Global PC shipments grew by 9.4% in the third quarter of 2025, reaching 75.8 million units, according to preliminary data from the analyst firm IDC.
The increase marks a steady recovery in the PC market, driven by upgrades to Windows 11 and the replacement of aging hardware.
Jean Philippe Bouchard, IDC’s research vice president for Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, said the overall market performance has been robust, though regional variations persist.
“While the entire market is continuing on a very strong year, fueled by Windows 11 transition and the need to replace an ageing installed base, the results by regions are telling different stories,” Bouchard said.
He noted that the North American market continues to face headwinds due to US import tariffs and broader economic uncertainties.
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“While existent, the demand for newer PCs ready for Windows 11 is likely to push well into 2026,” he added.
In Asia, Japan’s large-scale hardware refresh ahead of Windows 10’s end of support and the government-backed GIGA education initiative contributed significantly to shipment growth.
“Growth outside Japan was more modest — hindered by macroeconomic and political challenges and slow Windows 11 adoption — though there were pockets of opportunity from hardware refreshes of devices purchased during and before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Maciek Gornicki, senior research manager at IDC.
The data suggests that while global PC demand is stabilizing, much of the momentum remains tied to operating system transitions and the gradual replacement of devices bought during the pandemic-era boom.
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