SAN FRANCISCO — Intel, the world’s largest maker of semiconductors, on Tuesday reported first-quarter earnings that were slightly higher than the same period a year ago, reflecting aggressive cost management in a weak personal computer market.

“We expect the PC market to remain challenging,” Brian M. Krzanich, the chief executive, said in a call to analysts after the earnings were released.

Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., has for several years struggled with ebbing demand for PCs, as consumers turn to mobile phones and tablets.

But Mr. Krzanich optimistically noted there were “600 million PCs out there, growing by the day, that are greater than four years old,” and Intel executives hope a new release of Microsoft’s PC operating system, scheduled for this summer, will improve demand for his company’s chips.