Global PC shipments jump in 2025 but supply risks cloud 2026

Global PC shipments rose strongly in Q4 2025 and across the full year as demand for notebooks and desktops remained resilient despite mounting supply pressures, according to new research released by industry analysts Omdia.

The research showed that total shipments of desktops, notebooks and workstations in Q4 2025 grew by 9.1 per cent to 74 million units, reflecting sustained replacement demand and a comparatively healthy operating environment for vendors.

Full-year 2025 PC shipments reached 278.7 million units, marking a 9.1 per cent increase compared with 2024 volumes and underscoring a broad-based recovery in the global PC market.

Notebook shipments, including mobile workstations, climbed to 57.8 million units in Q4 and 219.7 million units for the full year, delivering growth of 7.5 per cent during 2025.

Desktop shipments, including desktop workstations, stood at 16.3 million units in Q4, pushing total 2025 volumes to 59.1 million units, which represented a sharper 14.5 per cent increase compared with the previous year.

Despite the solid headline performance, Omdia said that memory and storage supply tightened during 2025, with associated upward price pressure emerging from the middle of the year.

PC vendors began signalling their expectations of price increases in December 2025, as supply constraints intensified and procurement conditions became more challenging.

The combination of rising component costs and an inability to secure sufficient supply has already dampened forecast shipment expectations for 2026, according to the research.

“Between Q1 to Q4 2025, mainstream PC memory and storage costs rose by 40 per cent to 70 per cent, resulting in cost increases being passed through to customers,” said Ben Yeh, principal analyst at Omdia.

“Given tight 2026 supply, the industry is emphasizing high-end SKUs and leaner mid to low-tier configurations to protect margins,” Yeh said.

“In 2026, with device replacement demand not yet fully abated, supply-side pressures will be more pronounced and supply will not fully meet demand,” Yeh added.

“Actual shipment performance will hinge on vendors’ memory and storage procurement and negotiating leverage; beyond scale, their track records and credibility with suppliers will be a decisive factor in determining their success in navigating this period of complexity,” he said.

An Omdia poll conducted in November 2025 among B2B channel partners asked “How do you expect your PC business to perform in 2026 compared to 2025” and found that 57 per cent forecast growth in 2026.

Omdia said this result indicated that a healthy demand environment will continue to offer strong opportunities for vendors that are best able to manage supply constraints.

Lenovo led the global PC market both sequentially and for the full year, delivering double-digit growth of 14.4 per cent in Q4 2025.

The company closed the year with shipments of 71 million units, representing a 14.6 per cent year-on-year increase.

HP ranked second, shipping 15.4 million PCs in Q4 2025 and recording growth on both a sequential and annual basis during the quarter.

Dell delivered its strongest quarterly performance of 2025, achieving an 18 per cent year-on-year increase in Q4.

Full-year shipments for Dell reached 41 million units, reflecting a 5 per cent increase compared with 2024, while the company also expanded its market share by one percentage point year on year during the quarter.

Apple retained fourth place and emerged as the fastest-growing vendor over the full year.

The company posted full-year growth of 16.4 per cent, with shipments reaching 28 million units.

Asus completed the top five rankings in both quarterly and full-year terms, shipping 5.3 million units in Q4 and 20 million units for the year.

The company was supported by 7 per cent growth during the holiday quarter, according to Omdia.