IDC: global PC shipments fell 20.1% year on year in third quarter of 2026
In short
Global PC shipments in the third quarter of 2026 fell 20.1% from a year earlier to 62.7 million units, according to preliminary data from International Data Corporation (IDC). It was the second consecutive quarterly decline, and shipments also fell 9.1% from the second quarter. IDC linked the drop to vendors and channel partners stocking up earlier in the year ahead of price increases, which used up demand in advance.
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Global PC shipments in the third quarter of 2026 totalled 62.7 million units, down 20.1% from a year earlier, according to preliminary data from International Data Corporation (IDC) reported by CLS and 36Kr. IT Home reported that IDC published the figures in a blog post on October 8 and that shipments were 15.8 million units lower than the 78.5 million shipped in the third quarter of 2025. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
It was the second consecutive quarter of year-on-year decline, and CLS and 36Kr reported that the drop was markedly larger than the 3.8% fall in the second quarter. Shipments also fell 9.1% from the previous quarter. According to IT Home, IDC said third-quarter shipments are usually higher than second-quarter shipments, but this quarter broke that seasonal pattern. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
IT Home reported that IDC named industry-wide advance stocking among the core reasons for the decline: vendors and channel partners bought in bulk and built up inventory early in the year to deal with memory-driven price increases, using up demand that would otherwise have come in the second half. In the third quarter, channel partners were mainly working through the large volume of PCs shipped to them the previous quarter, and supply constraints, high prices and logistics disruptions further weakened demand, IT Home reported. CLS and 36Kr said the supply side had not recovered and that, after vendors and channel partners stocked up ahead of price rises, little demand was left to release in the third quarter. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
IT Home also reported vendor figures. Lenovo ranked first with 14.9 million units and a 23.8% market share, although its shipments fell 22.6% year on year. HP shipped 10.3 million units, down 30.9%, and Dell Technologies shipped 7.6 million, down 25.0%. [ 1 ]
Apple shipped 5.9 million units, down 11.3%, for a 9.5% share, and Asus shipped 5.5 million, down 8.6%, for an 8.7% share, according to IT Home. Lenovo, HP and Dell together lost 4.2 percentage points of market share, with each falling by more than the overall market. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The decline was steeper than the 3.8% fall reported for the second quarter, and the usual third-quarter seasonal rise did not happen, CLS and 36Kr reported. According to IT Home, Lenovo, HP and Dell Technologies each fell faster than the market and together lost 4.2 percentage points of market share.
Key facts
- Global PC shipments in the third quarter of 2026 were 62.7 million units, down 20.1% year on year, according to IDC. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Shipments fell 9.1% from the previous quarter. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- It was the second consecutive quarter of year-on-year decline; the second-quarter decline was 3.8%. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Shipments were 15.8 million units lower than the 78.5 million shipped in the third quarter of 2025. [ 1 ]
- Lenovo led with 14.9 million units and a 23.8% share, down 22.6% year on year. [ 1 ]
- HP shipped 10.3 million units (down 30.9%), Dell Technologies 7.6 million (down 25.0%), Apple 5.9 million (down 11.3%) and Asus 5.5 million (down 8.6%). [ 1 ]
- Vendors and channel partners stocked up early in the year ahead of price increases, using up demand in advance. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- IDC data show global PC shipments of 62.7 million units in the third quarter of 2026, down 20.1% year on year. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Third-quarter shipments fell 20.1% year on year, according to IDC. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Shipments fell 9.1% quarter on quarter, breaking the usual pattern of the third quarter being stronger than the second. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- This was the second consecutive quarter of year-on-year decline. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Stockpiling by vendors and channel partners earlier in the year, ahead of price increases, used up demand in advance. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Shipment volumes, declines and market shares for individual vendors (Lenovo, HP, Dell Technologies, Apple, Asus). Reported only by IT Home; the other outlets give only market-wide figures.
- Whether the price increases that prompted stockpiling were driven by memory costs. Only IT Home describes the price rises as memory-driven; CLS and 36Kr refer only to price increases.
- Final figures. CLS and 36Kr describe the data as preliminary.