Jan 14, 2026 13:15:00

Global PC shipments to grow 9.6% YoY in Q4 2025, driven by demand for upgrades and securing PCs ahead of price hikes amid end of Windows 10 support

Research firm IDC has released its report on PC shipments for the fourth quarter of 2025 (October to December). The report notes

that a global memory shortage could cause PC shipments to decline by up to 9% year-on-year in 2026. However, due to buyers and brands stocking up on inventory ahead of that, shipments are expected to increase 9.6% year-on-year to 76.4 million units.

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Global PC shipments are expected to grow at a faster rate than the same period of the previous year for each year from the fourth quarter of 2024 onwards, reaching 76.4 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 9.6% increase from the same period of the previous year.

According to IDC, the shipment figures by manufacturer are as follows, with Lenovo leading the way with 19.3 million units, an increase of 14.4% compared to the same period last year.

Manufacturer	Shipment volume	YoY comparison
Lenovo	19.3 million units	14.4% increase
HP	15.4 million units	12.1% increase
Dell	11.7 million units	18.2% increase
Apple	7.1 million units	0.2% increase
ASUS	5.4 million units	10.9% increase
others	17.4 million units	1.5% increase
total	76.4 million units	9.6% increase

IDC attributes the growth in figures to demand for upgrades following the end of support for Windows 10, vendors clearing inventory earlier than planned due to concerns about tariffs starting in 2026, and buyers and brands seeking to secure memory ahead of price hikes due to the apparent memory shortage.

'The memory landscape is rapidly changing, and the PC market is likely to look very different in 12 months,' said Jean-Philippe Bouchard, research vice president at IDC. 'Not only will there be clear pressure on prices, as some manufacturers have already announced, but there is also the possibility that PC memory specifications will be lowered on average to ensure memory inventory is available. 2026 is likely to be a very volatile year.'

Research Manager Jitesh Ubrani also commented on the impact of the memory shortage on the industry, saying, 'The market is likely to be fundamentally rewritten over the next two years.' According to Ubrani, smaller brands are at greater risk of losing market share to larger manufacturers and losing their survival. While PC shipments may slow, he predicts that overall market value will increase as manufacturers, suppliers, and distribution partners adjust prices to secure revenue opportunities even in a limited supply environment.