Global notebook shipments took a sharp hit in January 2026, as a mix of rising component costs, seasonal slowdown, and supply constraints disrupted the usual start-of-year rhythm.
A new shipment survey covering the world’s top five notebook brands (excluding Apple) and the top three notebook ODMs shows that January marked a clear “slow season” for the laptop market. Combined notebook shipments from the top five brands fell by about 39% month-on-month. Despite that steep drop versus December, shipments were still up roughly 2% compared with January 2025, showing that demand hasn’t collapsed so much as shifted and been influenced by timing.
One of the biggest reasons behind the unusually large month-on-month decline was the way major brands positioned inventory late last year. With memory prices surging, many vendors pulled forward notebook orders in the fourth quarter of 2025 to secure supply and reduce cost exposure. That front-loading helped shipments look stronger at the end of 2025, but it also meant January 2026 started with less urgency to ship additional units, amplifying the typical post-holiday slowdown.
At the same time, supply issues added another layer of pressure. Some entry-level notebook models faced constraints due to tight CPU availability, limiting how many finished systems could be produced and shipped. When combined with softer seasonal demand, those CPU shortages contributed to a weaker-than-normal January performance across leading brands.
Still, the year-on-year picture is more positive. Even with the month-on-month slump, stronger channel replenishment helped keep overall shipments slightly ahead of the same month last year. In other words, while the industry hit a January speed bump, the broader market remains relatively stable compared with early 2025—though pricing trends and component supply, especially memory and CPUs, will continue to play an outsized role in near-term notebook shipment momentum.
