Worldwide PC shipments fell 20.1% year over year in the third quarter of 2026, to 62.7 million units, according to preliminary IDC data released October 8. Shipments were also down 9.1% from the second quarter, breaking the usual pattern where the third quarter is stronger. Lenovo remained the largest vendor at 14.9 million units, followed by HP Inc. (10.3 million, down 30.9%), Dell Technologies (7.6 million, down 25%), Apple, and ASUS.
IDC attributes the drop to buying that was pulled forward into the first half of 2026, when vendors and distributors stocked up ahead of memory-driven price increases. Channels spent the third quarter working through that inventory. IDC also cited ongoing supply constraints, high prices tied to AI data center buildout, and weaker economic conditions. IDC research director Jitesh Ubrani warned that the outlook for the next few quarters could get worse before it gets better.
For business buyers, the practical takeaway is that some short-term deals may appear as distributors try to clear excess stock, but IDC expects prices to stay well above year-ago levels. If you have a PC refresh planned, ask your supplier what inventory they have on hand now, how long quotes are valid, and whether configurations with the memory you need are in stock. Avoid dropping RAM to hit a budget number on machines you plan to keep for four or five years.
IDC says whether demand recovers in 2027 depends mainly on the economy.
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