PC shipments rose 6.5 percent year over year in the second quarter of 2025, reaching 68.4 million units globally, according to preliminary data from IDC. While international demand remained strong, vendors in the United States appear to be approaching the looming Trump tariff deadlines with growing caution.
IDC’s latest Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker shows broad-based PC market momentum across many regions. The continued shift to Windows 11 and an aging installed base have helped sustain replacement demand in both the consumer and commercial sectors.
In the United States, early-year inventory buildup was expected to cause some slowdown. But IDC believes another factor may now be influencing short-term demand.
“We expected the US market to cool down this quarter given the inventory buildup to begin the year, but what we’re witnessing here might highlight US PC demand slowing down in anticipation of the import tariffs looming deadline,” said Jean Philippe Bouchard, research vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers.
Although the PC market leveled off in the US, other areas remained active. “We realize growth in such an indeterminate market seems odd, but many factors come into play supporting the momentum,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Device Trackers.
Reith described the situation as complex, with vendors trying to avoid both missed opportunities and excessive unsold stock. “The supply side of the industry is doing its best to navigate the unknowns as no one wants to sit on their heels and potentially miss an opportunity, but at the same time it is very risky carrying inventory which is a possibility given the strong first half sell-in,” he said.
As for pricing, Reith said the landscape could get more unpredictable. “The bigger concern is what overall demand looks like as we get late into Q3 and beyond. Price increases will likely be dispersed over time and geography depending on vendor strategy which can potentially lead to some attractive promotions as a way to clear inventory backups, which seems odd at a time when prices are expected to rise because of tariffs,” he added.
PC market grows
Among manufacturers, Lenovo led the quarter with 17.0 million units shipped and a 24.8 percent share, up from 14.7 million units a year earlier. HP followed with 14.1 million units, up 3.2 percent. Dell saw a 3.0 percent decline to 9.8 million units.
Apple showed the fastest growth among the top five, rising 21.4 percent year over year to reach 6.2 million units. ASUS also posted strong growth, shipping 4.9 million units for a 16.7 percent increase. Vendors outside the top five held steady with 16.3 million units, matching last year’s shipment total.
The quarter’s 6.5 percent overall growth shows a global market that remains active, but IDC cautions that Q3 will likely offer better insight into real demand patterns. It remains unclear how much of the second quarter’s activity was driven by strategic early shipments to avoid tariffs rather than underlying customer demand.
The report focuses on traditional personal computers, including desktops, notebooks, and workstations. Tablets and x86 servers are not included in these figures. IDC tracks shipments to distribution channels and end users, and counts OEM sales under the brand name under which they are sold.
IDC’s research spans over 90 countries and includes both historical analysis and forward-looking projections. The current results are preliminary and subject to revision as final market data is compiled.
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Image Credit: IDC
