Overview
- Counterpoint Research reported that global PC shipments fell 21% year‑over‑year to 57 million units in Q3 2026, reflecting weaker consumer replacement demand.
- Hyperscalers and AI projects have taken large shares of DRAM and NAND supply, which has raised contract prices for RAM and SSDs and left fewer parts for PCs and phones.
- Major PC vendors all posted double‑digit declines in Q3 with Lenovo, HP, Dell and others down sharply while Apple and ASUS held or grew share thanks to differentiated premium models.
- India’s smartphone market hit a decade low with shipments down 20% in Q3 2026 and budget phones under Rs 20,000 falling about 47%, as higher memory costs pushed many models into higher price bands.
- Counterpoint now forecasts a roughly 27% YoY PC decline in Q4 and expects RAM and SSD prices to rise further into early 2027 while Micron has warned shortages could persist through 2028, which may extend higher prices and slower volume recovery.