In the third quarter of 2025, the global landscape of desktop and notebook shipments has shown a promising upward trajectory, as revealed by Omdia’s latest research. Total shipments reached an impressive 72 million units, marking a growth of 6.8% compared to the previous year. Notably, notebook shipments, which include mobile workstations, increased by 4% to 57.2 million units, while desktop shipments surged by 17% to 15.2 million units. This growth is largely attributed to the impending end-of-support deadline for Windows 10, which has spurred a wave of refresh demand across various user segments.
Market Insights and Trends
According to Ishan Dutt, Research Director at Omdia, the demand for PC upgrades remains robust as businesses and consumers prepare for the transition away from Windows 10. “With the October 14 deadline approaching, awareness campaigns by Microsoft and its partners have intensified, particularly targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and individual consumers. However, a significant portion of the global Windows installed base still relies on Windows 10 or operates on PCs that are five years or older,” Dutt explained.
Recent surveys conducted among PC channel partners indicate that there is still considerable work to be done in migrating B2B customers to Windows 11. A September 2025 poll of 453 respondents revealed that only 39% reported that nearly all of their clients’ PCs had been refreshed or upgraded. Furthermore, 18% of respondents indicated that their customers plan to continue using Windows 10 post-deadline, with many likely opting for Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates. This presents a substantial opportunity for Microsoft and its OEM and channel partners to engage with this user base for ongoing support and awareness initiatives.
As the demand for upgrades spills into the fourth quarter and beyond, key players in the industry are unveiling updated product roadmaps to entice consumers. Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon X2 Elite, a premium PC chipset refresh, while Intel has announced its next-generation Core Ultra processors in the Panther Lake series. Dutt anticipates that CES 2026 will serve as a platform for showcasing innovative PC products, with a renewed emphasis on on-device AI following a relatively subdued 2025.
Vendor Performance Overview
| Vendor | Q3 2025 Shipments | Q3 2025 Market Share | Q3 2024 Shipments | Q3 2024 Market Share | Annual Growth |
| Lenovo | 19,356 | 26.7% | 16,494 | 24.3% | 17.4% |
| HP | 15,002 | 20.7% | 13,555 | 20.0% | 10.7% |
| Dell | 10,106 | 14.0% | 9,847 | 14.5% | 2.6% |
| Apple | 6,551 | 9.0% | 6,281 | 9.3% | 4.3% |
| Asus | 5,762 | 8.0% | 5,379 | 7.9% | 7.1% |
| Others | 15,618 | 21.6% | 16,239 | 24.0% | -3.8% |
| Total | 72,396 | 100.0% | 67,796 | 100.0% | 6.8% |
Lenovo continues to solidify its position as a leader in the global PC market, achieving 17% growth with shipments totaling 19.4 million units in Q3 2025. HP follows closely in second place, shipping 15.0 million units, reflecting an 11% year-on-year increase. Dell maintains its third position with a modest 3% annual growth, while Apple surpassed the 6-million unit mark for the fifth consecutive quarter, showcasing mid-single-digit growth. Asus completes the top five with 5.8 million units shipped, representing a 7% increase from the previous year.
