Top 6 Best-Selling PC Brands Of The Second Quarter

PC Market Plummets

Worldwide PC shipments declined nearly 12 percent in the second quarter, with five of the top six biggest brands experiencing a drop in the number of PCs shipped, according to research firm IDC.

More than 66 million PC units were shipped worldwide in the quarter, down 11.8 percent from just less than 75 million units shipped in the same period last year.

IDC points to the upcoming launch of Windows 10 as the primary reason why retailers reduced their inventory of machines. Microsoft's much anticipated operating system is set to launch July 29.

IDC forecasts "low- to mid-single-digit declines in volume" for the remainder of the year as many consumers will opt for the free upgrade to Windows 10 rather than buying a new PC.

Here are the top six PC brands for the quarter based on market share worldwide, according to IDC.

5 (tie). Asus

Asus, Taipei, Taiwan, held 6.5 percent of the global PC market, up from 6.3 percent last year. Asus shipped 4.3 million units in the second quarter, down 7.7 percent from the 4.69 million units shipped in the year-ago period. Despite the drop in shipments, the company saw a small boost in share as the overall market's decline was so steep.

Many international organizations have been affected by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and shifting exchange rates, leading to an increase in PC prices. IDC said Asus was challenged in this area but saw growth in the U.S. market to offset this issue.

5 (tie). Acer Group

Asus and Acer Group tied for the fifth spot in market share, according to IDC, as the two PC brands were statistically too close.

Acer Group shipped more than 4.3 million units in the quarter after shipping more than 5.9 million in the same period last year, a decline of 26.9 percent, according to IDC. Because of this, the company saw its market share drop from 7.9 percent in the year-ago quarter to 6.6 percent in the second quarter of 2015.

Despite seeing continued growth in the Chromebook market after launching more models, Acer was impacted by the shrinking demand in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region largely due to the altered exchange rates.

4. Apple

Apple took the fourth spot for the second quarter and was the only major brand that had an increase in shipments.

The company saw its market share rise to 7.8 percent in the quarter from 5.9 percent in the same period last year. The iMac and MacBook maker saw a 16.1 percent increase in global PC shipments after shipping more than 5.1 million units in the quarter, up from more than 4.4 million units in the same period last year.

Apple's growth was due to the fact that Apple retailers had no reason to reduce inventory ahead of the Windows 10 launch, and the fact that the Cupertino, Calif.-based company in March launched its refreshed 12-inch MacBook, which has garnered much attention as it is the thinnest laptop Apple has ever made.

3. Dell

Dell was No. 3 in the quarter with a market share of 14.5 percent, up from 14 percent in the year-ago quarter, according to IDC. The Round Rock, Texas-based company shipped more than 9.5 million units in the quarter, down 8.7 percent from the 10.4 million units it shipped in the year-ago period.

Dell saw growth in the Asia-Pacific and EMEA markets, but that was offset by the 8.6 percent decline in shipments it saw in the U.S. market.

At this year's CES event, Dell announced its XPS 13 laptop, featuring a 13-inch display on the body of a laptop that normally ships with an 11-inch screen.

2. Hewlett-Packard

HP took the No. 2 spot in the second quarter with a market share of 18.5 percent, according to IDC. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company shipped more than 12.2 million units in the quarter, down 10.4 percent from the 13.7 million units it shipped in the year-ago quarter.

HP was the top PC vendor in the U.S. during the quarter with a 26 percent market share, despite seeing a 6.6 percent drop in shipments. The company saw a greater drop in shipments internationally as it had less demand for its entry-level notebooks.

1. Lenovo

Lenovo came in at the No. 1 PC vendor worldwide in the second quarter with a market share of 20.3 percent. The Chinese company shipped more than 13.4 million units in the quarter, down 7.5 percent from the more than 14.5 million it shipped in the year-ago period.

Lenovo saw an 8.8 percent boost in shipments in the U.S. during the quarter, the highest shipment gains of any company in the market, and was the fourth leading PC vendor in the U.S. It also saw growth in EMEA markets as it continued to expand outside its locale of China.