Global computer sales fall for the first time in more than two years due to RAM shortage

Global PC distribution has fallen 4.9 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, reaching 68.2 million shipments, according to the report from the consulting firm International Data Corporation (IDC), and compared to the 71.7 million registered in the same quarter in 2025.

The main reason for this drop, the first experienced by the sector in nine consecutive quarters, is the global shortage of memory chips, which has not bottomed out.. IDC notes that this memory shortage period will not end until early 2028.

“We do not anticipate another round of inventory advances, which points to a sharp slowdown in growth rates in the second half of 2026,” says Director of Research for Consumer Devices at IDC, Jitesh Ubrani.

The report illustrates a disconnect between shipment volume and revenue generated, as although fewer PCs are being shipped, manufacturers’ turnover is rising. According to Ubrani, this is because brands are passing price increases on to the end consumer faster than demand falls.

“Larger manufacturers, with their purchasing power and historical ties to suppliers, are better positioned to take market share from their smaller rivals,” says IDC vice president of consumer devices, Jean Philippe Bouchard, indicating how the supply crisis helps big brands consolidate their position.

In fact, Bouchard gives Apple as an example, “which, with the launch of the MacBook Neo, and although the company did raise prices in line with the general market, is still well positioned against rivals that face the same cost forecasts.”

Apple registers the highest growth in the entire marketsince while the big three fall en masse (Lenovo -2.1%, HP -9.0% and Dell -5.0%), it is the only one in the Top 5 that manages to grow by double digits with 10.1 percent in its interannual growth.

The Cupertino firm has a market share of 9.9 percent with the shipment of 6.7 million units in the second quarter of 2026, compared to 6.1 million in the same quarter of 2025, when it reached a share of 8.5 percent.

Lenovo remains in first place although it has contracted with 16.6 million units shipped in the second quarter of 2026, when in the same period it shipped 17 million unitsbut it has increased its global market share, from 23.7 percent to 24.4 percent.

HP remains in second place, but with the biggest drop from the podium, going from 14.3 million units shipped in the second quarter of 2002 to 13 million shipments in the second quarter of 2026. In market share it went from 19.9 percent to 19.1 percent.

Dell is in third place, with 9.3 million units and a drop of 5 percent year-on-year, compared to 9.8 million units shipped in 2025, although it continues to maintain the same market share, with 13.6 percent.

“Major brands such as Lenovo, Dell and Apple use their scale across adjacent lines of business, including smartphones and servers, to secure memory supply and squeeze smaller competitors,” the IDC report says, detailing how large manufacturers hoard what few components there are, resulting in fewer competitive independent brands.

Ubrani also warns of the concern that is emerging in distribution channels due to high inventory at these higher price levels.