Global shipments for gaming PCs suffered the same fate as the overall PC market in 2023 with the gaming category declining 13,2% year over year to 44-million units for the year.
However, gaming monitors were able to buck the trend as lower pricing helped drive volume and resulted in gaming monitors growing 20,3% during the year, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Gaming Tracker.
For 2024, IDC forecasts gaming PCs will see modest growth of 1% with notebooks being the primary driver. Gaming monitors will continue their growth trajectory, reaching 22,2-million units and growing 13,6% in 2024.
“Though the global economy continues to struggle, shipments for gaming PCs have been a bit more buoyant due to sustained demand,” says Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers. “Most importantly, there’s been an upward trend in pricing as the premium segment of the market has remained strong and will continue to see growth in the coming years thanks to dedicated and more affluent buyers who seem to be less impacted by the economy.”
Jay Chou, research manager for IDC’s Worldwide Client Devices Trackers, adds: “Gaming monitor volume witnessed a remarkable recovery following a decline in 2022. At approximately $300, gaming monitors are an essential and cost-effective part of the PC gaming experience.
“Declining prices and continued innovations have led to widespread adoption of specs like refresh rates exceeding 165Hz, response times of 1ms or less, and an increasing shift towards higher resolutions (1440P or greater).
“Given these improvements, gaming monitors are expected to continue outpacing the growth of gaming PCs.”
Beyond 2024, IDC forecasts the gaming market to grow further with PC volume reaching 52-million units in 2028 and monitors reaching 29,6-million units during the same period.
In addition, gaming monitor prices are expected to drop each year while gaming PCs shift upwards and average selling prices rise to $1 101 as notebooks and premium GPUs gain more traction.