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Almost 50% of private households around the world own a personal computer (desktop or laptop). But data reveals that computer ownership varies drastically from country to country.
According to traffic from 2022, developing countries such as Algeria, Egypt, and Libya have 24.56%, 25.40%, and 12.12% computer users. Compared to that, developed countries such as Australia, Germany, and USA have 50.33%, 50.36%, and 42.34% computer users.
Did you know that the number of desktop computers shipped has declined since 2012? The decline is linked to a higher uptake of portable devices such as laptops, notebooks, and smartphones.
Desktops aren’t going extinct anytime soon, though.
It’s estimated that 93.3% of American households will have at least one personal computer by the end of 2023, up from 92.9% in 2022.
In this article, we’ll discuss the latest statistics about personal computers and computer trends and talk about what it all means for you.
Let’s start with the top 10 computer stats and trends.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Personal Computer Statistics & Trends
- A total of 56.7 million PCs were shipped worldwide in Q1, 2023. (Source: Counterpoint, 2023)
- The personal computer market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 2.22% between 2023 and 2028. (Source: Statista, 2023)
- As of Q3, 2022, almost 89% of Americans used the internet through smartphones, while around 68% did so through a laptop or desktop. (Source: Statista, 2023)
- The global average of time spent using a computer is 2 hours and 51 minutes. (Source: comparitech, 2023)
- In February 2022, 28.7% of Facebook users used mobile phones and computers to access the platform. While only 1.7% used the platform exclusively on their personal computers. (Source: Statista, 2023)
- As of May 2023, 11.1% of all YouTube traffic comes from desktop users. (Source: Semrush, 2023)
- 43% of internet visits come from desktop users, while 55% are from mobile and 2% are from tablets. (Source: StatCounter, n.d.)
- Laptops account for 75.8% of the global PC market. (Source: Gitnux, 2023)
- Computer users have a higher conversion rate (3.7%) compared to mobile users (2.2%). (Source: Contentsquare, 2022)
- Lenovo is the leading consumer electronics company in terms of laptop sales. In Q1, 2023, Lenovo had a 23.3% market share of global PC shipments. (Souce: Statista, 2023)
14 Key Questions We Answer in this Personal Computer Statistics Compilation
Essential Computer Facts
1. How Many Computers Are Used Today Worldwide?
As of April 2023, more than 3 billion people (62.6% of global internet users) access the internet through computers and tablets.
Regarding global penetration, 50% of private households worldwide have a computer (laptop or desktop). The percentage is drastically higher for developed countries compared to developing countries.
However, the global computer penetration rate is predicted to steadily rise. By 2028, the global computer penetration rate will reach 51.83%.
2. Highest Computer (Desktop + Laptop) Importing Countries
As of 2021, the United States was the highest importer of computers, accounting for almost 29 percent of the computers imported globally. Other leading importers included Germany (7.52%), Hong Kong (5.91%), Netherlands (5.82%), and Japan (3.87%).
It’s interesting that computer ownership figures show different trends in different countries.
For example, in some countries e.g., the Netherlands, computer ownership has seen a steady increment, while in others such as Japan, computer ownership declined due to higher penetration of smartphones.
3. What Factors Are Influencing Personal Computer Ownership Globally?
Personal computer ownership is inconsistent from country to country for reasons such as culture, financial stability, and literacy rate.
That’s why computer ownership is still lagging in developing countries compared to developed countries.
For example, a study conducted in the Natal Province of South Africa revealed that farmers didn’t own a computer because it was expensive or because they didn’t have the time or confidence to operate it.
It’s also important to note that formal education is an important factor that increases the ownership and use of computers.
4. How Many Computers Are Sold Each Year?
Around 286 million personal computers were shipped globally. Despite the increased adoption of computers worldwide, we see an opposite trend in the computer market. There was a 16.2% fall in the total number of computers shipped in 2022.
Supply chain issues, high inflation, and a troubled economy are some of the issues that caused the decline.
Another reason is that most (developed) countries are reaching a saturation point of computer adoption. Therefore, there’s no need to purchase another computer.
Add to that the increasing popularity and capabilities of smartphones and computers are becoming more superfluous.
Usage
5. How Much Time Does the Average American Spend on Their Computer Each Day or Week?
The average American spends about 3 hours and 31 minutes daily looking at their computer screens.
That means Americans spend more than 24 hours per week on their computers.
Americans spend more time looking at their computer screens than the global average i.e. 2 hours and 51 minutes.
6. How is Mobile vs Desktop Web Usage Changing Overtime?
In 2016, mobile web browsing took over desktop. As of January 2022, 57% of the global web page views came from mobiles (excluding tablets).
And the figure is even higher for mobile first nations. For example, African mobile phone users are responsible for 74% of the web page views.
While it seems that smartphones will make computers extinct, that won’t happen anytime soon.
Moreover, the demand for gaming PCs is rising, and the global PC gaming market is expected to surpass the 32 billion mark by 2030.
