“Buzz around AI PCs” is just part of why more people will buy laptops as 2024 holiday gifts than ever, but many are shopping for themselves
Experts predict a massive year for tech shopping this holiday season.
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What you need to know
Millions of Americans will receive laptops as gifts this holiday season, marking a high point for the category. A report by Consumer Technology Association (CTA) states that 51% of people surveyed will buy a laptop as a gift this year. Desktop gift buying is also expected to be at an all-time high, as 35% of survey respondents said they intend to buy a desktop PC for the 2024 holidays. Laptop and desktop gift purchasing are expected to be up 8 and 9 percent, respectively, when compared to last year.
The report was completed by surveying 1,205 adults in the United States between August 27, 2024 and September 4, 2024. You can preview the report on theCTA website. The complete report is available for free to CTA members or for $999 to those who aren’t members.
Many of the tech gifts purchased will be for people under 18, while another sizeable percentage will be gifts for spouses. CTA’s report states that 40% of gifts will be for children and 36% will be for spouses. 15% of those buying tech gifts will give that tech to a parent, and 28% will give a tech gift to an “other” adult.
29% percent of respondents said they would buy a tech gift for themselves. Those figures add up to more than 100%, but that’s because many purchase multiple tech gifts for various people.
Even those who do not purchase a laptop or desktop for the holidays are likely to buy some type of tech. 78% of respondents said they will buy computer hardware and a whopping 89% said they intend to purchase tech gifts. That figure related to general tech gifts is 8% higher than CTA has ever seen, including data going back to 2007.
AI PCs
AI PCs appear to be a factor in the surge of interest in buying laptops before the end of 2024. “A lot of the buzz around AI PCs, maybe that’s a little bit behind that,” said Steve Koenig, CTA VP of Research, said to our colleagues atTom’s Hardware.
The list of thebest AI PCsgrew quite a bit this year. Interest in AI has skyrocketed over the past few years, and we now have hardware available to take advantage of the trend. Qualcomm released itsSnapdragon X processors, which power the first wave ofCopilot+ PCs. AMD and Intel also hopped on the AI PC hype train withRyzen AI PRO 300 processorsandIntel Core Ultra Series 2 chips, respectively.
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How often do you buy a new laptop?
The fact that we’re now a few years removed from the peak of the global pandemic also plays a part, according to Koenig. “It could also be part of the upgrade cycle. A lot of people got new laptops at the headwaters of the health crisis and here we are four years later and maybe people are thinking it’s time to upgrade.”
While tech companies often refresh laptops annually, few people purchase new PCs each year. But after a few years, PCs can start showing their age, at least in comparison to newer tech. Screens get better, chips get faster, and new features roll out regularly. Combine steady growth, even within a singular product line, and you can see a dramatic difference between a PC from 2020 compared to 2024. For example, look at theDell XPS 15 from 2020and theXPS 16 from 2024.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals
Retailers have taken strides to invent shopping events, such as Prime Day and Anti-Prime Day, and those efforts appear to have drawn in consumers. 41% of respondents stated that they will start their holiday shopping in October. That’s the highest percentage ever seen by CTA.
While early shopping has grown, many will still look to Black Friday and Cyber Monday for holiday shopping. Of course, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are also made up, but they have been around for quite a while now, and it doesn’t seem likely that other days will surpass them. Koenig noted that over half of holiday shoppers will shop during Black Friday week.
🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
