---
title: "Global PC shipments decline by 20 percent in Q3 2026"
url: https://noti.group/global-pc-shipments-decline-by-20-percent-in-q3-2026/
language: en
publisher: "Noti Group"
section: "Technology"
published: 2026-10-09T18:54:52.000Z
updated: 2026-10-09T19:34:25.646Z
id: 770c2d4d-9a51-487b-956a-cc8bcd37eab2
source: "Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/10/pc-shipments-fall-20-1-percent-in-sharpest-decline-since-q1-2023/"
attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/global-pc-shipments-decline-by-20-percent-in-q3-2026/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# Global PC shipments decline by 20 percent in Q3 2026

The global PC market has experienced its worst quarter since Q1 2023, with a sharp decline in shipments attributed to rising component costs and suppressed demand.

Global PC shipments have suffered a significant decline, with analysts reporting a drop of around 20 percent in Q3 2026 compared to the same period last year.

The industry's worst performance since Q1 2023 has been attributed to this sharp decline, according to Omdia. The analyst stated that global shipments of laptops, desktops, and workstations fell by 21.2 percent year-over-year (YoY) to approximately 58.1 million devices.

Desktop PC shipments saw a more pronounced drop, decreasing by 23.5 percent to 11.7 million units, while laptop shipments declined by 20.6 percent to 46.4 million, Omdia reported. This decline is reflected in the overall PC market, which has experienced its worst quarter since Q1 2023.

Similar findings have been reported by IDC, with the analyst stating that PC shipments fell by 20.1 percent YoY to around 62.7 million units compared to 78.5 million in Q3 2025. This decline is particularly notable considering that Q3 usually surpasses Q2's numbers in terms of PC shipments.

The drop in shipments also marks a significant decrease from the previous quarter, with 9.1 percent fewer PCs shipped in Q3 2026 than in Q2 2026, when 68.2 million units were shipped, according to IDC.

The current inventory levels of many PC vendors and sales channels are a result of stockpiling earlier in the year due to anticipated memory price hikes.

This excessive inventory has created concern among sales channels about carrying too much unsold merchandise into a market where high prices are suppressing demand, potentially leading to promotions and short-term relief for consumers.

However, prices are unlikely to drop significantly anytime soon, with IDC predicting only modest decreases that will not last long. The impact of rising component costs on end-market pricing has been substantial, causing consumers and IT decision-makers to adjust their purchasing habits accordingly.

The industry's supply chain is also responding to the decreased demand, as vendors and their original design manufacturer (ODM) partners have begun scaling back production in recent quarters. Meanwhile, channel partners are still working through elevated inventory levels accumulated during periods of high demand.

A contributing factor to the current market conditions has been the surge in demand for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and server DRAM since 2025, mainly driven by AI workloads. This increased demand has resulted in limited manufacturing capacity for consumer devices like PCs, smartphones, and gaming consoles.

The bill of materials for PC manufacturing now includes memory and storage components that account for nearly 40 percent of the total costs, a significant increase from the typical 15 percent.

Despite repeated price hikes by PC manufacturers over several quarters, these increases have yet to fully counterbalance the decline in sales. The ongoing pressures are expected to persist and may even mark the beginning of a longer-term downturn.

Omdia forecasts a significant drop in PC shipments, estimating a 24 percent year-over-year decrease for next quarter and a further 7 percent decline in 2027. Component shortages, including processors, graphics cards, and IC components, are expected to continue through at least 2028, according to executives from Micron and Samsung. This persistent supply chain strain will likely remain a challenge for PC vendors, exacerbating the difficulties of inventory management alongside rising memory and storage prices.

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Source: [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/10/pc-shipments-fall-20-1-percent-in-sharpest-decline-since-q1-2023/)  
Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/global-pc-shipments-decline-by-20-percent-in-q3-2026/