Preliminary data from the latest Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker by International Data Corporation (IDC) reveals that global PC shipments in the fourth quarter of 2025 grew 9.6% year-on-year to 76.4 million units, concluding a turbulent year for the PC market.
Looking back at the full year, the PC market was influenced by multiple factors. On one hand, the end of support for Windows 10 drove a new wave of device upgrade demand; on the other hand, uncertainties surrounding tariff policies early in the year prompted manufacturers to pull inventory forward, significantly advancing their stocking schedules, resulting in overall shipment volumes exceeding initial annual expectations.
Although the year-end holiday season itself typically brings a demand peak, the stronger-than-expected growth in PC shipments in late 2025 was further amplified by a new round of tightening memory supply. To mitigate potential memory price increase pressures in 2026, brand manufacturers and channel buyers rushed to lock in inventory ahead of time, further boosting shipment levels for the quarter.
Jean Philippe Bouchard, Vice President of IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, stated that as the pace of change in the memory market accelerates, IDC expects the PC market landscape 12 months from now to look significantly different from today. Beyond the pressure for overall device price increases that some manufacturers have already publicly mentioned, average PC memory configurations might also be scaled back to extend the lifecycle of existing inventory. It is foreseeable that market volatility will increase significantly in the coming year.
Jitesh Ubrani, Research Manager for IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, added that the memory shortage is impacting the entire industry and could reshape the PC market landscape over the next two years. Large consumer electronics brands, leveraging their scale advantages and more favorable allocation of memory resources, are poised to capture further market share from small, medium-sized, and regional players. However, the severity of the shortage also implies that some smaller brands may struggle to remain operational.
For consumers, particularly DIY enthusiasts, some may choose to postpone purchases or shift spending towards other devices and experiences.
Beyond potential market share shifts, IDC anticipates that the overall average selling price (ASP) for PCs will trend upwards in 2026. To cope with persistently high component costs, especially memory price pressures, manufacturers will prioritize securing supply for mid-range and high-end products. Against this backdrop, although overall shipment growth may slow, the overall value of the PC market is expected to increase as component suppliers, PC manufacturers, and channel partners adjust pricing strategies to capture revenue opportunities, even as they continue to face tightening supply challenges.