Global PC sales decline in Q2 2026, marking the first drop after nine quarters of growth - Windows Central

What the report says

Windows Central reported that global PC shipments fell in the second quarter of 2026, citing new Counterpoint Research data that points to the AI-driven memory crunch as a major drag on the market. Shipments were down 4% from a year earlier to about 65 million units, according to the report, ending a run of quarterly growth that Windows Central said had continued since the first quarter of 2025.

The report attributed the weakness to higher DRAM and NAND prices, which have been pushed up by heavy demand from AI data centers. Windows Central said PC makers have faced a choice between absorbing higher component costs or passing them on to buyers, with price increases now weighing on demand. The article also noted that IDC had recently projected an 11.3% decline in global PC shipments for 2026 and a much steeper year-over-year fall in the fourth quarter.

Counterpoint’s figures, as summarized by Windows Central, showed commercial buyers holding up better than consumers, helped by business upgrades tied to Windows 11 migrations from Windows 10. Among Windows PC vendors, ASUS was reported as the only major brand to grow, rising 4% year over year, while Lenovo, Dell, HP and others declined by as much as 9%. Apple’s Mac shipments were reported up 13%.

For consumers, the significance is that lower-cost PCs may become harder to find if memory prices stay high. Windows Central said Counterpoint expects component costs to remain elevated through the second half of 2026, potentially pushing manufacturers toward higher-priced premium and AI-capable PCs.