Global PC shipments grew 9.6% year-over-year 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 results cap off a tumultuous year for the PC market, marked by the end of support for 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.
“IDC expects that the PC market will be far different in 12 months given how quickly the memory situation is evolving,” said Mr. 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 Mr. 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) | |||||
| Company | 4Q25 Shipments | 4Q25 Market Share | 4Q24 Shipments | 4Q24 Market Share | 4Q25/4Q24 Growth |
| 1. Lenovo | 19.3 | 25.3% | 16.9 | 24.2% | 14.4% |
| 2. HP Inc | 15.4 | 20.1% | 13.7 | 19.7% | 12.1% |
| 3. Dell Technologies | 11.7 | 15.3% | 9.9 | 14.2% | 18.2% |
| 4. Apple | 7.1 | 9.3% | 7.1 | 10.2% | 0.2% |
| 5. ASUS | 5.4 | 7.1% | 4.9 | 7.0% | 10.9% |
| Others | 17.4 | 22.8% | 17.2 | 24.7% | 1.5% |
| Total | 76.4 | 100.0% | 69.7 | 100.0% | 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) | |||||
| Company | 2025 Shipments | 2025 Market Share | 2024 Shipments | 2024 Market Share | 2025/2024 Growth |
| 1. Lenovo | 70.8 | 24.9% | 61.8 | 23.5% | 14.5% |
| 2. HP Inc. | 57.5 | 20.2% | 53.0 | 20.1% | 8.4% |
| 3. Dell Technologies | 41.1 | 14.4% | 39.1 | 14.8% | 5.2% |
| 4. Apple | 25.6 | 9.0% | 23.0 | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 5. Asus | 20.5 | 7.2% | 18.0 | 6.8% | 13.4% |
| Others | 69.3 | 24.3% | 68.3 | 25.9% | 1.4% |
| Total | 284.7 | 100.0% | 263.3 | 100.0% | 8.1% |
| Source: IDC Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, January 12, 2026 | |||||
Covered By: NCN MAGAZINE / IDC
If you have an interesting Article / Report/case study to share, please get in touch with us at editors@roymediative.com , roy@roymediative.com, 9811346846/ 9625243429
