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Sharp Increase for Global PC Shipments in Fourth Quarter

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Global PC shipments grew 9.6 percent year-over-year (YoY) in the fourth quarter of 2025, reaching 76.4 million units, according to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. The increase follows an 8.25 percent YoY increase in the preceding third quarter.

IDC says the results cap off a tumultuous year for the PC market, marked by the end of support for Microsoft Windows 10, which drove a wave of upgrade demand, and early year tariff concerns that prompted vendors to pull forward more inventory than originally planned. While the holiday season typically drives stronger demand, the surge in late 2025 was further amplified by emerging memory shortages that led buyers and brands to secure inventory ahead of anticipated price increases in 2026.

PC Memory-Supply Shortage

“IDC expects that the PC market will be far different in 12 months given how quickly the memory situation is evolving,” commented Jean Philippe Bouchard, research vice-president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. “Beyond the obvious pressure on prices of systems, already announced by certain manufacturers, we might also see PC memory specifications be lowered on average to preserve memory inventory on hand. The year ahead is shaping up to be extremely volatile.”

“Memory shortages are affecting the entire industry, and the impact will likely reshape market dynamics over the next two years,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. “Large consumer electronics brands are well positioned to leverage their scale and memory allocations to capture shares from smaller and regional vendors. However, the severity of the shortage raises the risk that smaller brands may not survive, and consumers, particularly DIY enthusiasts, may delay purchases or shift their spending to other devices or experiences.”

In addition to potential market share shifts, average selling prices (ASPs) are expected to rise in 2026 as vendors prioritize midrange and premium systems to offset higher component costs, especially memory. While total unit shipments may soften, overall market value is projected to increase as component suppliers, PC manufacturers, and channel partners adjust pricing to ensure they capture revenue opportunities amid another supply constrained environment.

Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Traditional PC Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q4 2025 (Preliminary results, shipments are in millions of units)
Company4Q25 Shipments4Q25 Market Share4Q24 Shipments4Q24 Market Share4Q25/4Q24 Growth
1. Lenovo 19.325.3% 16.924.2%14.4%
2. HP Inc 15.420.1% 13.719.7%12.1%
3. Dell Technologies 11.715.3% 9.914.2%18.2%
4. Apple 7.19.3% 7.110.2%0.2%
5. ASUS 5.47.1% 4.97.0%10.9%
Others 17.422.8% 17.224.7%1.5%
Total 76.4100.0% 69.7100.0%9.6%
Source: IDC Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, January 12, 2026

 

Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Traditional PC Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, 2025 vs. 2024 (Preliminary results, shipments are in millions of units)
Company2025 Shipments2025 Market Share2024 Shipments2024 Market Share2025/2024 Growth
1. Lenovo 70.824.9% 61.823.5%14.5%
2. HP Inc. 57.520.2% 53.020.1%8.4%
3. Dell Technologies 41.114.4% 39.114.8%5.2%
4. Apple 25.69.0% 23.08.7%11.1%
5. Asus 20.57.2% 18.06.8%13.4%
Others 69.324.3% 68.325.9%1.4%
Total 284.7100.0% 263.3100.0%8.1%
Source: IDC Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, January 12, 2026

IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker gathers detailed market data in over 90 countries. The research includes historical and forecast trend analysis, among other data. For more information or to subscribe to the research, contact IDCs Jackie Kliem at 508-988-7984 or jkliem@idc.com.

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