Riding the Windows 10 upgrade wave, global PC shipments grew 8.2% YoY in the third quarter of 2025, with Lenovo leading the pack and AI PCs gaining traction.
Personal computer (PC) shipments rose by 8.2% year-on-year (YoY) worldwide, reaching 69.9 million units in the third quarter of 2025, according to recent data released by Gartner.
The growth was mainly driven by upgrades linked to the end-of-support (EOS) deadline for Windows 10, which pushed demand for Windows 11 PCs across most regions.
As per the data, all of the top five PC makers recorded year-on-year growth in Q3 2025, with Lenovo emerging as the clear leader. Lenovo’s shipments climbed 16.6% to 19.42 million units, giving it a 27.8% market share. HP Inc. followed with 15 million units shipped, up 10.6% from a year earlier, holding a 21.5% share. Dell ranked third with 10.17 million units, a 2.5% rise and a 14.5% share.
Apple and ASUS also saw solid performance, with Apple shipping 6.2 million units (up 10.7%) and ASUS 5.38 million (up 5.5%). Other vendors collectively shipped 13.74 million units, marking a slight 0.3% decline.
Rishi Padhi, Research Principal at Gartner, said the global uptick was largely a result of enterprise refresh cycles, while North America posted only a modest 1.6% growth. “The North American market had already seen accelerated demand in the first half of 2025 due to concerns over upcoming import tariffs,” he noted.
However, consumer demand remained weak, particularly in the budget segment. “Persistent geopolitical and macroeconomic headwinds have made buyers cautious. Many are delaying purchases or waiting for promotional offers,” Padhi added.
Beyond the Windows refresh wave, the industry is shifting towards AI-enabled PCs featuring dedicated neural processing units (NPUs) for on-device artificial intelligence functions.
Gartner estimates that AI PCs will make up 31% of total shipments in 2025, up sharply from 15% in 2024, signalling a major transformation in PC innovation and market priorities.
Moreover, despite the strong quarter, the demand is expected to stabilise after the Windows 10 transition, as AI capabilities and innovation define the next phase of PC market growth.
