Rising shipments, shifting market shares and mounting supply chain pressures define the global PC industry in Q1 2026, as vendors battle costs and shortages.
Worldwide PC shipments grew 2.5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 65.6 million units, according to preliminary figures from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
The increase came despite macroeconomic challenges and memory shortages, driven largely by expectations of rising component prices, Windows 10 migration, and new product launches.
The IDC report noted that supply chain resilience and access to critical components such as memory will determine vendor performance in 2026.
Jean Philippe Bouchard, research vice-president at IDC, said market share shifts are expected as vendors with stronger supply chains and broader product portfolios are better positioned to meet demand across price segments.
“As expected, 2026 will be characterized by market share shifts,” he said.
Regional growth trends showed signs of strain, with deteriorating economic conditions and component shortages weighing on performance. Analysts warned that shipments may decline later in the year as system prices rise.
Isaac Ngatia, senior research analyst, highlighted the impact of the Middle East conflict, which has disrupted sea corridors between Asia and EMEA and increased reliance on costly air freight.
“Sea corridors continue to face ongoing disruption, especially ones connecting Asia and EMEA, on the other, pivoting to air freight has become more expensive,” he cautioned.
Vendor performance varied significantly. Lenovo led the market with 16.5 million units shipped, securing a 25.2% share and recording 8.6% growth. HP shipped 12.1 million units, down 4.9% year-on-year, reducing its share to 18.5%.
Dell posted 10.3 million shipments, up 7.7%, while Apple grew 9.1% to 6.2 million units. ASUS recorded the strongest growth among the top five, rising 17.1% to 4.8 million units. Shipments from other vendors fell 6.2% to 15.7 million units, reflecting broader market pressures.
IDC concluded that while Q1 2026 delivered modest growth, supply chain volatility and rising costs could challenge the industry’s ability to sustain momentum throughout the year.
