GPU shipments are expected to continue growing 3.7% annually to 419 million units shipped by the end of 2025, according to the analyst firm, but the interesting data relates to dedicated graphics. for PC, of which they will increase to 21%. year-over-year growth in five years.
GPU data during the year 2020
As part of his ongoing research into the PC graphics market, Jon Peddie Research released his Market Watch report for the fourth quarter of 2020. Prior to 2020, the PC market was showing signs of improvement and settling into a low. new normal. The pandemic has distorted all models and forecasts, as has the Ethereum Gold Rush and cryptocurrency mining. JPR’s report confirms this trend for the fourth quarter of 2020, but with cautious forecasts for next year.
AMD’s overall market share percentage for the last quarter decreased by 2.2% and NVIDIA’s by 4.37%, while Intel’s share increased by 6.6%. Total GPU shipments were up 20.5% from the previous quarter, AMD shipments were up 6.4%, NVIDIA shipments were down 7.3%, and Intel’s were up 33.2 %. This is empirical data provided by JPR.
From these data, we can draw the following conclusions:
- Total GPU shipments increased significantly (+ 20.5%).
- The company most affected was NVIDIA (it lost 4.37% share and sent 7.3% fewer GPUs).
- The company that has benefited the most is Intel (it gained 6.6% market share and sold 33.2% more GPUs).
- AMD is on the middle ground, losing 2.2% market share but selling 6.4% more graphics.
According to JPR, the overall PC market grew 30.25% in the last quarter compared to the previous one and 35.76% compared to the same period last year, a good sign of the health of the l PC industry. Obviously, GPUs are a leading indicator of the PC market since every computer needs a graphics to function (whether dedicated or integrated).
Due to the “obligation” of people to work remotely and study from home due to the global pandemic, laptop shipments exceeded 230 million for the first time in history. In addition, year-over-year growth was 49%, the highest recorded to date. Additionally, JPR points out that this data was obtained despite supply chain issues due to trade wars, pandemic shutdowns and equipment shortages.
The forecast for 2021 is more modest and foresees a growth of 6%. Chromebooks have been a major contributor to this growth, but it is expected to slow in 2021 due to school budget constraints.
The absurd: GPU shipments skyrocket out of stock
Before we get to the question, we need to differentiate between shipments and sales. In the analysis, JPR speaks of expeditions which refers to the units that top-notch manufacturers send to their partners, distributors and others, that is, one could simply speak of manufactured units. Then the units sold
It is a fact that “something” is happening: if in the last quarter of 2020 more graphics were sent than ever before but we still do not see them in stock in the stores, there is something left. share, and we can only think about those huge cryptocurrency mining farms racking up hundreds, if not thousands of GPUs to profit. We all know the problems with robots making automatic purchases as soon as there is stock, but that would count as a sale as such and the point is that the level of sales does not match the level of shipments at all.
So where are these units that we don’t see in stores? What then happens with these stock problems that all manufacturers are announcing with great fanfare? We may be facing a worthy case of the Iker Jiménez program, but it seems obvious that there is a fair amount of GPUs that are made and shipped but not sold.