Are Global PC Shipments Rising in the Era of AI?
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Discover how global PC shipments surged by 9.3% in the last quarter of 2025, fueled by robust demand and the Windows 11 upgrade cycle. This article explores the factors driving this growth and the implications for the future of AI PCs.
Key Takeaways
- Global PC shipments increased by 9.3% in Q4 2025.
- Major drivers include consumer demand and the Windows 11 upgrade cycle.
- Top vendors like Lenovo, HP, and Dell expanded their market share.
- Growth faced challenges from tariff volatility and rising costs.
- AI PCs are marketed heavily, but productivity gains are still uncertain.
New Delhi, Jan 20 (NationPress) PC shipments soared to 71.5 million units worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a 9.3 percent increase compared to the same period last year, as revealed by preliminary data from Gartner on Tuesday.
For the full year of 2025, global PC shipments surpassed 270 million units, reflecting a 9.1 percent rise from 2024.
According to Rishi Padhi, Research Principal at Gartner, the PC sector enjoyed solid growth in Q4 2025, primarily driven by strong consumer and business demand, significantly influenced by the Windows 11 upgrade cycle.
“As the quarter closed, demand began to moderate as pricing pressures and promotional activities countered previous price hikes on premium GPUs and AI PCs, leading to stable or somewhat reduced average selling prices,” he noted.
The analysis indicated that there were no significant shifts in the rankings of the top six vendors during the October-December timeframe, with the leading three—Lenovo, HP, and Dell—expanding their market shares year-over-year.
In 2025, the PC market rebounded, achieving a 9.1 percent growth over 2024, with shipments exceeding 270 million units. This represents a notable recovery after two years of substantial declines in 2022 and 2023, coupled with only modest improvements in 2024.
Factors such as tariff fluctuations, predicted rises in memory prices for 2026, and the increasing costs associated with Windows 10 Extended Security Updates have encouraged businesses to prioritize hardware replacement, according to Padhi.
The report highlighted that another catalyst for growth in 2025 was the vendors’ heavy emphasis on marketing AI PCs to meet replacement demands.
Nevertheless, most features of AI PCs, including local inference, have yet to deliver substantial productivity enhancements when compared with cloud-based AI solutions.
Consequently, many organizations are upgrading mainly to safeguard their infrastructure for the future, rather than to achieve immediate business benefits from AI capabilities, Padhi explained.
Point of View
This report underscores a significant turnaround in the PC industry, suggesting a robust response to market dynamics. The focus on AI technology and operating system upgrades reflects a proactive approach to ensuring competitiveness in an ever-evolving landscape. The data indicates a promising future for the sector, aligning with national interests in technological advancement.
NationPress
20/01/2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the global PC shipments in Q4 2025?
Global PC shipments reached 71.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a 9.3% increase from the previous year.
What factors drove the growth in PC shipments?
The growth was largely driven by strong consumer and business demand, particularly fueled by the Windows 11 upgrade cycle.
Which companies are the top vendors in the PC market?
The top three vendors in the PC market are Lenovo, HP, and Dell, all of which have increased their market shares year-over-year.
What challenges does the PC market face?
Challenges include tariff volatility, potential memory price hikes in 2026, and rising costs associated with Windows 10 Extended Security Updates.
Are AI PCs proving their worth?
Most AI PC features have yet to deliver significant productivity gains compared to cloud-based AI solutions, leading organizations to upgrade primarily for future-proofing.
