Global PC Shipments Drop for the First Time in Over Two Years as Memory Prices Bite
The global PC market has hit a turning point. After nine straight quarters of growth, worldwide PC shipments fell in the second quarter of 2026, signaling fresh pressure on manufacturers, retailers, and buyers alike.
According to data from the International Data Corporation, global PC shipments declined by 4.9% year over year in Q2 2026, reaching 68.2 million units. That is down from 71.7 million units shipped during the same period in 2025.
The main reason behind the slowdown is the ongoing memory chip shortage. Tight supply has pushed component prices higher, and those rising costs are now making their way into laptops, desktops, and other consumer devices. Industry expectations suggest that the memory supply crunch may continue into early 2028, meaning PC buyers could face elevated prices for quite some time.
Even though fewer PCs are being shipped, manufacturers are still generating stronger revenue in some areas. The reason is simple: PC makers are increasing prices faster than demand is falling. In practical terms, consumers are paying more for new computers as vendors try to protect their margins.
The impact is expected to become more visible in the months ahead. As existing inventory runs low and replacement stock becomes more expensive to produce, further price increases could reduce demand even more. This may lead to another round of shipment declines across the global PC industry.
The latest figures also show that the PC market is becoming more concentrated among the largest brands. Companies with stronger supply chain relationships and broader product portfolios are in a better position to secure memory components. This gives major players such as Apple, Lenovo, Dell, and HP an advantage over smaller competitors that may struggle to access the same level of supply.
Apple stood out as the strongest performer in the quarter. While most major PC vendors saw shipments fall, Apple increased its shipments by 10.1% year over year. The company shipped 6.7 million PCs in Q2 2026, up from 6.1 million units in Q2 2025. Its global PC market share rose from 8.5% to 9.9%.
Apple’s growth came around the launch of the MacBook Neo, helping the company gain momentum while the broader market weakened. However, Apple is not fully shielded from the memory shortage. Price increases are still expected to affect several of its product lines, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone models.
Lenovo remained the world’s largest PC vendor, shipping 16.6 million units in Q2 2026. Its market share rose slightly to 24.4%, even though shipments fell 2.1% from the previous year.
HP held second place with 13.0 million shipments and a 19.1% market share. However, HP saw one of the sharper declines among leading brands, with shipments down 9.0% year over year.
Dell Technologies shipped 9.3 million PCs during the quarter, keeping its market share steady at 13.6%. Its shipments declined 5.0% compared with Q2 2025.
ASUS remained relatively stable, shipping 5.0 million units and growing slightly by 0.2%. Its market share increased from 7.0% to 7.4%.
The “Others” category saw the steepest decline, falling 10.5% year over year to 17.5 million units. This reflects the growing pressure on smaller PC makers as component shortages and rising prices reshape the competitive landscape.
Overall, the Q2 2026 PC shipment decline marks a significant shift for the global computer market. After more than two years of expansion, the industry is now facing a tougher cycle driven by expensive memory, tighter supply, and weakening consumer demand.
For buyers, the message is clear: PCs may become more expensive before the market stabilizes. For manufacturers, the next several quarters could determine which brands have the supply chain strength to grow and which ones may lose ground in an increasingly consolidated market.
