Why Q4 is the Best Time to Upgrade Your Workstations
Oct 1st 2025
Q4 represents the single most critical window for the most important upgrade of the decade: transitioning to Windows 11-compatible workstations. Driven by converging forces of budget deployment, aggressive vendor discounting, and tax incentives, this quarter creates unmatched value opportunities for organizations facing Windows 10's October 2025 end-of-support deadline. With global PC shipments reaching 69 million units in Q4 2024 and major OEMs like Dell, HP, and Lenovo reporting their strongest quarterly results, the data confirms what enterprise leaders already know: waiting until next year means leaving both money and competitive advantage on the table—while exposing your infrastructure to critical security vulnerabilities.
Q1: Reevaluation After the Year-End Sprint
The opening quarter often demonstrates a slowdown phase. After substantial Q4 expenditures, many enterprises halt large-scale IT initiatives to reconsider approaches and examine the previous year's outcomes. For organizations still running Windows 10, Q1 becomes a period of assessment: identifying which systems meet Windows 11's TPM 2.0 and hardware requirements, and which must be replaced before support ends.
Key Activity: Inventory assessment and compatibility testing
Budget Status: Conservative spending, planning phase
Windows 11 Focus: Identifying non-compliant systems
Q2: Equilibrium and Targeted Commitment
By Q2, allocations normalize and some enterprises begin carefully committing to critical foundations. However, major Windows 11 migration launches are often delayed until later in the cycle to synchronize with fiscal mapping. Expenditure tends to emphasize "must-have" improvements—such as addressing cybersecurity gaps or swapping end-of-life machinery that cannot support Windows 11's hardware-level security features—rather than broad renovation initiatives.
Key Activity: Critical infrastructure upgrades
Budget Status: Selective investment in must-have upgrades
Windows 11 Focus: Patching security gaps with compliant hardware
Q3: Arranging for Year-End Implementation
The third quarter signals the acceleration to year-end. Enterprises expand Windows 11 pilot initiatives into wider implementations and stage capital expenditure in preparation for Q4. IT teams secure vendor estimates for compatible workstations, finalize system configurations that meet Microsoft's specifications, and lock in supply chain requirements. This "setup phase" ensures organizations can execute their Windows 11 transition before the October 2025 deadline arrives.
Key Activity: Pilot expansion and vendor negotiations
Budget Status: Preparation for Q4 deployment
Windows 11 Focus: Locking in specifications and supply chain
Q4: The Peak of IT Expenditure and the Windows 11 Deadline
Q4 is consistently the most active quarter for IT acquisition. In 2025 we have the most improtant upgrade of decade before Windows 10 support expires. Several factors converge to drive higher purchasing activity:
- Remaining Allocation Deployment: Departments move swiftly to utilize "use-it-or-lose-it" allocations before the fiscal year closes, ensuring they don't lose allotments in the next cycle—while simultaneously addressing their Windows 11 migration mandate.
- Vendor Reductions: Manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo aggressively push Windows 11-ready workstation promotions to hit annual revenue targets. Deep reductions, bundled enhancements, and extended warranties are common in Q4.
- Tax Benefits: Many regions offer tax advantages for capital expenditures made before year-end, including Section 179 deductions in the U.S., which allow companies to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying Windows 11-compatible machinery.
- Market Expansion Patterns: IDC reported the global PC marketplace grew 1.8% year-over-year in Q4 2024, totaling nearly 69 million units distributed. Lenovo led with 16.9 million units distributed (4.9% expansion), while Dell and HP maintained strong positions, underscoring Q4 as the definitive period of expansion across the industry.
Key Activity: Full-scale deployment and budget utilization
Budget Status: Peak spending period with maximum discounts
Windows 11 Focus: Final opportunity before October 2025 deadline
The Q4 Advantage for Windows 11 Migration
Q4 is uniquely powerful for IT leaders looking to execute the most important upgrade of the decade. Consider these recent earnings results from leading Windows 11-compatible workstation brands:
- Dell: In fiscal Q4 2025, Dell reported $23.9 billion in revenue, up 7% year-over-year, with its Infrastructure Solutions Group (servers & storage) up 22% YoY. Its Client Solutions Group (PCs & devices) delivered $11.7 billion in Q4 2024 alone, driven largely by Windows 11 upgrade cycles.
