer Security Market Report 2023, or take a look at our other Technology Market Research.
Quickly Understand
- The computer and laptop market share breakdown for the computer and tablet industries and why HP and Apple are leaders across the segments.
- How the cost of living crisis is impacting the laptop and computer market and how brands can still persuade consumers to buy.
- The role of computers and tablets in people’s lives and how their uses of the devices differ.
- The biggest priorities when buying computers or tablets and how these change based on the brand that consumers already own.
Leading Brands in the Computer Market
HP, Dell, Apple, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Samsung, Microsoft, Amazon, Huawei.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Technology Sector
This report, written by Zach Emmanuel, a leading analyst in the technology sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the laptop market and add expert context to the numbers.
Despite the cost of living crisis, lower income households are showing willingness to buy a computer or tablet over the next 12 months. It is critical that brands offering entry level laptops and tablets focus their marketing around battery life, with this being the most important consideration for lower earners.””
Zach Emmanuel
Consumer Technology Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Five-year outlook for computers, laptops and tablets
- Figure 1: Category outlook for computers, laptops and tablets, 2023-28
- The market
- Market size for desktops, laptops and tablets decreases to £3.1 billion
- Figure 2: Value of desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2017-22
- Figure 3: Forecast for the value of the desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2022-27
- Intel says chip shortage will last into 2024
- Half of people are either hybrid working or working mainly at home
- Companies and brands
- Appealing to lower income homes is a key driver of HP’s success
- Figure 4: Brand of desktop or laptop that consumers own, 2022
- Apple is dominant tablet brand despite Samsung being the most popular smartphone company
- Figure 5: Brand of tablet that consumers own, 2022
- Apple updates iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro
- Lenovo announces dual-screen Yoga Book 9i laptop
- Asus unveils Vivobook Pro 16X 3D OLED with no-glasses 3D support
- The consumer
- Marketing around streaming on the go can maximise Older Millennials’ tablet engagement
- Figure 6: Type of computer, laptop or tablet owned, 2022
- Laptops were the key purchase in response to COVID-19, with tablets following after
- Figure 7: Length of ownership of desktop, laptop or tablet, 2022
- Productivity accessories to be key for Apple and Dell across next year
- Figure 8: Which activities consumers use computers for, 2022
- Buy Now Pay Later options will grow in importance for Younger Millennials to buy laptops
- Figure 9: Likelihood of buying desktop, laptop or tablet in next year, 2022
- Highlighting battery life is critical for entry level laptops and tablets over next year
- Figure 10: Most important features when buying a new computer, 2022
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- Figure 11: Most important features when buying a new tablet, 2022
- Five-year outlook for computers, laptops and tablets
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Issues and Insights
- Marketing around streaming on the go will maximise Older Millennials’ interest in tablets
- Productivity-focused computer accessories are most important to Dell and Apple owners
- Highlighting battery life on entry level laptops and tablets is critical to engage lower earners
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Market Size and Performance
- Market size for desktops, laptops and tablets decreases to £3.1 billion
- Cost-of-living crisis forced some people to put off on computer purchases or choose cheaper options
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- Figure 12: Value of desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2017-22
- Figure 13: Volume of desktop, laptop and tablet sales, 2017-22
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Market Segmentation
- Tablets continue to make up the majority of sales but laptops are the most profitable
- Figure 14: Split for the volume of sales in the computers market, 2017-22
- Figure 15: Split for the value of the computers market, 2017-22
- Laptop market decreases 12% YoY to £1.8 billion
- Figure 16: Value and volume of the laptops market, 2017-22
- £324 million desktop market experiences minor growth in sales and value
- Figure 17: Value of desktop market, 2017-22
- Tablet industry reduces by 7% YoY to £1 billion
- Figure 18: Value of Tablet market, 2017-22
- Tablets continue to make up the majority of sales but laptops are the most profitable
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Market Forecast
- Five-year outlook for computers, laptops and tablets
- Figure 19: Category outlook for computers and tablets, 2022
- Desktops, laptops and tablets market returning to its pre-pandemic decline
- Figure 20: Forecast for the value of the desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2022-27
- Figure 21: Forecast for the volume of the desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2022-27
- Forecast methodology
- Five-year outlook for computers, laptops and tablets
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Market Forecast – Desktops
- Desktop market to decrease 5% in 2023 with forecasted value of £238 million in 2027
- Figure 22: Forecast for the value of the desktop market, 2022-27
- Figure 23: Forecast for the volume of desktop sales, 2022-27
- Desktop market to decrease 5% in 2023 with forecasted value of £238 million in 2027
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Market Forecast – Laptops
- Laptops industry forecasted to be £1.7 billion in 2023 and £1.6 billion in 2027
- Figure 24: Forecast for the value of the laptop market, 2022-27
- Figure 25: Forecast for the volume of laptop sales, 2022-27
- Laptops industry forecasted to be £1.7 billion in 2023 and £1.6 billion in 2027