So while mobile phones are taking up a lot of space, computers are still more than relevant in various sectors such as gaming, offices, and online purchasing.
7. What Are the Most Common Activities Performed on Personal Computers?
Personal computers (desktops and laptops) have become a part of our work, studies, and even entertainment. However, the most common use of PCs is none other than e-mail.
A sample of U.S. consumers aged 18 to 64 were asked about their most common computer activities, 60% said they used computers to send, read, and respond to emails.
Watching videos and online shopping were the second and third most common computer activities.
8. What Are the Top 10 Websites Visited on a Computer (Desktop or Laptop)?
Traffic/eCommerce
8. How Do Traffic and Conversion Rates Compare for Computers vs Phones?
A whopping 92.3% of global internet users are mobile phone users, while 65.6% use a desktop or laptop. Nevertheless, almost half of the 2 billion online shoppers still use desktops, laptops, or tablets to purchase online.
In fact, computer users have almost double the conversion rate compared to mobile users.
The most common reason online shoppers prefer to purchase on computers vs mobiles is that they can’t get a clear enough image of the product over their phones.
9. How Did E-commerce Change: Mobile vs Computer?
Thanks to advanced smartphones, growing access to 5G, and more businesses adopting mobile-friendly websites, mobile commerce is on the rise. In 2021 alone, mobile commerce hit $359.32 billion, expected to double by 2025.
However, online shopping on personal computer users still makes up half of the online shoppers. There’s also a better conversion observed in computer shoppers compared to mobile shoppers.
10. How Does Personal Computer Ownership Compare between Developed and Developing Countries?
Developed countries such as the US have a much higher rate of computer ownership than developing countries such as India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, etc.
More than 80% of households in developed countries own computers compared to only 33% in developing countries.
Internet & Searches
11. What Percentage of Google Searches Are on a Computer?
Only 37% of Google’s US organic search traffic came from desktops or computers; the rest was either from mobiles or tablets.
However, it is interesting to note that users are more likely to use computers for more complex searches and queries, such as understanding complex topics.
On the other hand, mobile phone searches are more likely to be simple and location-based.
12. What Are the Top 10 Countries with the Fastest Internet Speed in 2023?
As of April 2023, the Speedtest Global Index lists the following countries as the top ten regarding fixed broadband internet speed.
Whereas, the countries with the fastest mobile internet speeds are as follows.
Future Predictions
13. What Are the Most Important Emerging Technologies and Their Impact on Personal Computer Usage?
Some of the most important technologies enhancing personal computer usage are VR/AR, Artificial intelligence (AI), and Cloud Computing.
We’re already seeing a dramatic change in user search trends, with AI technologies like ChatGPT and Bard being accessible to everyone.
However, generative AI also has the potential to change the way we use personal computers drastically.
It’s not science fiction anymore to think of interactive versions of personal computers that are much more interactive and capable of integrating with other devices at your home (or office).
Cloud computing is another emerging technology that changes user behaviors by storing their data in the cloud and making it readily available.
The advancements in VR/AR technology will also bring a huge change in multiple sectors in the near future.
You can expect gaming to become more immersive and visually superior to the AAA titles of today. User experience will improve as people interact with their PCs using voice commands and gestures.
All in all, personal computers are here to stay. But they’ll need to keep up with the demands of these newer technologies, drastically changing how we currently use computers.
We will observe better connectivity, enhanced performance, and a better user experience.
With advancements in computer technology, there’s an increasing concern about the price of personal computers.
However, it’s safe to assume that manufacturers will find economical solutions to ensure lower production costs, thus demanding reasonable retail prices.
14. Predictions for the Future Growth of Personal Computer Ownership.
Today smartphones are capable of much more than just a few years ago.
Smartphones can do anything from recording high-resolution videos to booking cabs and flights and from purchasing a new sofa to ordering your cheat meal of the day.
Add to that the increased accessibility and higher speeds offered by 5G; there’s a lesser need for less flexible devices such as computers and laptops.
There are still certain domains smartphones won’t be able to hit in the foreseeable future.
Gaming is one such domain, having a market value of 11.86 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Gaming PC shipments have increased and will continue to do so, as experts predict a compound annual growth rate of 4.5 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Closing Thoughts on Personal Computer Statistics
Personal computer ownership is on a steady rise. Moreover, the PC market, especially gaming PCs and laptops, continues to grow steadily.
That is despite a dip in global PC shipments in 2022 due to the recent pandemic, economic instability, and supply chain disruptions.
Even though advanced smartphone models and increasing access to 5G internet have enabled mobile users to populate the major part of the internet, computer users still constitute an integral percentage.
Cloud computing, AR/VR, and Artificial Intelligence are some of the emerging technologies that will change how we use computers by enhancing our experiences for the better.
While the hardware to enable these technologies will increase computer prices in the short term, manufacturers will surely find ways to make the technologies cheaper in the long run.