Tariffs actually helped the PC industry grow…for now

A nervous PC industry shipped more inventory than normal during the first quarter, anticipating the effects of tariffs, an analyst firm said Monday. But that doesn’t bode well for the remainder of the year, they added.

Gartner said that the PC industry shipped 59 million units during the first quarter of 2025, a 4.8 percent increase from a year ago. Last week, rival IDC said that 63.2 million PCs shipped, a 4.9 percent increase.

What seems to be clear is that the PC industry “front-loaded” shipments...