For the first time in three years, PC shipments are up in the first quarter, rising 9.4% year-on-year to 62.7 million units, according to Canalys estimates. Laptops, which account for the lion's share of the market (49.4 million units), saw a 10% increase. Desktops aren't doing too badly either, with growth of 8%.
The Real Reason Behind the Rush for New PCs
PC makers might have expected 2025 is shaping up to be a great year, as many businesses and individuals will need to upgrade their hardware. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 (free of charge) starting October 14. Users will therefore have to pay for an additional year of patches, or up to 3 years for businesses. This is a powerful incentive to buy a new Windows 11-compatible PC.
Part of the increase recorded in the first quarter was the result of the anticipation, in the United States, of the implementation of customs tariffs. Lenovo and HP thus increased their deliveries to American soil. Except that Donald Trump went much further than expected with dizzying taxes, whether for China or other PC manufacturing countries. The American president suspended them on the very day they were implemented, except for China where import taxes are now 125% (!).
This chaotic policy and the fact that China, one of the largest PC manufacturers in the world, is taxed so heavily are likely to slow down the market, warns Canalys. Pressure on budgets will be felt and choices will have to be made by individuals and SMEs.
As for manufacturers, they will continue to diversify their production tools outside of China. Before Donald Trump's 90-day suspension, countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and India were certainly taxed, but much less than China. This gives them a certain competitive advantage, despite the customs duties. And since relations between Washington and Beijing are frosty, things are unlikely to improve between the two.
The first quarter ranking places Lenovo in first place with 15.2 million units (+10.7%), HP is second with 12.8 million PCs (+6.1%), and Dell closes the podium with 9.5 million units (+3%). Apple is fourth with 6.5 million Macs and a strong growth of 22.1%.
Source: Canalys
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