Editor's take: Changes in shipment trends can offer a clearer picture of how the PC market is performing. A new IDC report confirms that customers are once again buying new systems in large numbers, particularly in regions unaffected by US tariffs and where local authorities are actively supporting consumer and business growth.
IDC recently shared its latest preliminary results on global PC shipments, giving manufacturers reason to celebrate. According to the market intelligence firm, global shipments in the third quarter of 2025 grew by 9.4 percent, reaching 75.8 million units. The market is performing strongly overall, although contributions vary across different regions.
As expected, the global PC market is being lifted by the Windows 11 transition. Millions of consumers, along with some major organizations, are replacing their aging machines, IDC Research Vice President Jean Philippe Bouchard confirmed. However, the North American market is feeling the impact of US tariffs on imported goods, which have created a notable economic "shock" and contributed to macroeconomic uncertainty.
Conversely, the Asia-Pacific market has experienced record double-digit growth, driven largely by China and Japan. Tokyo, in particular, has made a significant contribution through the government-funded GIGA education project, which is refreshing existing Windows 10 systems. IDC noted that growth outside Japan has been more modest due to macroeconomic conditions, political challenges, and slower-than-expected adoption of Windows 11.
Maciek Gornicki, senior research manager at IDC, noted that "there were pockets of opportunity from hardware refreshes of devices purchased during and before the Covid-19 pandemic."
IDC compiles its quarterly reports by including traditional PC systems shipped to both distribution channels and end users, while OEM sales are counted under the brand with which they are sold. In the company's own words, "traditional PCs" include desktops, notebooks, and professional workstations, but do not cover tablets or x86 servers.
IDC's primary tool for tracking and analyzing device shipments is the Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, which collects market data from over 90 countries.
Speaking of OEMs, IDC lists Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple, and Asus as the top five PC manufacturers in 3Q 2025, with market shares of 25.5 percent, 19.8 percent, 13.3 percent, 6.8 percent, and 5.9 percent, respectively.
The world's largest PC manufacturer, Lenovo, shipped 19.4 million systems over the three-month period, while fifth-ranked Asus shipped 5.9 million units. Lenovo also posted the highest year-over-year growth, with a 17.3 percent increase.
Global PC shipments surge as Windows EOL transition fuels upgrade cycle
