Global PC Shipments Drop 20% in Third Quarter 2026

Worldwide PC shipments fell 20.1% year-over-year to 62.7 million units in the third quarter of 2026, according to preliminary data from IDC Research. The industry-wide downturn resulted from strategic inventory pull-ins, supply constraints, worsening macroeconomic conditions, and elevated prices caused by AI data center build-outs.

Apple Inc. sold 5.9 million Macs, down from 6.7 million in the same period in 2025. This represents the company's second consecutive quarterly decline in volume. However, Apple increased its global PC market share to 9.5%, up from 8.5% a year prior, because its competitors suffered more significant losses.

Other major manufacturers experienced steeper sales drops during the quarter. Lenovo saw sales fall by 22.6%, Dell declined by 25%, and HP experienced a 30.9% decrease.