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Market Forecast – Tablets
- Tablet market to decrease to £948 million in 2023 and £766 million by 2027
- Figure 26: Forecast for the value of the tablet market, 2022-27
- Figure 27: Forecast for the volume of tablet sales, 2022-27
- Tablet market to decrease to £948 million in 2023 and £766 million by 2027
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Market Drivers
- Inflation is the key concern for consumers and brands
- Consumer spending power will be curbed
- Intel says chip shortage will last into 2024
- Slowdown in revenue from smartphone and tablet games
- PC gamers less likely to reduce spending
- Mobile network leader EE now offers 5G across over half of the UK
- Half of people are either hybrid working or working mainly at home
- Figure 28: Work location, 2022
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Market Share
- Appealing to lower income homes is a key driver of HP’s success
- Figure 29: Brand of desktop or laptop owned, 2022
- Apple is the dominant tablet brand despite Samsung being the most popular smartphone company
- Figure 30: Brand of tablet owned, 2022
- Appealing to lower income homes is a key driver of HP’s success
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Apple adds M2 chip to 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
- Apple updates iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro
- iPad Air
- iPad
- Price increases could force some Gen Z buyers to choose a refurbished previous generation iPad
- iPad Pro
- Lenovo announces dual-screen Yoga Book 9i laptop
- Asus unveils Vivobook Pro 16X 3D OLED with no-glasses 3D support
- Acer’s eKinekt BD3 aims to combine exercise with productivity
- Workers have a strong interest in at-home exercise but cost again likely to be a dealbreaker
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Brand Research
- Brand map
- Figure 31: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, 2023
- Key brand metrics
- Figure 32: Key metrics for selected brands, 2023
- Brand attitudes: Samsung and Apple lead in expressing consumers’ personalities
- Figure 33: Attitudes, by brand, 2023
- Brand personality: Over half of those who have heard of Samsung describe it as fun
- Figure 34: Brand personality – Macro image, 2023
- Microsoft is viewed as the most user-friendly computer brand
- Figure 35: Brand personality – Micro image, 2023
- Brand analysis
- Samsung is joint top in being consumers’ favourite computer brand
- Microsoft is in the top two brands for recommendations and reliability
- Consumers see Apple as the most innovative computer brand
- HP is in the top two brands for affordability
- A quarter of people who know Lenovo think it offers good value
- A quarter of people who know Dell think it is trustworthy and consistently high quality
- Consumers see Acer as the most affordable computer brand
- Brand map
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Desktop, Laptop and Tablet Ownership
- Marketing around streaming on the go can maximise Older Millennials’ tablet engagement
- Figure 36: Type of computer, laptop or tablet that consumers own, 2022
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- Figure 37: Ownership of a tablet for all consumers and Older Millennials, 2021-22
- Marketing around streaming on the go can maximise Older Millennials’ tablet engagement
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Length of Ownership
- Laptops were the key purchase in response to COVID-19, with tablets following after
- Potential for further desktop sales driven by people in a healthy financial position
- Figure 38: How long people have owned their desktop, laptop or tablet, 2022
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Activities on Desktops, Laptops and Tablets
- Productivity accessories to be key for Apple and Dell across next year
- Mid-range tablets with large storage capacities can appeal to gamers
- Streaming subscription offers will be most effective with Samsung and Apple laptops
- Figure 39: Which activities consumers use computers for, 2022
- Figure 40: Which activities Dell, Apple and Samsung owners use laptops for, 2022
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Purchase Intentions
- Consumers show willingness to buy despite financial situation but likely to pick cheaper options
- Buy Now Pay Later options to be more important for Younger Millennials looking to buy laptops
- Figure 41: Likelihood of buying desktop, laptop or tablet in next year, 2022
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Most Important Features in Computers and Tablets
- Highlighting battery life is key for entry level laptops and tablets over next year
- Figure 42: Features that people prioritise in a new computer, 2022
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- Figure 43: Features that people prioritise in a new tablet, 2022
- Focusing on computer camera quality will encourage current Samsung and Microsoft owners to buy
- Figure 44: Features that Samsung and Microsoft computer owners prioritise in a new computer, 2022
- Apple to benefit from financial uncertainty among iPad owners
- Figure 45: Features that Apple, Samsung and Amazon tablet owners prioritise in a new tablet, 2022
- Highlighting battery life is key for entry level laptops and tablets over next year
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 46: Forecast for the value of the desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2022-27
- Figure 47: Forecast for the volume of the desktop, laptop and tablet market, 2022-27
- Figure 48: Forecast for the value of the desktop market, 2022-27
- Figure 49: Forecast for the volume of desktop sales, 2022-27
- Figure 50: Forecast for the value of the laptop market, 2022-27
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- Figure 51: Forecast for the volume of laptop sales, 2022-27
- Figure 52: Forecast for the value of the tablet market, 2022-27
- Figure 53: Forecast for the volume of tablet sales, 2022-27
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
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