Windows 11 and demand for work PCs sees Dell and HP results boost

The Dell Vostro 5301
(Image credit: Dell)

Strong demand for business computers following the launch of Windows 11 has left both Dell and HP with better-than-expected results for their most recent financial results.

Dell said it had a record-breaking quarter between July and September this year, as  “strong” demand for commercial PC systems and workstations, high-end consumer devices, and gaming machines, saw it report $28.4 billion in Q3 2021 revenue, up 21% compared to the same period last year, as total earnings reached $3.9 billion.

Revenue for the company’s client solutions group touched $16.5 billion for Q3 this year, up by more than a third (35%) compared to last year. Discussing the results, vice chairman of Dell Technologies, Jeffrey Clarke, said Windows 11 was a solid growth catalyst, and that the company expects it to further drive demand for new PCs.

HP beats expectations too

HP has had similarly good results, reporting in its Q4 2021 $16.7 billion in revenue, up 9.3% compared to last year, and more than the analysts’ forecasts of $15.4 billion. Earnings stood at $3.1 billion, or $2.71 a share.

HP’s delivered revenue for the entire 2021 was up $12.1% compared to last year, as the company reported $63.5 billion. Earnings were $6.5 billion, or $5.33 a share. Unlike Dell, which saw Windows 11 as a key catalyst, HP’s CEO Enrique Lores said its strong portfolio of hardware, software, and subscriptions, helped it achieve these results.

Still, PC sales were at the heart of HP’s strong growth, as revenue for this segment was $11.8 billion, up 13% year-on-year. Consumer PC sales were down 3% for the quarter, while commercial revenue spiked 25%. 

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.