In an increasingly Mobile / Tablet focused market, who will save the PC?
The rise of mobile devices and tablet computers had gobbled up chunks of the market, leaving the PC to struggle for relevance in a consistently more portable world. Back in May, the International Data Corporation (IDC) predicted that PC sales would drop by 7.8 percent in 2013, almost doubling its 4 percent drop in 2012.
But as with all great epic tales, a band of heroes have arisen to protect the PC from the specter of insignificance.
Who are these brave individuals holding strong to their PCs while the mobile world lays siege on all sides?
Gamers, of course.
A band of heroes have arisen to protect the PC from the specter of insignificance. Who are these brave individuals holding strong to their PCs while the mobile world lays siege on all sides? Gamers, of course.
In a press release, Jon Peddie Research (JPR) predicted that the global market for PC gaming hardware would not decrease with the broader PC market, but rather would increase from about $17.8 billion in 2013 to over $20 billion by 2016. JPR attributes this growth to the PC’s ability to deliver better functionality than their mobile or cloud counterparts, specifically when it comes to graphics.
Jon Peddie, President of JPR, said in a statement,
“Not only is gaming becoming an even more important purchasing influence of PC sales due to the offloading of more basic functionality to smart devices, but we are forecasting growth in the most expensive discrete graphics products. We are also impressed with the embedded graphics offerings this generation and going forward.”
JPR predicts that Bohemia Interactive’s upcoming release of ARMA 3 will drive about $800 million in PC builds
This increased functionality, specifically in graphics, is important to gamers because of the increasing complexity of the games that gamers are playing. For example, JPR predicts that Bohemia Interactive’s upcoming release of ARMA 3 will drive about $800 million in PC builds. According to JPR, because recent games are more demanding on the CPU, gamers are foregoing standard components, and instead building custom machines from the ground up.
Hardcore gamers will not be surprised by the consistent and even increasing demand for stronger PC components to keep up with the games they want to play. But in a world that seems to be focused on mobility and the potential for the integration of computing into every aspect of our lives, it is refreshing to see gamers continuing to carry the torch for the traditional PC.
Header Image: http://sparkwiz.com/tips-n-tricks/choosing-the-right-gaming-pc-monitor/
Published: Sep 4, 2013 04:35 pm