Global PC shipments fell sharply in the third quarter of 2026 as rising RAM, SSD and processor prices pushed up device costs, with analysts warning that the downturn could persist into 2027.
Global demand for new PCs weakened sharply in the third quarter of 2026, after a prolonged stretch of higher component costs pushed up retail prices and made buyers more cautious. Counterpoint Research said worldwide PC shipments fell 21% year on year in the period, marking a clear reversal after more than two years of growth through the second quarter. The firm’s figures point to a market under pressure from inflation in memory, storage and processor supply chains, with the effects now visible in consumer and commercial buying patterns.
The price pressure has been broad-based. According to Counterpoint, higher costs for RAM, SSDs and chips from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm have fed through to final device prices, lifting the cost of products ranging from mainstream laptops to specialist boards such as Raspberry Pi systems. Minsoo Kang, senior analyst at Counterpoint, said some manufacturers are responding by prioritising configurations that can better absorb component inflation, a shift that leaves fewer low-cost options for price-sensitive customers. In some cases, vendors are also leaning on older parts, including DDR4 memory and 4GB graphics cards, to soften the impact of rising input costs.
The latest decline also reflects unusual comparison effects. Counterpoint said the third quarter of 2025 included advance purchases ahead of the end of Windows 10 support, as well as inventory changes linked to tariffs, which amplified the year-on-year drop in the most recent figures. That means the downturn is not solely a matter of weaker end demand, but also of last year’s demand being pulled forward into an earlier period.
Even so, the market does not appear poised for a swift rebound. David Naranjo, associate director at Counterpoint, said shipments are expected to fall by 27% in the fourth quarter of 2026 and then stay broadly flat in 2027, warning that stability should not be confused with recovery. The outlook suggests PC makers may need to balance pricing, specifications and component sourcing for longer than many had expected, especially if memory and processor costs remain elevated.
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