Global PC shipments declined by 21% year-on-year (YoY) in the third quarter (3Q 2026) to 57 million units, according to Counterpoint Technology Market Research’s preliminary data. Shipments also fell by 13.8% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), as elevated memory and other component costs continued to push up PC prices and constrain demand. Consumer demand remained weak as higher prices made replacement purchases harder to justify. Commercial demand was relatively resilient, supported by ongoing fleet replacement and Windows migration, but was insufficient to offset the broader market contraction. The decline also came against a strong comparison period. In 3Q 2025, purchases ahead of the Windows 10 support deadline and tariff-related inventory adjustments had supported shipment growth. This elevated base added to the YoY decline in 3Q 2026. Global PC Shipments by OEM, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025 (In Million Units) Source: Counterpoint’s preliminary PC shipment data The competitive landscape in 3Q showed a widening gap between Apple and other leading vendors: Lenovo maintained its market leadership with shipments of 15 million units and a 26.3% market share, despite a 23% YoY decline. HP remained in second place with shipments of 10.3 million units and an 18.1% share. Its shipments fell 31% YoY, the largest decline among the top six vendors. Dell ranked third with shipments of 7.6 million units, down 25% YoY, and a 13.3% market share. Its decline shows that relatively resilient commercial demand could not fully shield vendors from the broader downturn. Apple’s shipments declined 11% YoY to 5.6 million units, giving it a 9.8% market share, up from 8.7% a year earlier. The MacBook Neo helped cushion the decline, allowing Apple to outperform the overall market. ASUS shipped 5.2 million units, down 7% YoY but up 19.4% QoQ. It recorded the smallest annual decline among the top five vendors, increasing its market share to 9.2% from 7.8% a year earlier. Together, these five vendors accounted for 76.7% of global PC shipments. Other vendors shipped 13.3 million units, down 16% YoY. QoQ Price Trends for PC Memory, Q3 2025 – Q1 2027 Source: Counterpoint’s Memory Price Tracker and Forecast* *Prices in this report are based on the contract price. “The global PC market is facing mounting pressure as rising memory and component costs push system prices higher and force consumers to delay replacement purchases. While commercial refresh cycles and Windows migration continue to provide some support, they are no longer enough to offset weakening demand. Apple and ASUS have demonstrated greater resilience, outperforming the broader market through differentiated product portfolios and competitive positioning. However, with affordability becoming an increasingly critical purchasing factor, even market leaders are struggling to maintain shipment momentum,” Senior Analyst Minsoo Kang said. The impact of higher costs extends beyond price increases. As vendors prioritize configurations that can better absorb component inflation, fewer affordable options can make replacement purchases more difficult for price-sensitive buyers. This creates a further constraint on shipment volumes, even where an underlying need to replace older devices remains. Counterpoint Research expects global PC shipments to decline 27% YoY in Q4 2026. Full-year shipments in 2027 are forecast to remain broadly flat compared with 2026, indicating stabilization at a lower volume level. “The PC industry is entering a period of structural adjustment, where rising component costs, higher system prices and longer replacement cycles are fundamentally reshaping market dynamics. OEMs face a difficult balancing act between protecting margins and maintaining affordability, particularly as consumer demand continues to deteriorate. With global shipments expected to plunge 27% in Q4 2026 and remain broadly flat in 2027, stabilization should not be mistaken for recovery. AI PCs, premium displays and differentiated p