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Global PC Shipments Drop About 20% in Q3 2026 as Memory Shortage Bites

High DRAM and NAND demand from AI data centers tightened supply, raising component costs that are weakening consumer replacement purchases into 2027.

Lenovo Slim Laptops
Photo: ed br / Pexels
A row of desktop PC towers, with a red-lit case in the foreground and darker computers receding into the background.
An expanded view of Surface Laptop Ultra stands on display at Microsoft Windows & Surface event where new on-device AI capabilities for Windows PCs using Nvidia's new RTX Spark chips were announced, in San Francisco. (REUTERS FILE PHOTO)

Overview

  • Research firms reported a sharp year‑over‑year decline in third‑quarter PC shipments, with IDC at 62.7 million units (‑20.1%) and Gartner at 55.4 million units (‑22.4%).
  • Analysts say the fall reflects a memory supply shock driven by rapid AI data‑center buildouts and earlier vendor and channel stockpiling that inflated first‑half shipments.
  • IDC recorded a sequential drop of about 9.1% from Q2 2026, breaking the usual pattern of Q3 growth and signaling a market correction after the pull‑forward buying.
  • Higher DRAM and NAND prices have reduced the supply of low‑cost PC configurations, pushed vendors to favor higher‑margin or specialty systems, and led many buyers to delay replacements.
  • Prices are expected to stay elevated with downside risk into 2027, though retailers may run short promotions to clear inventory and consumers could see limited, short‑term deals such as Black Friday offers.