Surging enterprise upgrades, Windows 11 momentum, and AI-ready laptops spark a rebound in global PC shipments, with Lenovo and Apple emerging as top performers.
Global PC shipments reached 63.2 million units in the second quarter of 2025, marking a 4.4% rise from the same period in 2024, according to a recent data released by Gartner.
This modest year-on-year (YoY) growth was largely fuelled by tariff-related inventory stockpiling in the US and Windows 11 desktop replacements worldwide. Enterprise demand reportedly outpaced consumer purchases, with organisations prioritising upgrades over new device buys.
“In Q2 2025, Windows 11 migrations and pandemic-era desktop renewals pushed enterprise demand ahead of consumers,” said Rishi Padhi, Research Principal at Gartner. “Consumers deferred purchases, slowing refresh cycles,” he said.
Regionally, North America saw a marginal 0.5% decline in PC shipments YoY. The Asia Pacific market remained flat, showing a slight improvement after a period of consistent declines. The EMEA region, meanwhile, recorded a 5.3% YoY growth, indicating signs of recovery.
“The Windows 11 refresh remains a key driver, especially for desktop upgrades,” Padhi noted. “But many firms are upgrading existing machines rather than purchasing new ones, tempering demand.”
Lenovo led global shipments with 17 million units, a 13.9% increase YoY, claiming 26.9% market share. HP followed with 14.1 million units (22.3% share), up 3.2%. Dell’s shipments, however, dipped 3% to 9.8 million, while Apple rose 13.4% to 5.7 million. ASUS, coming fifth, saw 8.7% growth with 4.5 million units. Shipments by other vendors declined 4.4%.
Looking ahead, the report predicts that overall PC shipments will grow 2.4% in 2025, buoyed by a first-half inventory surge in the US and global desktop upgrades.
However, growth is expected to slow in the second half as vendors work through elevated stock levels, risking excess inventory by year-end.
