Present and Future of PC Microprocessor Market

RMN Digital | March 15, 2012 | Americas, Asia Pacific, Backend, Consumer, Enterprise, Europe, Laptops, Middle East and Africa, Opinion, Regions, Surveys | No Comments

The traditional PCs are still gaining market visibility in the tech world that seems to be dominated by the new-generation tablet computers and mobile computing devices. This is manifested by a new market research report on PC microprocessors.

Worldwide PC microprocessor revenues in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011 (4Q11) rose to $10.9 billion, up 1.8% compared to 3Q11 and up 14.2% compared to 4Q10, according to the latest PC microprocessor market share study from research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). For the year 2011 compared to 2010, PC microprocessor revenues rose 13.2% to more than $41 billion, it said today, March 15.

“The average selling price (ASP) that OEMs pay for PC microprocessors rose more than 9% in 2011, making 2011 the second consecutive year of notable ASP increases,” said Shane Rau, director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC.

Looking at processor unit shipments in 2011 compared to 2010, overall shipments grew 3.6%. By form factor, mobile PC processor unit shipments grew 3.9% in 2011, while x86 server processor unit shipments grew 9.0%, and desktop processor unit shipments grew 2.7%.

In 4Q11, Intel earned 80.3% overall worldwide unit market share, a gain of 0.1% compared to 3Q11. AMD earned 19.6% market share in 4Q11, a loss of 0.1% compared to 3Q11. VIA Technologies earned 0.1% share for the quarter, representing no change.

In 4Q11 by form factor, Intel earned 82.3% share in the mobile PC processor segment, no change compared to 3Q11. AMD finished with 17.6%, no change compared to 3Q11.

In the PC server/workstation processor segment, Intel finished with 94.3% market share, a loss of 0.8%, and AMD earned 5.7%, a gain of 0.8%. In the desktop PC processor segment, Intel earned 76.1%, a gain of 0.3%, and AMD earned 23.8%, a loss of 0.3%.

For the full year 2011, Intel earned 80.1% overall worldwide unit market share, a loss of 0.6% compared to 2010. In 2011, AMD earned 19.7%, a gain of 0.7% compared to 2010. VIA Technologies earned 0.2%, a loss of 0.1%.

In 2011 by form factor, Intel earned 83.8% share in the mobile PC processor segment, a loss of 2.6%, AMD finished with 16.0%, a gain of 2.7%, and VIA earned 0.2%, a loss of 0.1%.

In the PC server/workstation processor segment, Intel finished with 94.5% market share, a gain of 1.5% and AMD earned 5.5%, a loss of 1.5%. In the desktop PC processor segment, Intel earned 73.8%, a gain of 1.7%, AMD earned 26.0%, a loss of 1.6%, and VIA earned 0.2%, a loss of 0.2%.

IDC’s forecast for PC microprocessor unit shipment growth in 2012 is 5.1%. Since the end of 2011 and through the first quarter of 2012 so far, IDC observes that the hard disk drive shortage that caused PC OEMs to cut back on advanced purchases of PC microprocessors has improved.

IDC now believes that the HDD shortage will not be a significant factor in PC shipments in 2Q12. Combined with improving job growth in the United States and stabilization of sovereign debt issues in Europe, IDC may raise this growth rate modestly after the close of 1Q12.