The European consumer PC market
is currently experiencing an accelerated period of growth and
significant resilience in the third quarter of 2025. This surge is
being powered by a clear, two-pronged drive: the impending Windows
10 end-of-support deadline in late October, which is prompting
urgent upgrades, and the compelling appeal of new AI-enabled devices.
Based on the latest distribution
data we have gathered from across the region, both notebooks and
desktops are seeing robust consumer demand, with the AI PC
category securing a notable and expanding share.
The Consumer Refresh Underway
The latest data from across Europe
highlights a sharp increase in sales velocity.
- Notebook sales to consumers climbed by more
than 8% year-on-year in the first two months of Q3 2025.
This is driven by consumers purchasing new hardware to ensure a
secure and smooth transition to the Windows 11 operating
system.
- The urgency is pronounced across the continent,
with many key markets recording dramatic double-digit
notebook revenue growth during August.
- This
widespread refresh is also positively impacting the desktop
category, which is seeing a lift from broader consumer
demand.
AI: The "Wow" Factor, Not the Specs
While the operating system deadline
provides the initial reason to buy, the AI-capable PC is emerging as
the future retail proposition. The new CoPilot+ experience is
fuelling this consumer PC surge.
The penetration of this technology
is substantial: notebooks featuring Neural Processing Units
(NPUs) now account for 29% of unit sales in the consumer
channel. Interestingly, this still lags behind the commercial
sector, where AI notebooks have reached 46% of sales.
For consumers, the sale isn't about
the technical specifications. As one store manager shared with
CONTEXT, the real appeal comes down to tangible experience:
"Where the magic happens is when they click the CoPilot
button, ask about anything they care about, and get a richness of
information way beyond what they were expecting. Then it's just a
matter of getting the right price point".
In short, the Windows 10
end-of-support is the immediate catalyst for the current boom.
However, it is the new experiences and tangible benefits delivered by
CoPilot that are cementing the AI PC as the consumer's
preferred future-ready investment.
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