Global PC makers are consolidating their market control amid supply chain disruptions, rising prices, and shrinking shipments, with the six largest brands expected to dominate over 80 per cent of notebook panel purchases by 2026, according to Omdia.
Omdia expects the world’s six largest PC makers to control a record 80.4 per cent of notebook panel purchases in 2026, a sign that shortages of key components and higher production costs are pushing more of the market into the hands of the biggest buyers. The research firm said that this concentration comes as global notebook panel shipments are set to fall 5.5 per cent year on year to 221 million units, with weaker demand and supply-chain strain both weighing on the market.
According to Omdia’s Tablet and Notebook Display & OEM Intelligence Service, Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo are on course to post their strongest combined annual share since 2021. Omdia said the six brands will account for 80.4 per cent of notebook panel purchases this year, up from 78.4 per cent in 2025 and 71.1 per cent in 2024. That would leave smaller manufacturers with just 19.6 per cent of the market, down sharply from 28.9 per cent two years ago.
The report said the first half of 2026 was distorted by pre-stocking, as PC makers bought ahead of expected shortages to secure supply. Omdia estimated that 53 per cent of full-year notebook panel shipments were already recorded in the first six months of the year, well above normal seasonal patterns. It also said retailers and manufacturers began lifting notebook prices by 15 per cent to 30 per cent in the second quarter to offset rising bill-of-materials costs, a move that could further soften consumer demand in a mature product category.
The pressure is not limited to display panels. Recent reporting by Nikkei Asia, as relayed by Tom’s Hardware and TechRadar, said HP, Asus and Acer have started using small amounts of DRAM from China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies in a limited number of notebooks for markets outside the US. Those reports said the move reflects a severe memory shortage driven by AI data-centre demand rather than a simple search for cheaper parts. Industry analysts cited by TechRadar said the traditional memory leaders, Samsung, SK hynix and Micron, still dominate supply, but PC makers are seeking more flexibility as spot RAM prices rise sharply.
That wider squeeze is feeding into broader market forecasts. IDC has cut its 2026 PC shipment outlook, warning that memory shortages and higher prices for DRAM, NAND flash and other parts will hit volumes even as average selling prices rise. In a separate assessment, Samsung has warned that supply tightness could persist well into the next few years, with no meaningful relief expected before the late 2020s. Taken together, the forecasts suggest the PC industry is entering a period in which inventory management, component access and pricing discipline may matter as much as unit demand.
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