The global PC market experienced robust growth in the second quarter of 2025, with shipments rising 7.4% year-over-year to 67.6 million units, according to new data from Canalys, now part of Omdia.

The surge was primarily driven by businesses rushing to upgrade systems before Windows 10’s end-of-support deadline in October, creating essential market stability amid broader economic uncertainty.

Notebook shipments, including mobile workstations, increased 7% to 53.9 million units, while desktop shipments showed even stronger growth of 9% to reach 13.7 million units.

The performance reflects a market divided between urgent commercial needs and cautious consumer spending patterns across different segments.

“The Windows 10 end of support deadline this October is providing essential market stability, but is affecting consumer and commercial segments differently,” said Kieren Jessop, Research Manager at Canalys.

The commercial refresh cycle is proving crucial for industry growth, with businesses demonstrating greater urgency in upgrade decisions compared to hesitant consumers.

Lenovo maintained its position as global market leader, shipping 17.0 million units in Q2 2025 for a robust 15.2% increase from the previous year.

The Chinese manufacturer now commands a 25.1% market share, up from 23.4% in Q2 2024, solidifying its dominance in the competitive landscape.

HP retained second place with 14.1 million units shipped, representing a modest 3.2% annual growth and a 20.9% market share.

Dell faced headwinds despite ranking third, with shipments declining 3.0% to 9.8 million units, causing its market share to slip from 16.0% to 14.5% as competitors gained ground.

Apple emerged as the standout performer, securing fourth place with an impressive 21.3% growth, reaching 6.4 million units and capturing a 9.4% market share.

Asus rounded out the top five with equally strong 18.4% growth, shipping 5.0 million units, demonstrating the competitive dynamics reshaping market positions.

Despite positive shipment numbers, the industry faces significant challenges from ongoing trade policy uncertainty.

The Trump administration’s evolving tariff policies continue to reshape global supply chains while casting doubt over market recovery trajectories, particularly affecting manufacturing and sourcing decisions.

“The Trump administration’s evolving tariff policies continue to reshape global PC supply chains while casting significant uncertainty over market recovery,” explained Ben Yeh, Principal Analyst at Canalys.

“US imports of PCs have dramatically shifted away from China toward Vietnam as manufacturers seek to avoid potential tariffs.”

The complexity has intensified with the recent US-Vietnam trade deal establishing 20% tariffs on Vietnamese goods and 40% tariffs on transshipped items.

While PCs currently remain exempt from tariffs regardless of origin, underlying uncertainty persists about future classifications and potential impacts on Vietnamese manufacturing operations.

Consumer demand remains weak as customers globally grapple with macroeconomic uncertainty, delaying purchases and pushing potential sales into 2026.

However, analysts view this as a temporary delay rather than lost demand, anticipating consumer market growth next year, coinciding with potential refresh cycles of COVID-era devices reaching end-of-life status.