- HP: For fiscal Q4 2024, HP Inc. reported $14.1 billion in quarterly revenue, a modest increase of 1.7% year-over-year (2.3% in constant currency). This reflects steady demand for Windows 11-ready PCs and strong end-of-year dynamics.
- Lenovo: In Q4 2024, Lenovo grew distributions by 4.9% year-over-year, capturing the largest global market share in PCs and maintaining leadership across enterprise Windows 11 workstation categories.
These Q4 results across major OEMs prove what CIOs already know: demand and opportunity spike in the fourth quarter, making it the ideal time to secure Windows 11-compatible hardware enhancements before the October 2025 cutoff. However, this surge in demand is creating inventory pressure—popular configurations are selling out faster than manufacturers can replenish stock.
Why Windows 11 Workstations Represent the Most Important Upgrade of the Decade
This isn't just another OS update—Windows 11 represents a fundamental shift in enterprise computing architecture. Much like fintech's explosive expansion fueled by AI, blockchain, and cloud, enterprise IT is undergoing its own transformation. Windows 11 workstations bring the performance, security, and integration needed for this next phase:
- Productivity: Tools like Snap Layouts, virtual desktops, and efficient memory management streamline complex workflows that define modern work.
- Security: Hardware-level protection via TPM 2.0 and virtualization-based safeguards reduces exposure to modern threats—requirements that make Windows 11 the most secure OS Microsoft has ever released.
- Cloud readiness: Deep integration with Microsoft's ecosystem accelerates AI-driven and collaborative workloads, positioning organizations for the next decade of innovation.
- Compliance and Support: After October 2025, Windows 10 machines will no longer receive security updates, exposing organizations to vulnerabilities, regulatory risks, and potential breaches.
Adopting Windows 11 workstations now—in Q4, when financial incentives align with strategic necessity—ensures businesses are prepared for the rapidly scaling digital economy, not left behind by it with obsolete, unsupported systems.
High-End Windows 11 Workstations vs. Low-End Computers
On the surface, low-end computers may look cost-effective, but they often lack the TPM 2.0 chips, processor generations, and memory configurations required for Windows 11. The hidden expenses—downtime, slow performance, lack of scalability, and incompatibility with the most important upgrade of the decade—quickly erode savings. In contrast, high-end Windows 11-certified workstations from Dell, HP, and Lenovo are purpose-built for demanding enterprise workloads and longevity.
Models such as the Lenovo ThinkStation P520 and HP Z440 offer:
- Multi-core processors that exceed Windows 11 requirements, designed for analytics, 3D design, engineering, and AI workloads
- TPM 2.0 security chips and UEFI firmware that meet Microsoft's strict hardware specifications
- Ample, scalable memory and high-speed NVMe/SSD storage optimized for Windows 11 performance
- Professional GPUs for rendering, modeling, and compute-intensive applications that leverage Windows 11's DirectStorage and Auto HDR capabilities
For organizations balancing productivity and cost efficiency, these Windows 11-ready systems ensure teams can execute projects faster and more reliably—while meeting the compliance requirements of the most important upgrade of the decade. With Q4 inventory constraints tightening, securing these premium configurations now prevents costly compromises later.
Future-Proofing for 2026 and Beyond
The fintech marketplace is projected to expand from $209.7 billion in 2024 to $1.58 trillion by 2033 (CAGR 25.18%). These same drivers—AI adoption, blockchain, and cloud-first strategies—are transforming IT hardware demand and making Windows 11's advanced architecture essential. With Dell, HP, and Lenovo all reporting stronger Q4 cycles driven by Windows upgrade demand, it's clear that modernizing workstations in this period sets businesses up to thrive.
By completing your Windows 11 transition in Q4, organizations step into 2026 with infrastructure that's ready for modern workloads, from real-time data analytics to AI-powered applications—all while maintaining security compliance and vendor support for the next decade.
Bottom Line
Q4 is the time to complete the most important upgrade of the decade. Between proven OEM revenue expansion, global PC distribution upticks, favorable tax dynamics, and the looming October 2025 Windows 10 end-of-support deadline, businesses that modernize their IT this quarter will maximize ROI while ensuring security and compliance. With inventory constraints intensifying as enterprises rush to upgrade, early action is critical. Whether investing in refurbished Windows 11-certified workstations, servers, or GPUs, don't settle for incompatible low-end computers—equip your team with the high-performance, Windows 11-ready systems needed to succeed in 2026 and beyond.