PC shipments grow in Q3 as Windows 10 refresh cycle continues

Worldwide PC shipments grew at a modest pace in the third quarter, according to both IDC and Gartner, in part due to the continuing Windows 10 refresh cycle. According to IDC, shipments grew 3 percent year-over-year to 70.4 million units. Gartner tallied a 1.1 percent year-over-year increase to 68 million units. 

For the second quarter in a row, Lenovo topped the list of vendors, while HP came in second, both Gartner and IDC reported. Dell rounded out the top three, followed by Apple and then Acer. The top three vendors all saw year-over-year growth, while Apple's shipments declined compared to a year prior. According to IDC, Apple's momentum dropped this quarter as the company faced supply constraints. 

Gartner and IDC define the PC market slightly differently: Gartner's data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. IDC counts desktops, notebooks (including Chromebooks) and workstations, but not tablets or x86 Servers. 

In the US, PC shipments totaled 14.8 million, according to Gartner, representing a 0.3 percent decline. IDC observed low single-digit growth in the US. 

Gartner senior principal research analyst Mikako Kitagawa called the Windows 10 refresh cycle "the primary driver for growth across all regions." IDC similarly said the refresh cycle should continue to drive commercial demand. 

IDC added that PC makers were pushing inventory in anticipation of higher tariffs on the way.