Omdia Projected PC Gaming Handheld Sales to Touch 2.3 Million in 2024
Omdia's report predicts that global sales of PC gaming handhelds will reach 2.3 million units in 2024, which is a 32 percent increase from the 1.7 million devices sold in the previous year. New research from Omdia predicts that annual sales will reach an estimated 4.7 million units by 2029.
Market Scan and Major Players
The segment is now emerging on a very fast growth path as seen from the devices included, such as Valve's Steam Deck, MSI Claw and Lenovo Legion Go. According to the forecast by Omdia, this category would register an 18.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the period up to 2029. Further reports suggest that Valve's Steam Deck enjoys a near monopoly of about 50% in market share.
There are different estimates from other analyst houses. IDC Intelligence forecasts that by the end of 2024, consumers will purchase 1.926 million PC handhelds, and the number of devices will grow to just shy of 8 million in 2025.
Current Issues Faced by PC Handhelds
Although inspiring growth in sales, analysts warn that significant challenges are still imposed on PC vendors. According to James McWhirter, senior games analyst at Omdia, the two main factors are:
- Software Experience: "Currently, Windows 11 does not fare well for handheld gaming."
- Performance: currently devices are "not offering a generational shift in performance over the market-leading Steam Deck."
Future Growth Drivers and Betterment
Many improvements are expected to close the gaps and attract more users into the market. Microsoft is seen as a primary contributor in providing an improved overall experience to the users.
According to McWhirter, an updated "refreshed gaming mode is anticipated to vastly better the user experience on PC gaming handhelds." This software innovation, in conjunction with the first entry of "Xbox branded handhelds" in late 2025 and Microsoft's joint efforts in semi-custom APUs, is expected to improve performance significantly.
Market Context
This is the growth of the PC gaming handheld market on a new console cycle. Omdia predicts that in 2025, the Nintendo Switch would add its successor Switch 2 and amass total sales exceeding 20 million units, which indicates the growing overall consumer demand for portable gaming.
