Global PC shipments fell 20.1% year on year to 62.7 million units, as pulled-forward demand and soaring DRAM and storage costs disrupted the market’s usual seasonal recovery.
PC shipments suffered a severe third-quarter slump, according to IDC, as the market entered an unusually weak phase just as vendors would normally be gearing up for the holiday season. The research firm said global shipments fell 20.1% year on year to 62.7 million units, the steepest third-quarter decline it has recorded. That was also a 9.1% drop from the previous quarter, underscoring how far the market moved away from its usual seasonal pattern. Gartner’s separate tracking showed a smaller, but still significant, 9% fall in worldwide shipments in the same quarter of 2023, highlighting that the broader PC market has been under pressure for some time.
IDC attributed part of the weakness to an earlier build-up of inventory as vendors and retailers rushed to secure stock before memory and storage prices rose further. Jitesh Ubrani, IDC’s director, said in comments to PCMag that the sector had been distorted by strong first-half buying, which pulled demand forward and left less room for a normal third-quarter rebound. Gartner also reported that the industry had posted eight consecutive quarters of decline in 2023, although it noted that Lenovo managed a small rise while HP and Dell fell.
The deeper problem is the AI-led memory shortage now affecting the wider hardware supply chain. IDC and other industry watchers have warned that rising prices for DRAM, NAND flash and storage are forcing PC makers to rethink product mixes and, in some cases, pay more to secure components. Tom’s Hardware reported that IDC has since cut its 2026 outlook sharply, warning that the market could contract by as much as 9% if shortages persist. It also said average selling prices may rise by 6% to 8%, which would make consumer and business systems more expensive even if volumes stabilise.
For buyers, the near-term effect could be mixed. Ubrani said channels may respond with promotions if they become anxious about holding too much stock in a market where demand is already softening, though he cautioned that pricing is unlikely to return to last year’s levels. That aligns with wider reporting that the cheapest end of the technology market is under strain, with smaller manufacturers saying memory now accounts for a much larger share of device costs. PC makers are still betting on higher-priced mini PCs and laptops built for local AI processing, but those machines are unlikely to offset the current slump on their own.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
