Global PC shipments tumble over 20% in Q3 as component costs surge

According to Counterpoint Research, global PC shipments fell 21% in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, mirroring earlier IDC and Omdia data. The slump ends a two-year streak of growth and occurs alongside a 14-year low in smartphone shipments. The firm attributes the drop to steep price increases for key components such as RAM, SSDs and processors from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm, which have pushed up the cost of everything from high-end MacBooks to hobbyist Raspberry Pis.

Senior analyst Minsoo Kang observed that manufacturers are shifting toward configurations that can better absorb component inflation, reducing the availability of budget-friendly models. Some companies are even reviving older technologies like DDR4 memory and 4 GB graphics cards to mitigate price pressures. Counterpoint also cited a surge in purchases before the Windows 10 support deadline and tariff-related inventory moves in Q3 2025 as factors that amplified the year-over-year decline. Looking ahead, associate director David Naranjo warns that shipments could fall another 27% in Q4 2026 and remain flat through 2027, suggesting a prolonged market slowdown.