According to analyst firm Gartner, the PC industry has finally seen an end to its two-year-long decline, experiencing a modest 0.3 percent growth in the fourth quarter of 2023. However, conflicting views from other analysts such as IDC and Canalys cast doubt on the extent of this growth.

Gartner's director analyst, Mikako Kitagawa, believes that the PC market has reached the bottom of its decline, with inventory levels finally normalized after causing industry-wide issues for the past two years. This slight growth suggests a balance between demand and supply. However, Kitagawa cautions that these dynamics could change in light of anticipated cost increases for components, along with geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Industry insiders in the Asian supply chain have raised concerns over rising prices of solid-state drives (SSDs). Analyst firm TrendForce predicts a potential 50 percent jump in SSD prices in 2024 due to increasing costs of NAND and DDR technologies. The first quarter of this year alone is expected to witness an impact of 18 to 23 percent in terms of cost increases.

While Gartner's figures indicate a small growth in the PC industry, IDC maintains that this was the eighth consecutive quarter of sales-out shrinkage. On the other hand, Canalys estimates a 3 percent overall market growth during this period.

It is evident that the PC industry is currently navigating through a delicate balance, as it emerges from a prolonged decline in shipments. The impact of rising component costs, particularly in SSDs, is expected to further challenge the sector's growth in the coming months. As the PC industry enters a new era, industry leaders will need to adapt to these changing dynamics while also staying prepared for potential geopolitical and economic impacts.