Global notebook shipments performed stronger than DIGITIMES Research originally expected in the second quarter of 2023 with the on-year decline shrinking dramatically from those of the past several quarters. However, the performances in the third and fourth quarters of 2023 will not be as robust.
The sequential growth in the second quarter is contributed primarily by robust orders from the education procurement segment and the price-cut promotions launched by brand vendors with the assistance from CPU makers. However, the quarterly performance in the second half is unlikely to be as strong as in the second quarter as most consumers should have already made their purchases in the second quarter when the price cuts were at their fiercest, while increasing costs for the education models and brand vendors turning conservative with the release of new notebooks are also expected to create negative influences.
The global top-6 brands will see mixed shipment performances in the third quarter. The top brand Hewlett-Packard (HP) will experience a sequential shipment decline in the third quarter due to the high comparison base in the second quarter. Lenovo's inventory was largely digested with its price-cut promotions in the second quarter and the Chinese brand is expected to enjoy a small sequential growth in third-quarter shipments with the potential recovery of Europe and China, Lenovo's key markets.
