Riding a Windows 10 refresh wave, PC makers globally see shipments rising 8.1% in Q3 2025, while enterprises cautiously prepare fleets for the AI-powered computing era ahead.
Personal computer (PC) shipments worldwide rose 8.1% year-on-year (YoY) in Q3 2025, according to recent data by Counterpoint Research. The growth was driven mainly by the impending end-of-support for Microsoft Windows 10 in October 2025, combined with inventory adjustments linked to shifting US import tariffs.
Among vendors, Lenovo led the surge with 17.4% YoY growth in Q3 2025, securing the top market position. HP followed with a 10.3% YoY increase, benefiting from strong enterprise adoption. Dell recorded a marginal 0.9% YoY decline, though shipments grew 2.7% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), reflecting cautious enterprise spending. Apple saw a 14.9% YoY jump, boosted by new MacBook models, while ASUS recorded the strongest QoQ growth at 22.5%, with 14.1% YoY gains driven by consumer notebook demand.
Together, the top five vendors captured nearly 75% of the global PC market, highlighting continued high-end consolidation, while smaller OEMs experienced flat or declining volumes.
The report highlighted that the Windows 10 sunset has triggered a widespread replacement cycle. Nearly 40% of the installed PC base remains on Windows 10, prompting both enterprises and consumers to upgrade systems ahead of the deadline. Analysts expect this refresh wave to remain a key driver for PC market growth over the next few years.
Senior Analyst Minsoo Kang noted, “Current growth is OS migration-driven, but the real transformation lies ahead with AI PCs. That wave has not fully arrived yet.”
The industry anticipates a surge in AI PC shipments post-2026, powered by next-generation processors like Qualcomm’s Elite X2 Chip, Intel’s Panther Lake, and NVIDIA-collaborated Arm-based designs. These devices will enable on-device AI, including generative AI and local large language model applications.
Associate Director David Naranjo added, “The 2025 rebound is not just about replacing old systems. Enterprises are future-proofing fleets with AI-capable PCs for upcoming workloads.”
While AI-enabled features are emerging, buyers currently prioritise fundamental upgrades: performance, battery life, and OS compatibility over AI acceleration. Looking ahead, the mass-market adoption of AI PCs is expected to take off from late 2026, setting the stage for a new era of intelligent computing and another major growth cycle in the PC industry, says Counterpoint.
